Read Ebook: Notes and Queries Number 171 February 5 1853 A Medium of Inter-communication for Literary Men Artists Antiquaries Genealogists etc. by Various Bell George Editor

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NOTES:-- Page

Jacob Grimm on the Genius and Vocation of the English Language 125

Preservation of valuable Papers from Damp; Drying Closets 126

Position of the Clergy in the Seventeenth Century, by J. Lewelyn Curtis 126

General Wolfe 127

Inscriptions in Books 127

FOLK LORE:--Baptismal Custom--Subterranean Bells-- Leicestershire Custom--Hooping Cough: Hedera Helix 128

MINOR NOTES:--The Aught And Forty Daugh--Alliterative Pasquinade--The Names "Bonaparte" and "Napoleon"--A Parish Kettle--Pepys's Diary; Battle of St. Gothard-- First Folio Shakspeare--An ancient Tombstone 128

QUERIES:--

Excessive Rainfall, by Robert Rawlinson 130

Baptist Vincent Lavall, by William Duane 130

Graves of Mickleton, co. Gloucester, by James Graves 130

Searson's Poems 131

MINOR QUERIES WITH ANSWERS:--Hutter's Polyglott--Ethnology of England--Pitt of Pimperne--"The Bottle Department" of the Beer-trade 134

REPLIES:--

The Gregorian Tones by Dr. E. F. Rimbault 136

Ni?gara or Niag?ra, by Robert Wright 137

Drengage, by Wm. Sidney Gibson 137

Chatterton 138

Literary Frauds of Modern Times 139

Sir H. Wotton's Letter to Milton 140

PHOTOGRAPHIC NOTES AND QUERIES:--Sir W. Newton's Process--Collodion Film on Copper Plates--Treatment of the Paper Positive after fixing 140

REPLIES TO MINOR QUERIES:--Essay for a New Translation of the Bible--Touchstone--Early Edition of Solinus--Straw Bail--Doctor Young--Scarfs worn by Clergymen--Cibber's Lives of the Poets--"Letters on Prejudice"--Statue of St. Peter, &c. 142

MISCELLANEOUS:--

Books and Odd Volumes wanted 146

Notices to Correspondents 146

Advertisements 146

Notes.

JACOB GRIMM ON THE GENIUS AND VOCATION OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE.

I transmit the text, as many of your readers may prefer the extract--as most "foreign extracts" are preferred--"neat as imported:" although, owing to the kindness of a friend, it is fairly represented in the translation. It is however very difficult to find words which precisely express the meaning of German scientific terms.

S. H.

PRESERVATION OF VALUABLE PAPERS FROM DAMP; DRYING CLOSETS.

The desiccative powers of lime are familiar to chemists, and, I believe, to many practical men; but I do not know of lime having been used for the above purpose.

A strong chest, in my possession, containing important papers , gradually became damp, and subjected its contents to a slow process of decay. This arose, I found, from a defect in its construction, wood having been improperly introduced into the latter, and concealed; so that some singular chemical compounds would appear to have been formed. The papers were gradually injured to an extent enforcing attention; and the process continued in them after their removal into a well-constructed chest, giving me the impression of a process resembling the action of a ferment. Several attempts were made to dry them by fires, the rays of the sun, &c.; but the damp was always renewed.

They were thoroughly dried in a very few days, and permanently kept dry, by placing and keeping in the chest a box containing a little quicklime.

At a later period, a large closet, so damp as to render articles mouldy, was thoroughly dried, and kept dry, by a box containing lime.

The chest was about 2 feet 6 inches, by 2 feet 1 inch, and 1 foot 8 inches; and the box placed in it for several months was about 1 foot 2 1/2 inches, by 8 1/2 inches, and 3 inches. After about a year, although no very perceptible damp was discovered, yet, in consequence of the value of the papers, and the beauty of some of them as manuscripts, I introduced two such boxes. These proportions were selected to enable the boxes to stand conveniently on a shelf with account-books and packages of papers.

The closet is about 11 feet 4 inches, by 2, irregular dimensions, which I estimate at about 6 feet, and 2 feet 4 inches. The box used in this case is 1 foot 4 inches, by 11 inches, and 7 inches.

The lime should be in pieces of a suitable size. For the chest, I prefer pieces about the size of a large English walnut; for the closet, of an orange.

It is necessary either that the box should be strongly made, or be formed of tin, or other metal, on account of the lateral expansive force of the lime. Room for expansion upwards is not sufficient protection. The same expansion renders it necessary that the box should not be more than two-fifths filled with fresh lime.

I leave the tops open. If covered, they must be so disposed that the air within the boxes shall freely communicate with that of the chest or closet.

I have used these boxes several years, and only changed the lime once a year.

B. H. C.

Philadelphia.

POSITION OF THE CLERGY IN THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY.

One of these letters, written in or about the year 1605, by the Rev. William Batemanne, from Ludgarsall , "a parish which lies in the counties of Oxford and Bucks," and addressed "to his louinge father Ihon Batemanne, alderman at Maxfelde" , contains, as the learned contributor remarks, "strong confirmation of Mr. Macaulay's controverted statement, that the country clergy occupied a very humble position in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries." He adds, that "no clergyman could now be found who would think of sending his sister to an inn to learn household matters."

The Rev. William Batemanne, "who appears to have been educated at Oxford," writes thus:

"... My sister Katren is placed in a verie good house in Bissiter , wher shea shall learne to doe all manner of thinges that belonge to a good huswyfe. It is a vitailinge house greatlie occupied. Shea shall not learne onelie to dresse meate and drinke excellent well, but allso bruinge, bakinge, winnowinge, with all other thinges theirunto appertaininge, for they are verie rich folkes, and verie sharpe and quicke both of them. The cause why my Ant received her not, as shea answered us, was because all this winter shea intendeth to have but one servant woman, and shea thought my sister was not able to doe all her worke, because shea imagined her to be verie raw in theire countrey worke, w^ thinge trewlie shea that hath her now did thinke, and theirefore her wage is the slenderer, but xvj^s , w^ in this place is counted nothinge in effecte for such a strong woman as shea is; but I bringinge her to Bissiter uppon Wednesday, beinng Michaelmas even, told her dame the wage was verie small, and said I trusted shea would mend it if shea proved a good girle, as I had good hope shea would. Quoth I, it will scarce bye her hose and shooes. Nay, saith shea, I will warrant her have so much given her before the yeare be expyred, and by God's helpe that w^ wants I myselfe will fill upp as much as I am able...."

J. LEWELYN CURTIS.

GENERAL WOLFE.

It is a circumstance not generally known, but believed by the army which served under General Wolfe, that his death-wound was not received by the common chance of war, but given by a deserter from his own regiment. The circumstances are thus related:--The General perceived one of the sergeants of his regiment strike a man under arms , and knowing the man to be a good soldier, reprehended the aggressor with much warmth, and threatened to reduce him to the ranks. This so far incensed the sergeant, that he took the first opportunity of deserting to the enemy, where he meditated the means of destroying the General, which he effected by being placed in the enemy's left wing, which was directly opposite the right of the British line, where Wolfe commanded in person, and where he was marked out by the miscreant, who was provided with a rifle piece, and, unfortunately for this country, effected his purpose. After the defeat of the French army, the deserters were all removed to Crown Point, which being afterwards suddenly invested and taken by the British army, the whole of the garrison fell into the hands of the captors; when the sergeant of whom we have been speaking was hanged for desertion, but before the execution of his sentence confessed the facts above recited."

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