Page:The battle of the books - Guthkelch - 1908.djvu/327

Rh either when he thinks he cannot say anything worth reading, or when he has no mind to enter on the subject, or when it is a matter of little moment, or perhaps to amuse his reader (whereof he is frequently very fond), or lastly, with some satirical intention."

In the Battle it will be noticed that the lacunae occur at points where the narrative is in danger of becoming monotonous—a thing very likely to happen in the description of a series of combats. Another reason has been suggested for the existence of the gaps at p. 30, l. 20, and p. 31, l. 2: see the note on the first mentioned. Cf. S. i. 23 and 25.

On the question of the authorship of the notes quoted, see pp. xlviii.-ix.

P. lxv., l. 11. There is a brain seems to refer to Wotton, though the phrase wit without knowledge is ludicrously inapplicable to him. It may, of course, be a grim joke at Wotton's expense (cf. S. i. 24).

P. lxvi., l. 2. a sort of cream, &c. Curiously enough there is a similar metaphor in de Calliere's Histoire poétique (see p. xlv. of this vol.), p. 74, ed. 1688.

P. I, l. 2. the Annual Records of Time, almanacks. The reference, given by Swift, to the ''Ephem. de Mary Clarke'' has caused some difficulty. Scott (following Hawkesworth) added to it the explanation 'now called Wing's Sheet Almanack, and printed by J. Roberts, for the Company of Stationers.'

Swift referred, in fact, to the sheet almanack prepared by Vincent Wing and 'printed by Mary Clark for the Company of Stationers.' I have only been able to get a copy of this almanack for the year 1690. It contains in columns the calendar for the year, with weather prognostications, and other entries. In the top left hand corner is printed a