Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

The Library.

A Greek-English Lexicon. Compiled by Henry
George Liddell and Robert Scott. A new
Edition Revised and Augmented through-
out by Henry Stuart Jones, Principal
of the University College of Wales, with the

assistance of Roderick Mackenzie, and
with the co-operation of many scholars.
Part ΙΙΙ: διάλειμμα ἐξευτελιστής (Oxford,
Clarendon Press, in ten parts, 10s. 6d. each.
Complete work, £4 4s.).

FACH yearly instalment of this monumental

work brings home to us the vastness of
the field of Greek literature, the importance of
the contributions which are being made to our
knowledge of the language by fresh discoveries
of papyri and inscriptions, and, we must add,

[ocr errors]

how far better the needs of classical students
in English-speaking countries are met by
Liddell and Scott" than they are by that
extremely inadequate Latin Dictionary which
shares with it the abbreviation of "L. & S."

Some of the many merits of this improved
edition have been already dwelt on in 'N. and
Q.' The compendious methods of reference to
Greek authors and works, by which so much
space is gained, may be unfamiliar at first,
but experience soon reconciles the reader, and
they are so judiciously devised that in most
instances they can be solved at first reading
with a little thought. No educated person
with a fair amount of general information
ought to pause in interpreting "Aq. Hb. 3.4,"
unless indeed general information no longer
includes some knowledge of the history of the
Bible and its translations. There is one con-
venience, however, which we miss. In the
Thesaurus Linguae Latinae,' the 84 lines in
a column are numbered by tens and fives,
thus greatly facilitating reference and cross-
reference. In our "Liddell and Scott," with its
89 line columns, we are provided with no such
help.

To touch brifly on some details of the
present number, it includes those old enemies
of the schoolboy, εἰμί (sum) and εἶμι (ibo).
An examination of the article on the first of
these will shew a great improvement in the
register of dialectic forms. Passing to pre-
positions and the compounds of which they
form part, we note that compounds of διὰ
fill between twenty and thirty pages, in addi-
tion to eleven or twelve pages in the preceeding
section; els and its compounds have six pages;
about thirty-eight, stopping short at

ἐκ

ἐξευτελιστής; while ev takes up, roughly, close
on forty. It would be a curious study to
trace the history of such compounds, those in
especial where the prepositional prefix seems
to be little more than intensive, if not otiose.
Observers of English manners in speech may
have marked that men of science seemed at
one time, to the literary at any rate, to be
overfond of "dividing up." But Robert Bur-
ton has "butchered up in the 'Anatomy of
Melancholy.' To-day the fashion among

journalists runs to "trying out." There will
always be examples of compounds where the
exact force of the prefix is doubtful. The
meaning attached here, as in earlier editions
of "L. & S.," τo διαξιφίζομαι is "fight to the
death." It occurs
Eq. In his edition of that play, R. A. Neil
once, in line 781 of Ar.
suggests that as ξιφίζω, ξιφιομός, ξίφισμα, ξιφίνδα,
all mean a dance or game with swords the

above verb, quoted from this single place,
may="to play the sword-game with." Liter-
ary parallels in other places will naturally
suggest themselves. There seems to be some
misunderstanding in the interpretation of
διαπεττεύω,. The meaning assigned to it is
gamble," and δ. τὴν ἐλπίδα Luc. Am. 16, is
explained as "try one's luck at play." But
the lover in the 'Amores' is not engaged with
an opponent in a game of chance. He is em-
ploying a method of divination. He takes
four dice, or rather knuckle-bones, numbered
on four sides with 1-4, and when he throws

num-

"the goddess" (Venus, four different
bers), regards this as an omen of success in
love. There still remain Greek words of

[ocr errors]

which the meaning, in certain passages at
leást, is a puzzle. The explanation given of
the verb ἐμποδίζω in Equites," 755, where
Demos is said to sit gaping, as though
ἐμποδίζων ἰσχάδας, is that the phrase pro-
bably means "playing bob-fig, i.e., catch-
ing figs dangled by the stalk (πούς).” This
certainly fits the situation, but the account
given of the use of the verb is unconvincing.
Could not ἐμποδίζων be employed here in its
ordinary sense of shackling, fettering, an ap-
parently less appropriate word being chosen
for the occasion, as often in Aristophanes, for
some topical purpose? Instead of snatching
or catching, the player is said to snare the
fig. If the word could suggest snaring or
trapping by the leg, the expression would be
analogous to the slang
potato-trap for

دو

mouth." The meaning of the verb διαλεπίζω
is given as strip of bark." Would not
"bark" (see the 'O.E.D.') suffice? We remem-
ber a line of Alfred Austin's-

[ocr errors][merged small]

"Round barked oaks newly thrown,”
which his reviewer, Mr. A. R. Ropes, aptly
termed
mouthful of fishbones." Under
“ἐγκεράννυμι mix, esp. wine,” ἐγκεράσασθαι
παιδιάν from Plato, Politicus, 268d, is trans-
iated mix in a little amusement." Surely

the nature of the

blend."

We

a

idiom for
metaphor calls in English
conclude with
search question. What is the Greek for bath-
ing-costume? For answer see p. 512, col. 2.
The Elements of Book-Collecting. By Iolo A.
Williams. (Elkin Mathews and Marrot.
8s. 6d.).

MR. Iolo A. Williams is well known to all

lovers of books, and his instructions will

be received both with a welcome and with
confidence. He combines a delightful humanity
with a taste both for minute accuracy and
for what is out of the way which would not
misbecome the Dry-as-dust he is not. More-

دو

over, as a collector, and in this little treatise for beginners, he has regard to the forgotten, the now relatively inexpensive, the things which, while worth having, are not beyond reach of a slender purse. In his first essay, Pleasures of book-collecting,' he says much that is obviously true about the reasons for prizing first editions; where these are of what he calls the sentimental order who should gainsay them? But we think his comparison of a first edition to first-hand evidence rather misleading; and, feeling some sympathy for authors who have let mistakes or blemishes through and chafe at the thought of themor who have been visited with second inspirations too late to be incorporated on original publication, we begin to think that somebody should take up the cudgels for authors' corrected editions as against the first. About half the book is devoted to a careful account of the main things to be learnt about the sizes of books, and their parts, about what constitutes perfection in a copy, about issues and editions, and the proper mode of describing a book. Then we come to characteristic chapters on the Formation of a Collection, and Modern First Editions. Mr. Williams, as he says in his first paragraph, considers that the object of all collecting is to increase the sum of knowledge upon some particular subject, and, with that in view, prefers the collection of old to new books, adverting, too, in this connection, to the obliteration of individual personality, which is one result of modern mechanical efficiency, and which diminishes the pleasant exercise of the collector's judgment. In certain paragraphs which deprecate collection of works irrelevant to a writer's true fame, or which he himself would wish forgotten, Mr. Williams seems virtually, or logically, to unsay part of what he has earlier said in the unqualified praise of first editions. In the chapter giving a Few Suggestions, after an appreciation of Mr. Philip Gosse the collector of books on Pirates and Piracy, he maintains that, if one will but break away from what everybody is collecting, there is no shortage of material for bibliographical study. He instances, first, Theology, and has hope, from any one who should collect seventeenth century sermons, of the discovery of much notable English prose. Next he mentions the minor poets of the beginning of the nineteenth century, whose forgotten books, to be bought for next to nothing, might furnish a whole anthology of virtually new material. These for large subjects: for smaller, Mr. Williams suggests collection of the work of individual illustrators (Stothard, for example, or Francis Hoffman); collection of old specimens of provincial printing; or study of bindings and what they contain and marks or writing in old books. He gives a singularly charming find of this last kind made by himself. Not the least useful of these chapters is the final one on Books of Reference.

THE LETTERS OF JOHN KEATS.

To the Editor, 'Notes and Queries.'

Sir, I am engaged in the preparation of a new edition of the letters of John Keats, based on my father's library editions of 1883 and 1889, the two volumes of Letters" included in the complete Keats he edited for Messrs. Gowans and Gray in 1900-1901, and the additional matter he had gathered up to the time of his death in 1917. Many of the letters brought together under his editorship were derived from printed sources, and doubtless some of these, as well as many new letters, have come to light during the past quarter of a century. I shall be grateful to any of your readers who are the happy possessors of original Keats letters if they will communicate with me, with a view to publication, if unpublished, or collation, if already in print; or should they find it more convenient to correspond with someone resident in England, Mr. Humphrey Milford, of the Oxford University Press, Amen House, Warwick Square, London, E.C.4, has kindly undertaken to copy or collate any letters entrusted to his care. I need hardly offer the assurance that any manuscripts entrusted to us will be dealt with expeditiously and returned promptly to the ownerfs

a

I am anxious to include in the edition census of letters, giving the course whence they are derived and, wherever possible, the present ownership of the originals, and information that will help in furthering this object will be very acceptable.

Yours faithfully,

MAURICE BUXTON FORMAN.

1100, Pretorius Street, Pretoria. December 7th, 1927.

NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS.

WHEN sending a letter to be forwarded to

re

another contributor, correspondents are quested to put in the top left-hand corner of 'N. & Q.' to which the latter refers.

APPROVED Queries' are inserted free of charge. Contributors are requested always to gives their names and addresses, for the information of the Editor, and not necessarily for publication.

WHEN sending a letter to be forwarded to another contributor, correspondents are requested to put in the top left-hand corner of the envelope the number of the page of 'N. & Q.' to which the latter refers.

WHEN answering a query, or referring to an article which has already appeared, correspondents are requested to give within paren-> theses-immediately after the exact headingthe numbers of the series, volume, and page at which the contribution in question is to be found.

The Publisher will be pleased to forward free specimen copies of N. and Q.' to any addresses of friends which readers may like to send to him.

Press, Ltd., at their Offices, High Street,

Printed and Published by The Bucks Free
Wycombe, in the County of Bucks.

[blocks in formation]
[blocks in formation]

1

3

6

13

26

Inserts. ( Rates

per line. į

[blocks in formation]

Series, each of 12

The line is of about 7 words.

[blocks in formation]

REPLIES:-Charles I and the Banqueting House, Whitehall, 30-Ancient Seals, 33-Skyscrapers in Fiction

Samuel Knipe

De Boleyn temp. Stephen--Canonization of English Saints-Henri Bachelin: bibliography-Grazia Deledda, 34-A saying of Lionardo's-Blotting-paper and inkstands-Hospitality in poetry and story-Rockboring organisms Wolfe's Funeral of Sir John Moore': French version wanted-Failure of tide on the River Dee-"Lord of the Manor": use of designation, 35.

THE LIBRARY:--'England and America, Rivals in the American Revolution '-'The Ottoman Empire and its Successors' 'de Quincey Milton Papers '-' Round Carlisle Cross.'

,

SETS FOR SALE.

HE following complete

from the Manager, "Notes and Queries," 20, High Street, High Wycombe, Bucks:

THIRD SERIES (1862-1867), bound half leather, marbled boards, in new condition. £10 10s. FOURTH SERIES (1868-1873), bound half leather, marbled boards, second-hand, in good condition, £7 7s. FIFTH SERIES (1874-1879) bound half leather, marbled boards, second-hand, in good condition, £7 7s.

SEVENTH SERIES (1886-1891), in Publisher's cloth cases, in very good condition, secondhand, and General Index in paper cover,

£6 68.

WANTED.

IE following numbers and Volume Indices of the TWELFTH SERIES or the complete

volumes in which they are included :-
No. 2-Jan. 8. 1916 (Vol. i).
No. 53-Dec. 30, 1916 (Vol. ii).
No. 67-Apr. 14, 1917 (Vol. iii).
No. 86 November 1917 (Vol. iv).
No. 128-Sept. 25, 1920 (Vol. vii).
No. 148-Feb. 12, 1921 (Vol. viii).
No. 168-July 2, 1921 (Vol. ix).
No. 185-Oct. 29, 1921 (Vol. ix).
No. 194-Dec. 31, 1921 (Vol. ix).
No. 228-Aug. 26, 1922 (Vol. xi).
Indices to Vol. vi (Jan. June, 1920) and

Vol. ix (July-Dec.. 1921).

VOL. 148-No. 6-Feb. 7, 1925.

No. 7-Feb. 14, 1925.
No. 8-Feb. 21, 1925.
No. 9-Feb. 28, 1925.

Please send offers to-" NOTES & QUERIES," 20, High Street, High Wycombe, Bucks.

[blocks in formation]

NOTENDER, ublished.com Friday, at 20, High Street, High Wycombe, Bucks (Telephone: Wycombe 306). Subscriptions (£2 2s. a year, U.S.A. $10.50, including postage, two half-yearly indexes and two cloth binding cases, or £1 15s. 4d. a year, U.S.A. $9, without binding cases) should be sent to the Manager. The London Office is at 22, Essex Street, W.C.2 (Telephone: Central 0396), where

the current issue is on sale. Orders for back numbers, indexes and bound volumes should be sent either to London or to Wycombe; letters

for the Editor to the London Office.

Memorabilia.

THE new number of the Library begins with Mr. G. B. Harrison's paper on 'Books and Readers, 1591-4.' Of the five sections on entries in the Stationers' Register the last is about books entered before they were written, and gives as examples accounts of the judgment and execution of criminals entered upon the very day of execution, shewing that the entry was used to stake a claim in a piece of startling news. The Register sometimes carries a proviso that the book to be written shall be in good form and order. Mr. Garrod has a delightful and useful paper on 'The Library Regulations of a Medieval College.' There was a curious custom, called at Merton electio librorum, of periodically distributing certain books assigned for this use among the Fellows. This was in working before 1338, and showing itself, besides, open to abuses, for complaint is made of Fellows keeping books when they are no longer occupied with the subject, an example being

cited of some which were retained for eleven or twelve years. If any one wanted the loan of a book not in electione (or as we should say belonging to the lending library) he must procure the consent to this of four "seniors," sometimes even of the whole College. It is related that the College agreed to lend the Dean of Wells a map of England belonging to the Library provided he paid a deposit of 40s. as guarantee for its safe return. The map was lent and returned, and the deposit likewise returned; but subsequent examination showed that the Dean had so misused the map that it was good for nothing. For this the College made the Sub-Warden, who was

virtually Librarian, liable. It is satisfactory to learn that the Dean replaced the damaged map by a new one. Sir Herbert George Fordham contributes an article recording the commencement of the English road-book in 1541, having discovered a series of road-tables, which begin in that year, in some little historical summaries which used to be brought out by early printers under such title as A cronycle of yeres.' He gives one of these "Anno. 1544," in facsimile. He is thus able to go back thirty years beyond the date given for the first road-books in the Catalogue he published in 1924.

THE of of

HE Editor of the Journal of the English

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

،،

to send him material of views tending to solve the problem of the origin of country dances. To set the ball rolling he puts forth two rival accounts of the matter, the one Mr. Cecil Sharp's, the other Mr. Thomas Hardy's. Mr. Sharp thought the country dance was a figure dance of "folk origin, the shapes of the figures being the essentially folk" element in it. The dances which we know he held to be made up of a few traditional dances and a large number of new" dances elaborated from traditional material by seventeenth and eighteenth century dancing-masters. Mr. Hardy thinks that country dances are different altogether from folk-dances, being product and practice of a different stratum of society with which the dancers of folk-dances did not intermingle, and avers that where country dances were introduced into the villages they had to be learnt as something new, which, moreover, did not prove as acceptable to the learners as their original boisterous jigs, their horse race, "thread-theneedle," and so on. References to old sources of information whence either opinion might be substantiated are specially asked for.

[ocr errors]

THE December number of Literis is in rather large proportion taken up with philology. Other subjects are the ideas underlying the French emigration, 1789-1815; recent studies in the life and works of Rivas; Dittrich's 'Geschichte der Ethik'; the antecedents of the war of 1870, and the new edition by M. Bréhier of Plotinus. M. Baldensperger reviewing an American study of Fielding quotes a recent work of M. L. L. Schücking which calls upon people (and it is an inteersting point of contemporary literary criticism abroad) to be surprised de voir 'Schiller compter encore un homme tel que Fielding parmi, les plus grands classiques." As M. Baldensperger goes on to

[ocr errors]
« AnteriorContinuar »