Page:Notes and Queries - Series 9 - Volume 6.djvu/306

 252 NOTES AND QUERIES. [9» s. vi. SEPT. 20, woo. who, I am sure, would resent being called "cads," even by the learned. Further, p 442, concerning the word century :— " Murray bemerkt: ' nobody says se'nshari (when sober), so far as 1 can hear: it is uni- versally scouted, compared to a tipsy man's ijutxh'n for question. 1 hear, according to care, se'ntiuri, sc'ntyuri, se'ntshuri, se'ntshari, but always tsh present. 1 say the first, so do all my family.'" I fancy that most people say se'ntsluri, but many certainly say se'nshari. I think that I myself use both indifferently. DR. MURRAY'S own pronunciation, se'ntiiiri, I have certainly never heard; sentyuri, never —except in sermons and speeches. There are other points, but these will suffice. As to the words mentioned by DR. MURRAY in his original query, I have never heard anything but in'undate and demon- strate. I have often heard remonstrate, and may have heard remon'strate. I fancy I use the latter myself, but am not sure, as the word is rarely spoken, however frequent it may be in writing. Unfortunately, most of those who study pronunciation and are qualified to say at least what is their own pronunciation are persons engaged in teaching or lecturing work of some kind, and there is no doubt that teaching, as preaching, tends to produce an artificial style, if only by reason of the continual effort to speak clearly. Now, this clear pronunciation may be very good, but the business of a scientific dictionary is, I imagine, not to improve pronunciation, but to register it as it is. I had more to say on the subject, but this is enough for the present. I think many would be interested to learn from DR. MURRAY what classes of people are consulted for the 'H.E.D.' with regard to the pronunciation of words, and, more especially, whether any attempt is made to get the opinion of those who are well educated, but have made nc special study of the English language, anc whose business or profession does not include public speaking or reading. With regard to myself, I may say that '. was born and brought up near London, edu cated at Harrow and Cambridge (which lattei I left three years ago), and that my pronun ciation should, therefore, be more or less tlia of educated Londoners at present. R. B. McK. Tokyo, Japan. MR. JOHN T. CURRY ably defends the accentuation Sjxddto as opposed to Spá- lato. In justice to myself, I must saj hat my authority for the latter is a ?ood one, viz., Diez, in his well - known Grammaire des Langues Romanes,' in the ection on accent. I am, of course, willing M admit that penultimate or antepenulti- mate stress in this, as in a number of other talian place and personal names, is largely a matter of individual taste. Thus, either the irst or second syllable at will may be stressed n the surnames Alcamo, Argoli, Bagnolo, ienoli, Bertola, Caffaro, Campolo, Clarici, Maroli, Ongaro, Vaccaro. and others equally elebrated m history. The most famous of hese doubtful quantities is, however, the lame of the Countess Guiccioli, interesting o all literary men on account of its associa- iou with Lord Byron. I think I am right in saying that orthoepists are still at variance jver this. For myself, I prefer to pronounce t with antepenultimate stress, as 1 do most of the others mentioned; but while many Italians would undoubtedly side with me, many, I am free to confess, would equally «rtainly declare for the penultimate accent. JAS. PLATT, Jun. " INTENTIONS " (9lh S. v. 435, 504).—If what 'ollows come too late to serve DR. MURRAY'S jurpose, it may still be interesting to your •eaders. Timbs, in the second volume of his Romance of London' (p. 91), relating the story of the pig-faced lady, quotes the follow- ing advertisement from the Morning Herald of 16 February, 1815 :— Secrecy.—A single gentleman, aged thirty-one, of a respectable family, and in whom the utmost confidence may be reposed, is desirous of explaining bis mind to the friends of a person who has a mis- fortune in her face, but is prevented for want of an introduction. Being perfectly aware of the princi- pal particulars, and understanding that a final settlement would be preferred to a temporary one. presumes he would be found to answer to the full extent of their wishes. His intentions are sincere, honourable, and firmly resolved. References of great respectability can be given," &c. * The whole story being "a catchpenny hoax," this would-be spouse of the luswsnatures, who existed only in print, received no reply, except perhaps from practical jokers, as to which we lack information. F. ADAMS. "LA/Y LAURENCE" (9th S. v. 394,603; vi. 97).—Is not Dr. Brewer short of the mark in identifying " Lawrence" in this phrase with "an imaginary person " ] St. Lawrence became the patron saint of the lazy and indolent because when, under the fifth in matters amatory, I have italicized the two words for the sake of emphasis only.
 * " Honourable intentions " being a stock phrase