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CONTENTS. - N° 239.

NOTES:-Notes and Queries in the Seventeenth Century, 61The Bibliography of Archery, 63-The English Collection of Trojan Antiquities-Scott's Antiquary," 64-Folk-LoreClubs and Societies, 1748-Breech-Loading Invented in the Seventeenth Century-Curious Superstition, 65-History Repeats Itself-Watch-case Verses-Hansoms Anticipated"Mythology among the Hebrews "-"Faith unfaithful "Criminal Law-" Mistrust" and "Distrust "-Perspicuity in Writing-A Misquoted Proverb, 66-Dean Swift, 67. QUERIES:-"Cucklen Wretch"-A Prayer Book belonging to George II.-The Bruce Family-Mr. Lusignan, 67A Monumental Inscription-Lincolnshire Heads-Goldsmith an "Inspired Idiot "-" Tirlised "-Lord Hardwicke "Serendipity" Corston Church, Somerset-The Earl of Barrymore, 1793-Misereres, 68-The Gresham Grasshopper -Celebrities of 1824 and 1833-Authors Wanted, 69. REPLIES:-"The Lass of Richmond Hill," 69-The Globe

Edition of Shakespeare-Milton Queries, 70-The Lark and

the Linnet, 71- Francis, Viscount Lovel-"Herberous," 72 -An Old Book-Funeral Armour-"Celts," 73-Monastic Costumals of England-" Quousque tandem "-Death of Spencer Compton, Earl of Northampton, 74-Capt. James King-Arms on Old China-Bradshaw the Regicide-Winterton-Abigail-Fox-day, 75-Arms on Old China-The "Dies Ira "-Florio's Italian Biography of Lady Jane Grey -Henry Andrews-Will of John Archor-" Royd," 76Pope Alexander VI.-Names Obsolete-"A brass knocker" -Floral Chief Rents-Tokens of the Sacrament-The Russell Family-"Catalogue of Five Hundred Celebrated Authors"-"Nine Men's Morris ""She, the cat's mother," 77-Coleridge or Walpole -The Nanfan Family - MetsuBlushing in the Dark-Ear-aches=The Field Poppy, 78"Kex "-Simon Browne, 79.

Notes.

NOTES AND QUERIES IN THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY.

of a

Not long ago, in a note which you were so good as to print, I ventured to say that doubtless the want was felt of some such means of information as "N. & Q." in the middle of the last century, the time in question. Many of your readers are not perhaps aware that the remark would have been inapplicable to the end of the seventeenth century, when there existed a publication, in many respects, very like our own much-valued little journal. This was the Athenian Gazette, after wards called the Athenian Mercury. It was the most successful of the "six hundred projects most eccentric or crackbrained man, John Dunton by name, Bookseller. He confesses to having maggots," as the old phrase went. He was brother-in-law to Dr. Samuel Wesley, father of the founder of Methodism. In 1690 he conceived the idea of an "Athenian Society," whose first meeting, he says, was "in his own brain"; and in concert with Wesley, Mr. Rich. Sault, and Dr. Norris, started his amusing penny tract, the offspring of the Society and the first publication, it is understood, in England in magazine form. It soon gained a wonderful reputation for its originators, at that time anonymous; though the nineteen

66

*

Their original articles of agreement are preserved in the Bodleian Library.

thin folio volumes to which it ran, between 1690 and 1696, are properly described as a strange medley of sense and nonsense. This was the title: The Athenian Gazette, or Casuitical Mercury, resolving weekly, all the most nice and curious Questions proposed by the ingenious. Originally it appeared twice, but as it grew in popularity it was issued four times a week. The Mercury differs from its modern successor in this, that the queries, of learned men; and unless when discussion of always anonymous, were answered by a council their opinions arose, as sometimes it did, when correspondents called them in question, their replies were accepted as final; moreover in an early volume they announce that no reply will be given without the assent of the whole Society.

It is evident, I think, that if in this, or any age, an assembly of competent men, in whom faith could be put, could be got together to answer questions in their several departments of knowledge a most valuable scheme would be the result. It would not be difficult to name such a council now whose utterances would be greedily received. A feeling somewhat like this John Dunton succeeded in establishing in the public mind towards his "Athenian Society." At the climax of its fame, about the period of the fifth volume, when curiosity had been much excited, a history of the Society appeared, how far truthful it is difficult to say. From it we learn that the staff then consisted of "A Divine, a Philosopher, a Physician, a Poet, a Mathematician, a Lawyer, a Civilian, a Chyrurgion, an Italian, a Spaniard, a Frenchman, mode,t and was flattered by the notice of "the a Dutchman," &c. The Mercury became the Poets and Wits of the Age." Among others a certain "Mr. Johnathan Swift, a country gentleman," sent an ode. The "Athenian Project" was described as "the most useful and informing design that had ever been set on foot in England."

It is interesting to notice in how many points the course of the old publication agrees with the experience of the modern journal. For example, of the six rules for the guidance of correspondents issued by the "Society" at an early stage of its career, here is one which I venture to think will be fully endorsed by our Editor : "1. To look over

"Sir William Hedges was pleased to tell me 'he he would send several complete sets into the Indies to was so well pleased with the Athenian Mercuries, that his Friends" (Life and Errors, p. 194). In our time, it is noteworthy that several contributions to "N. & Q.” are dated from the slopes of the Himalayas; and more than one interesting note from that desolate spot, Abu Shere, in the Persian Gulf.

One of Swift's earliest productions, as we may gather from his letter transmitting the ode, in which he humbly asks the "Athenian Society" to make what improvements may seem good to them. On reading these verses Dryden said, "Cousin Swift, you will never be a poet."

the Indexes of their Volumes to see if their Quæries are not already answered to their satisfaction." Prominently also figures the "Troublesome quærist," a character perhaps not unknown in our time. He is represented as complaining to the "Society" that his coffee is bad!

Naturally one looks as to the style of queries proposed in the seventeenth century, comparing them with the questions asked now-a-days. In good sooth, many of these old queries are of a most startling nature, and such as it would be hard to find any one bold enough to ask in the present age, even anonymously. A merely casual glance through one or two of the volumes of the Mercury is sufficient to show that very many of the subjects proposed for discussion are very much like those to be found in any volume of "N. & Q.,” especially such queries as refer to folk-lore. Take as examples the following: "What are we to think of the little clinking noise called the Death watch?" or 66 Whether it be true that Storks are never found but in Common-wealths; whether there were never any in England but in Oliver Cromwell's days?" "The Toad and the Spider, the Antipathy betwixt them?" &c. Some of the answers are curious as showing the stage of knowledge reached at the time. Thus, to the query "Whether Japan be an Island, or No?" they answer, with caution, "We shall examine the best Authorities and then return our answer." Of course the inquisitive speculations as to the condition of Adam and Eve before the Fall are to be found, discussed at length, "Whence had they needles?" &c. Also the standing questions on the subject of Leviathan and Behemoth. The "Society's" reply regarding the latter is a little curious; they consider it to be the Hippopotamus, but are so rash as to give their reasons for thinking so. After quoting the scriptural account, they go on to say :"This is true of the River Horse, who will remain whole days together in fundo Nili......and our own Country-men as well as the Hollanders give us the same account of 'em in their Green-land Voyages, where they often meet with 'em for they are both for Sea, and Land, and River, therefore called either the Sea horse (or Cow) or River-horse, and they describe 'em as one of the most Politick, as well as the fiercest Creatures in Nature, for when they sleep upon the Ice, which they do in Herds together, &c..... Thus much then of the Behemoth or Hippopotamus, as well from Bochart as our Authors." -Athen. Oracle, ii. 477.

As for Leviathan, they say "He'll keep in pickle

till another Oracle."

clear and good; perhaps we may infer that these are from the pen of the brother-in-law, Samuel Wesley. Thus early in the history of magazine literature, we see that the modern custom with serial writers of holding out hope of something sensational in their "next" was well understood by the "Athenian Society, or their publisher, for at the end of the supplement to one volume we find promise made of something attractive, in the next issue, regarding "Perjury and Pumpwater."

Notes, too, there were occasionally, as distinguished from Queries; some of these, in verse, by "the Pindaric Lady" (Mrs. Elizabeth Singer, better known by the name of her future husband, Thomas Rowe) were much thought of. It is not easy to see on what grounds.

The after-history of Dunton's pet project is learned from an eccentric book written by the partially-crazed bookseller, and entitled The Life and Errors of John Dunton, Citizen of London, &c. In it he complains bitterly of the treatment he had received at the hands of Daniel De Foe, who, when Dunton had to discontinue the Mercury on account of the "glut of news in the Coffeehouses" ("they had," he says, "the votes every day and nine newspapers every week") and had to substitute the Monthly Oracle, "interloped in the Question Project" by publishing Answers every Tuesday, for, as Dunton quaintly puts it, "most are seized with the Athenian itch and chuse rather to be scratched Weekly than stay till the month is out for a perfect cure."

I scarcely think Mr. Grant has shown his usual perspicuity in dealing with this point in the Hist. of the Newspaper Press. Though he has a notice of Dunton à propos of his connexion with Defoe and the Hanoverian Spy, he does not name the Athenian Mercury, and but vaguely alludes to it. Referring apparently to Dunton's stoppage of his journal as a Weekly, Mr. Grant speaks of a

newspaper proprietor who inserted a notice to his readers in his journal to the effect that he thought it better to publish his Mercury in quarterly volumes, desiring to continue it again as a weekly paper as soon as the glut of news was over. According to the ordinary rules of reasoning the inference would be that the glut of news would have just been the great inducement to continue the Mercury a weekly instead of transforming it into a quarterly journal " (i. 78).†

Had Mr. Grant sufficiently considered the spécialité of Dunton's paper, which certainly was not to supply news, I do not think he would have written

The same writer, referring to this period, adds: "Numerous papers of a class kind made their appearance. There was one which took to itself a name which devoted to Literature. It may be said to have been the escapes my recollection but which was exclusively Athenæum of two hundred years ago" (ibid.). Perhaps some reader may be able to say what paper this was?