Page:Notes and Queries - Series 9 - Volume 9.djvu/105

 9". s. ix. FRB. i, 1902.) NOTES AND QUERIES.

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written on the colours of the gangs pursuing them at the time of the first Crusade, signifying, it is pretended, Hierosolyma est perdita. This, interest- ing as it may be, is deserving of no credit. It can ) proved that the cry in question was applied at first to animals, especially goats the goat has the dialectal names of Hippe, also Heppe and as a long Jew's beard was also dubbed goat's beard, the extension of the sense can be easily conceived. That ' hep ' is the imperative of k heben ' heb den Fuss is possible, as far as form goes, but impro bable."

" The common people," he adds, " tried to account for their war-cry by the explanation that the Jews, when the Saviour was drawn up on the Cross, called out, Heb ! Heb ! (Lift ! Lift !)."

Of course, this cannot be taken seriously the Jews of those times spoke as little German as the German mob used Latin. The deriva- tion from the goat's beard sounds more plausible ; but is it not more natural to assume that " Hep " is only the shortened catching sight of a Jew we saluted and pursued him naughty boys as we were with " Jude, Jude ! " or " Jude, hep ! "
 * Hebraer," Hebrew ? In my boyhood, when

G. KRUEGER. Berlin.

DISSINGTON FAMILY (9 th S. viii. 365 ; ix. 18). Is it too fanciful to connect this family with the place-name Tissington, in Derby- shire, where the far-famed well-dressing still survives 1

T. CANN HUGHES, M.A., F.S.A.

"MINE HOST OF THE TABARD" (9 th S. viii. 505). It is more than probable that Harry Bailly, of the Cook's Prologue in Chaucer's ' Canterbury Tales,' was identified more than forty-four years ago. See 2 nd S. iii. 228.

EVERARD HOME COLEMAN. 71, Brecknock Road.

WEEKS'S MUSEUM (9 th S. ix. 8). The sale of the automatic figures and other pieces of mechanism f rom Weeks's Museum took place at Messrs. Christie's rooms on 26 May, 1864. Many of the articles offered for sale are de- scribed in 3 rd S. vi. 46. The museum was established about 1810 at 3, Tichborne Street, Hay market. The grand room was 117ft. long and 30ft. high. It was covered entirely with blue satin, and contained a variety of mechanical curiosities. The archi- tecture was by Wyatt, and the ceiling was painted by Rebecca and Singleton. There were two temples nearly 7 ft. high, supported by sixteen elephants, and embellished with 1,700 pieces of jewellery. Among the automata were the tarantula spider and the bird of ! paradise, the surprising efforts in a minute compass of the proprietor's ingenuity. The price of admission to the temple was 2s. 6d,

one shilling extra being charged for the tarantula or the bird.

EVERARD HOME COLEMAN. 71, Brecknock Road.

The following description appears in Leigh's ' New Picture of London,' 1824-5, under * Ex- hibitions of Works of Art,' &c., p. 384 :

"Weeks's Museum, Tichborne Street, is an exhibition of some curious and surprising mechan- ism. A tarantula spider, made of steel, comes in- dependently out of a box, and runs backward and forward on the table, stretches out and draws in its paws, as if at will ; moves its horns and claws, and opens them with ease. This singular automaton, that has no other power of action than that con- tained in its body, is composed of 115 pieces ! Here also are shown two magnificent clocks in the form of temples, supported by sixteen elephants, and embellished with upwards of seventeen hundred pieces of jewellery, in the first style of elegance. Admission, 2s. Qd."

G. YARROW BALDOCK.

South Hackney.

John Timbs, in his ' Curiosities of London,' first edition, 1855, says that this museum was established at 3, Tichborne Street about 1810, and was famed for its mechanical curiosities. The grand room, by Wyatt, had a ceiling painted by Rebecca and Singleton. In it were two temples, 7 ft. high, supported by sixteen elephants, and embellished with 1,700 pieces of jewellery. Among the automata were the tarantula spider and bird of paradise. He adds :


 * t Weeks's Museum has long been dispersed ; the

premises were subsequently the show-rooms of the Rockingham Works, where, in 1837, was exhibited a splendid porcelain dessert-service made for William IV. ; 200 pieces, painted with 760 subjects, occupied five years and cost 3,OOOZ. In 1851 the place was refitted by Robin (?Houdin), the con juror."

'The Picture of London for 1820,' a con- temporary account, says :

" WEEKS'S MUSEUM ; TOP OF THE HAYMARKET,

ST. JAMES'S.

This Museum, on the plan of the celebrated Mr. _ox, forms an interesting object to the curious. The grand room, which is 107 ft. long, and 30 ft. tiigh, is covered entirely with blue satin, and contains a variety of figures, which exhibit the powers of mechanism. Admittance Is. Qcl. from one
 * ill four ; and 2s. from seven till ten. The price of

admission to the temple is 2,9. 6d. from twelve till
 * our, and from six till nine. A curious tarantula

and bird are shewn at Is. each."

I believe I have seen at least one engraving of this museum. E. E. NEWTON.

7, Achilles Road, West Hampstead, N.W.

CARLYLE ON SYMBOLS (9 th S. ix. 27). In 'Sartor Resartus,' book iii. chap, iii., my friend MR. W. L. RUTTON will find the refer- ence he asks for under the above heading.