Page:Notes and Queries - Series 9 - Volume 6.djvu/169

 VL ADO. is, i9oo.] NOTES AND QUERIES. 139 which is at once obvious is the ability to dispense with scores of books, and find all dialect words in one work, systematically arranged and easily con- sulted. So obvious is, indeed, the gain which Prof. Wright's dictionary involves that we are ashamec of dwelling on the subject. One is apt to wonder how far ignorance and mistake are responsible for some forms. Take, for instance, the verb ferret, in the sense of to worry. Might not this be a mispronunciation of to worrltt or teerrilt, a common North-Country form ? Doeu =a pet, a darling, in the list of words kept back for further information, seems to us to be possibly a caressing form of Joey, " Don't he love his Joey ? Day _is in frequent use for joy, " Yes, my doy." We have known Demmy used constantly as an equivalent form for Jemmy. Demmv (». was a familiar name for a friend of our youth till its use was stopped as babyish. See also under Dod-God. The word devan does not appear either in the ' Ox- ford Dictionary" or the 'Dialect Dictionary.' It was common in Leeds and the district, about the middle of the century, to indicate a treble-milled cloth, largely in use for coachmen's coats and capes, and was generally either blue or drab. The goods were known as blue devorw or drab devoms. Directly, in West Riding speech, equalled anon in Shake- speare—Juliet's " Anon, good Nurse !" To dip into the volume is an unwearying delight, and we could go on quoting till columns were filled. We must, however, cease. That the work will be completed is now a matter of as much certainty as is attain- able in human affairs. So far the requirements of scholarship are fulfilled. That the indefatigable labourers to whom it is due will be reimbursed is scarcely to be hoped. We appeal, however, for so much support as shall render work of the class not wholly prohibitive. National recognition is, it appears, a thing not to be hoped for in this country under the systems of government which alone seem possible. Were we as enlightened as our neigh- bours d'outre Mancfie we might appeal to Govern- ment in this and similar cases—in tact, in all cases of labour so earnest, disinterested, and self-denying —for a share of the honours so liberally awarded to the perfunctory discharge of obligatory duties. Let it be understood that what we are saying in de motu proprio, and in no way inspired by those responsible for the dictionary, to whom the com- plaint may not even be acceptable. Calendar of Home Office Papers of the Reign of George III.. 1773-1775. Edited by Richard Arthur Roberts. (Stationery Office.) THIS volume —the fourth of the series — though valuable as furnishing a key to a large mass of historical papers, win not be found especially attractive to the ordinary Englishman. To Ame- ricans, on the contrary, it will be of great importance as throwing light on the early days of their struggle for independence. The more we scrutinize contem- porary documents the more imbecile does the conduct of the home authorities appear to have been. Those who were called rebels were not free from blame, but when all is said it must )>e admitted that, having made up their minds as to what they desired, they achieved it in a business- like manner. In not a few cases we find their cause tainted by a violence which, though not surprising, must be deplored by those who have the warmest sympathy with the Colonial cause. Tarring and feathering was not in those days, any incur than it is now, a recognized mode of conduct- ing political controversy, yet we find it freely resorted to against those who spoke " the least disrespectful of the Congress." This form of argu- ment would seem to have been singularly popular in Virginia and Maryland. The papers relating to Ireland are numerous, but no one taken singly is of great importance. Regarded as a whole, however, they give the impression that the island was shame- fully misgoverned. There are some highly curious documents relating the endeavour made by the publicans to raise the price of porter, which con- trast markedly with modern opinion. In those days strong drink was evidently looked upon as a necessity of life for the working man of London. Lord Hardwicke writes: " The common people are everywhere uneasy under the advancing price of the necessaries of life, and a greater necessary than porter in this immense unruly town we all know there is not." Sir John Fielding, who was a trusted authority in his day, seems to have held much the same opinion. There are several entries regarding warrants for changes of surname and grants of arms which will be found useful by genealogists. One of these is remarkable. The case is that of a Scotchman who alleged himself to be a baronet and made application for supporters to his arms. The warrant was actually passed, but was afterwards cancelled in the king's presence because the Lyon King at Arms had represented that the applicant had not been able to show that he had a rignt to the title. ' THE ETHICS OF CREMATION ' is by far the most ini|icii'i.ml non - political article in the current Quarterly. Whatever opinion we may arrive at as to his conclusions, all must admit that the writer understands the subject, and states the arguments against the practice with considerable force. Wrong or right, his carefully guarded statements cannot but have weight with thinking people. If wrong, they urgently call for a reply. We ourselves do not see now, if cremation were to become a general practice, the danger of undiscovered murders by poison could be averted. In ' Rome and Byzantium' we have a powerful historical study by one who is master of the most recent literature on the subject. It is futile to speculate as to what might nave happened had the empire not been divided, or had Antioch or some other city of the East become the new Rome. That the picture-web of history would have been wrought in a far different pattern we may be sure, but of its forms and colours we can tell nothing. We may, perhaps, surmise that had such been the case the East would not be now in omparative barbarism, and that some, at least, of the dangers which threaten modern civilization would have been averted : but then it is probable In- Teutons, who have been such great factors n world-growth, would have remained quiescent, or have spread where the Slav and Mongol now rule. It is impossible to contemplate the career of imperial Rome without having to face the snb- ect of that depopulation which wag one of the greatest evils from which the decadent empire lad to suffer. We do not think the writer throws new light on the subject, though he certainly is not a victim of the old fallacies. Proscriptions may count for something, as they commonly fell on
 * he best, not the worst citizens ; they were harmful
 * ar in excess of the numbers directly affected ; but

we doubt if almost constant warfare can be