66 brick we regard with great satisfaction, as it secures its permanence. Mr. mention associates the figure with Clinch's brief of ancient religion." He has our adherence to some form this view. Mr. Martin says, inter alia :"Horsfield and Lower agreed in thinking it probably the work of medieval monks from the priory in the plain below. concerning it somewhat justifies suspicions of Absence of notice its antiquity, since so prominent an object could, if present, scarcely have been passed unnoticed." As to this we remark that the Cerne Abbas giant is also associated with monks close by. But may they not in both cases have taken on a cult, or, at any rate, a spot with associations of religious awe? regarded as of use in promoting childbearing is That the Dorset figure was known. That either of them was the work of monks seems wholly untenable, for the reason that their proportions are clumsy. often medieval artists, and would have produced something less rude and strange in appearance. Old-time Sport' by Mr. H. A. Bryden, and Country Life in the Past,' by the editor, are particularly welcome as giving us into the life of the people, without which such a an insight book as this may be too exclusively antiquarian in its appeal. We have ourselves a feeling for architecture in itself which makes all the lore of the subject a delight; but there are others to whom an old tower, say, conveys but little-is nothing, in the words of Sophocles, if empty of those who lived together within it. Monks were The race of old country folk is rapidly passing away, language, habits, dress, and social custom alike yielding to the overpowering attraction of big centres, which crush individuality. of this volume will show what admirable features still remain worthy of the study and thought of the man of the town. Perusal Our Debt to Antiquity. By Prof. Translated, with Introduction and Notes, by Zielinski. Prof. H. A. Strong and Hugh Stewart. ledge & Sons.) (RoutWE are grateful alike to the publishers and translators for giving us an excellent version of a stimulating little book. the lectures it embodies at St. Petersburg in the Prof. Zielinski delivered spring of 1903 to the highest classes of the secondary schools in the capital. They did not gain a favourable reception at first, but soon won their way to a second edition, which was "meant for the world at large.' Russia "looks back to Byzantine Greek as its classical language," says the Introduction; but the Professor attaches much importance also to Latin, which is not generally viewed with favour in his native country. The defence of the study of the classics as an educational instrument is most spirited, and full of that simplicity and naïveté of diction which always seems to us the great charm of Russian literature, while the Russian point of view has an agreeable freshness. The author has, too, a philosophic outlook which semasiology "-a long word for a simple On the subject and important study-he is particularly good, and a little consideration of what he says would, perhaps, suggest to some writers of English their defects in the knowledge of words, and consequent degradation of a fine language. How adds to the value of his survey. of often do I tear my hair for not having had a classical education!" said Pushkin; and we wrote with a due regard for the splendid heritage have heard similar exclamations from men who of their mother-tongue. A brief exposition like this is bound to contain some debatable positions stated as if they were the main the arguments so well put before us. assured. We are ready, however, to endorse in The translators have achieved the feat of presigns of alien origin. Perhaps this is because they senting a rendering free from the distressing are themselves classical scholars. hope that it will go far and wide. There is no The appearance of such a work at the present stage of culture in England is opportune, and we which disfigures much of the writing of learned scholars in England, and deprives them of the trace in Prof. Zielinski's lectures of the pedantry influence they might exert on the ordinary reader, and, as we all write now, we may add the ordinary writer. A Hundred Verses from Old Japan: being a Japanese verse are becoming known to a few THE grace and delicacy of the brief cameos of outside the ranks of professed scholars. This audience will be increased by Mr. Porter's renderings of pieces which all have five lines and thirtyone syllables, and were collected in A.D. 1235. We are told that Japanese verse depends on all beyond the power of a translator to render. Apart from this, however, many of the pieces have sorts of puns and alternative meanings which are charm as thumb-nail pictures of scenery, or as embodying a gentle, reflective melancholy which the work of a man who was an official in the is attractive. We give a specimen of the poems, Province of Sagami in 911 : Gone are my old familiar friends, The same old pine trees grow, from the collection of Mr. F. V. Dickins, C.B., Notices to Correspondents. We must call special attention to the following notices: and address of the sender, not necessarily for pubON all communications must be written the name lication, but as a guarantee of good faith. to "The Editor of Notes and Queries'"-Advertisements and Business Letters to "The PubEDITORIAL Communications should be addressed lishers"-at the Office, Bream's Buildings, Chancery Lane, E.C. England").-See 7 S. iii. 386, 06; 9 S. v. 374, and B. M. D. ("St. George as the Patron Saint of the authorities cited. CORRIGENDUM.-10 S. xii. 483, col. 2, third proverb, for “fin” read pin. LONDON, SATURDAY, JANUARY 29, 1910. CONTENTS.-No. 5. a different direction, can be adduced against them, literary similarities do not go far to establish an author's identity. Permit me to state briefly the conclusions already reached with regard to the authorship. I do not quote authorities or develope arguments, but content myself with simply cataloguing the facts which, I think, have been satisfactorily established in the course of discussion. · The Canadian Boat Song' first appeared in Blackwood's Magazine in September, 1829. The September issue of the magazine No. XLVI. was edited by John Gibson The Canadian Lockhart. The MS. of Boat Song' is still in existence, and is in handwriting. Wilson never Lockhart's Neither did claimed to be the author. NOTES:-'The Canadian Boat Song,' 81-'The Book of Oaths, 82-Bibliography of Manners, 84-Royal Manners temp. William IV.-Manners in the Eighteenth CenturyOsbaldistone, 85-General Ireton's Death-"Function T. L. Peacock's Essay on Fashionable Literature'Families Dying Out, 86. QUERIES:-"Tally"-Verdant Green-Warly Letters "Standing for Parliament "-Master Stephen and his Hawk-Sir Henry Audley-Battle of Mohacs-Columbine Flower-Fishwick of Islington, 87-Authors WantedNosegay in the Pulpit-Miss Abbott's Portrait-London Visitations-De Quincey and Dreams-"Le Whacok""Altes Haus"-Cowes, 88-Place de la Concorde Mohammed and the Mountain-"Old Lady of Threadneedle Street"-Lyon's Inn-Dr. T. Bray, 89. REPLIES:-Watson's History of Printing'-'Short Whist,' 90-King's Place-Three CCC Court-Authors WantedBanished Covenanters, 92-"Tally-ho"-Michael Maittaire "This world's a city," &c., 93-Dun Y-"When Lockhart. The latter states that he re"from a friend of mine our Lord shall lie." &c.-Diss-Sir R. Geffery, 94-MedThat friend was menham Abbey, 95-Walsh Surname Lady Worsley-ceived the verses now in Upper Canada.' American Words: "Franklin," 96-St. Margaret's, Westa contributor to Blackwood's Magazine. So minster-Selby Peculiar Court-"Whelps," 97-Brooke of Cobham-Rev. R. Snowe-Dr. J. Bradley, 98-"Culprit," far as can now be ascertained, the only contributor to Blackwood to whom Lockhart's description will apply was John Galt. It would therefore appear, on the face of it, that Galt sent to Lockhart, for insertion in the magazine, the first rough draft of what is now known as The Canadian Boat Song.' But Galt's authorship has been strenuously denied, and here I break away from fairly settled fact into the domain of inference. 99. NOTES ON BOOKS:-'Burke's Peerage and Baronetage'- 'Writers' Year-Book.' Booksellers' Catalogues. Notes. THE CANADIAN BOAT SONG.' THE CANADIAN BOAT SONG' was discussed in the columns of N. & Q.' some seven or If I remember aright, no eight years ago. very definite conclusion as to the authorship The subject has since was then arrived at. been revived through the publication of The Lone Shieling,' Mr. G. M. Fraser's reviewed in N. & Q.' on 11 December last (10 S. xii. 478). Perhaps I may be permitted to add a few words to the discussion. The claim in favour of Wilson is by no means novel, but Mr. Fraser has developed That it on lines never attempted before. he has established his theory of the Wilson authorship I am not at all prepared to admit. His argument is based almost entirely on similarities in style and diction between The Canadian Boat Song' and Wilson's published poems. This, I venture to submit, is much too slender a foundation on which to build. Such similarities or imitations no satisfactory proof of authorship. As corroborative evidence, confirming conclusions arrived at on other premises, they have, no doubt, their value. But when a considerable body of evidence, pointing in are 66 1. It is objected that Galt was incapable of achieving a supreme tour de force like The Canadian Boat Song.' Now this is unfair to 'The Canadian Boat Song' is no Galt. With the exception supreme tour de force. "to borrow Sir haunting verse of one Henry Lucy's happy phrase in The Cornhill for last December-the greater part of it does not rise much above mediocrity. There are scores of minor poets, with not one tithe of Galt's ability, who could write as good verses as most of those found in the Galt pubreceived version of the song. lished three, if not four volumes of verse, more than double that number of plays, and almost innumerable contributions in verse to magazines and newspapers. True, his poems are now entirely forgotten. Helpless, forgotten, sad, and lame, The lines may not be great poetry; but they are simple, direct, and not devoid of pathos. Moreover, they rime and they scan. I hardly think that much more can be saidif, indeed, as much-for some of the verses in The Canadian Boat Song.' 2. It is also objected that Galt never claimed The Canadian Boat Song' as his. That is true. One can only conjecture that he had forgotten having written it. This need not excite surprise when we remember his enormous literary productivity. Nearly eighty volumes are attributed to his pen, but no one seems able to state the exact number. Then we must remember that his recollection of his own productions was not at all trustworthy. He wrote an epic poem and published it; yet years afterwards, when drawing out a list of the books he had written, he omitted to mention the epic. Remarking jocularly on this omission, he is reported to have said that he should be remembered as one who had published an epic poem and forgot that he had done so. If Galt could forget this work, it is no great stretch of fancy to imagine that he may also have forgotten a bit of verse so comparatively trifling as 'The Canadian Boat Song. Besides, there is a question as to whether he recognized, or was willing to recognize, his own handiwork after it had undergone the transmuting touch of the 22 transcriber and editor, Lockhart. 66 This brings me to the last point. Internal evidence seems to justify one in believing that two pens were engaged in the composition of The Canadian Boat Song.' I quote, for the purpose of contrast, the haunting verse : 22 From the lone shieling of the misty island Mountains divide us, and the waste of seas It is surely more consistent to suppose that a mind "attuned to finer issues" than that of the first author had amended the draft of the original poem, leaving us thing of beauty where before there had been little else than tawdry rhetoric. That finer mind could have been no other than the transcriber" of the song, Lockhart. I venture therefore to submit that Galt was the original author of 'The Canadian Boat Song, but that Lockhart, in all probability, revised and improved his verses. WALTER SCOTT. Stirling. [The reader should study Mr. Fraser's book before making up his mind on the point. We easy believers in such arguments; have seen too many literary coincidences to be but Mr. Fraser's evidence is unusually to the point.] THE BOOK OF OATHS.' SHORTLY after the beginning of the Commonwealth there was published forms thereof, both Antient and Modern. "The Book of Oaths, and The Severall The first edition contained some 230 oaths of various kinds, from which much information is obtainable regarding the duties of curious and obsolete officials, and many side-lights are thrown on various historical incidents and occasions. I have roughly grouped the documents as follows: 1. Coronation Oaths. The "Antient Oath" of the Kings of England, the oath of Edward II., the new oath corrected by Henry VIII. with his own hand ("the But still the blood is strong, the heart is High- originall is in the hands of Sir Robert Cotton, land, And we in dreams behold the Hebrides. Compare this with the last stanza : Come foreign rage-Let Discord burst in slaughter! O then for clansman true, and stern claymoreThe hearts that would have given their blood like water, Beat heavily beyond the Atlantic roar. If the same pen composed both stanzas -the felicitous touch and glamour of the one, and the turgid rhetoric of the other then certainly Icarus, flying too near the sun, had got the wax of his wings melted, and thereafter had plunged headlong into the deep. Atlantic roar,' indeed, weirdly suggestive of the bubbling cry Of some strong swimmer in his agony. is Knight and Baronet, 1625"), and the oath of Charles I., are given. oaths of allegiance and of supremacy are 2. Oaths of Allegiance.-Various forms of included; also the oaths (temp. Henry VIII.) to secure the succession of the crown by Queen Anne and Queen Jane. Among the oaths of fealty are those of a Duke and Earl of Scotland; of the Prior of St. John of Jerusalem (temp. Edward IV.), with the homage of James of Scotland to Henry VI., of John Baliol, and of King John to the Pope in 1213. The words of allegiance of the Duke of York and of Buckingham, and other peers and ecclesiastics, to Henry VI. are given in several forms. From Philip, Duke of Burgoyne (and many other French : "If I shall neglect thus to doe, I will be an Apostate, a forsaker of the Holy Commandments, of the Gospell of the Christians; I will say that the Gospel is false and untrue, I will crosse both Alter and Priest, I will slay swine upon the Fount, I will commit whoredom upon the Alter," &c. 3. Ministerial.-Among these oaths appear those of the Lord Privy Seal, the Keeper of the Great Seal, Privy Councillor, Lord President of the Welsh Council, Clerks of Parliament and of Signet, Chancellor, Secretary of State, and many similar dignitaries. 4. Legal. Specimens are given of the oaths of the Master of the Rolls, Judge of Requests, Judges, Justices, Serjeants, and Attorneys at Law. 5. Departmental.-Full sets of oaths for all the officers of (a) the Court of Wards and Liveries, (b) the Court of General Surveyors, (c) the Court of Augmentations, (d) the Court of First-Fruits and Tenths, and (e) the Exchequer. 6. Ecclesiastical. Among these may be mentioned the homage by an Archbishop and Bishop; the oath of a Bishop renouncing a Pope's Bull, and that of a Bishop of the Church of Rome to Pope Boniface; the oath of a Doctor of Divinity in the University of "Basill"; and the oath administered (temp. Richard II.) to William Divet (or Devnet), Nicholas Taylor, Nicholas Poncher, and William Staynor of Nottingham, they renouncing their Lollardism, and swearing "to be buxim to the Lawes of holie Church. Under Articles of 1595 and 1616 respectively, oaths were administered to the churchwardens and sidesmen of Salisbury and Bristol, and specimens are here set out, with a copy of the Vow and Covenant ordered by Parliament to be taken by every man (not dated). There are also the oath (in Latin) of a nun on taking up her monastic life, and that of John Copley, "Collegiall" of the English Seminary abroad of the Roman Church, rejoicing that he had been drawn out of a country infected with heresy, and undertaking to return to England, there to gain souls. To ensure the performance of the matrimonial articles of the Prince of Wales and the Infanta of Spain in 1625, a special form of oath was prepared for the Archbishop of Canterbury and the King's Councillors. 7. Royal Household. There are several forms of oath to be taken by the yeomen and servants of the King's Chamber, by the Council of Princess Marie (temp. Henry VIII.), and the Royal Treasurers and Surveyors. In lower ranks also oaths seem sometimes to have been administered to the staff: "The honourable George, Lord Nevell, Baron of Abergaveny (temp. Henry VIII.), made his servants on their first coming into his household swear to be obedient, and not to consume nor waste his goods. 12 8. London. The oaths of many obsolete City and Wardmote officials and servants are given, with that of the brokers and freemen of the City. An office seldom heard of is that of the "Tronator," who undertook truly "to weigh and poyse the wooll." com 9. Berwick-on-Tweed.-There is a plete set of oaths for the defence of this town (temp. Eliz.), including those of the Governor, Marshal, Treasurer, Porter, Master of the Ordnance, Clerk of the "Checque (of persons entering and leaving), Captains of the Bands, and private soldiers. 22 10. Calais. A similar elaborate set is given for the defence of Calais (temp. This includes the oaths of Henry VIII.). the Deputy, High Marshal, Lieutenant of the Castle, Master Porter, &c., with those of the Lieutenants of Guynes, Ruisbancke, Hannues, and Newenham (Newhaven) Bridge. The oath of the Steward of GasGuyan cogne in the Duchy of “ same kind. 22 is of the 11. Knightly Orders.-The oaths of a Knight of the Garter (temp. Philip and Mary) and of the Bath (temp. Charles I.) are printed, together with the oath taken in 1585 by Henry III. of France to observe the Statutes of the former Order. 12. Military. Of these oaths there are very few. Those administered to the soldiers of the Earl of Leicester (temp. Eliz.) in the Low Countries, and to the captains and soldiers in Zeeland for the safeguarding of Flushing, are curious. 13. Forest.-Amongst these we find the oath given to "Master Crowner" by stealers of venison abjuring the realm, and the oath of the inhabitants of twelve years of age and upwards to respect the forest laws. 14. Various. (a) The oath given as that of the Knights of the Round Table in the time of King Arthur deserves to be reprinted in full : "Not to put off your Armour from your Bodie, but for requisite rest in the night. The [? To] search for marvellous adventures, whereby to winne renowne. MANNERS, DEPORTMENT, AND "To defend the poore and simple people in ETIQUETTE: THEIR BIBLIOGRAPHY. their right. Not to refuse aid unto them that shall ask it in any just quarrell. "Not to hurt, offend, or play any lewd part the one with the other. "To fight for the protection, defence, and welfare of his friends. "Not to purchase any goods or particular profit, but Honour and the title* of honestie. "Not to breake faith promised or sworne, for any cause or occasion whatsoever. To put forth and spend his life for the honour of God and his Countrie, and to chuse rather to die honestly than to live shamefully." (b) Probably the shortest oath in the book, consisting of a simple promise of secrecy, is that given in 1605 by Henry Garnet, the Jesuit, to Catesby, Piercy, Wright, Winter, and the other conspirators in the Gunpowder Plot. (c) Two specimens of a Merchant Adventurer's oath are printed: the first of obedience to the Fellowship, the second (taken before" the Poqueter ") for the true shipping of his clothes. (d) The longest oath in the book is that administered by the Bishop to a licensed midwife (not dated). She undertook to help poor and rich alike; not to father the child improperly; not to connive at fictitious or secret births; not to use witchcraft or sorceries, or cause abortion; to be secret; and to report unlicensed midwives. (e) The quarrel between the Duke of Gloucester and the Bishop of Winchester in the fourth year of Henry VI. was submitted to the arbitrament of the Lords, and two copies are given of the oath taken by the Duke of Bedford and the other peers in the matter. There are many other curious matters to be found within the 400 pages of this book, but sufficient has perhaps been mentioned to show that it contains a valuable collection of documents. Very few of these are dated, but internal evidence will usually supply the period. Probably not much reliance can be placed on the earlier forms of oath, but those dating from Henry VIII. to the Commonwealth are doubtless recorded in a trustworthy manner. R. S. B. [8. Many oaths of old City officials are included by Dr. R. R. Sharpe in the valuable Calendars of Letter-Books edited by him for the Corporation. 14(d). Licences to midwives have been discussed at some length in N. & Q.'; see 9 S. v. 475; vi. 9, 177, 274, 336, 438; vii. 31, 197, 352.] *The print is blurred here, and this may not be the word. (See 9 S. vii. 388, 516; viii. 232.) I MAY supplement the books on these subjects supplied at the second and third references by the following : translated out of frensshe in to Englisshe the The Book of Good Maners. Fynysshed and viij day of Juyn the yere of our Lord M.iiiiclxxvi, and the first yere of the regne of kyng harry the vij. And enprynted the xj day of Maye after ...[1487], (made and compiled by the Venerable Frere Jaques le Graunt). Folio.-Ames's' Typog. Antiq.,' 1810, vol. i. p. 263. Castiglione (1478-1529). The original edition is a small folio by Aldus Il Perfetto Maestro di Casa [in early Italian households the superintendent of all domestic details and the comptroller of the estate], i quali contengono una esatta instruttione per l'ufficio di ciracun Ministro, e Cortegiano di quanto appartiene all' Economia anche nelle cose minime, e nel conseguire le dignita di Vesconati, Protonotarii, Apostolici, Auditor di Rota, Chierico di Camera, &c., by Francesco Liberati. Rome, 1668. Behaviours it behoveth eschewe in his familiar conversation, a worke very a Man to use and necessary and profitable for all Gentlemen. First written in Italian by Giovanni della Casa. Now done into English by R. Peterson Lincolnes Inne. Small 4to. of 1576, edited by H.J. Reid, with Introduction, A faithful reproduction of the original of 1576-1892. Only 100 copies privately printed on hand-made paper. The Myrrour of good Maners., &c., translate &c. into englysshe, &c., by Alexander Bercley, preste, "Here begynnyth a ryght frutefull treatyse, intitulyd the myrrour of good maners, conteynyng the iiii vertues callyd cardynall." London, (1523 ?) Folio. Gentlefolks: a Portrayal in Literature from the Hogg & Sons, circa 1860-69. Lockwood & Co., circa 1869. Books on Etiquette.-Globe "turnover" (date lost). The Art of Going.-Globe, 3 Sept., 1902. |