Notes and Queries, Number 43, August 24, 1850

In Coleridge's second Lay Sermon (ed. 1839, p. 365.) the passage—

"What are you," (a philosopher was once asked), "in consequence of your admiration of these abstruse speculations?" He answered; "What I am, it does not become me to say; but what thousands are, who despise them, and even pride themselves on their ignorance, I see, and tremble."

is a quotation from Schiller (Werke, vol. i., p. 414. 1838)

"AN DIE MUSE.

"Was ich ohne dich wäre, ich weiss es nicht; aber mir
grauet,
Seh'ich, was ohne dich Hundert und Tausende sind."

In Appendix (B.) to Coleridge's first Lay Sermon (p. 276.), we read,—

"An age or nation may become free from certain prejudices, beliefs, and superstitious practices, in two ways. It may have really risen above them; or it may have fallen below them, and become too bad for their continuance."

Though not given as a quotation, this passage is no doubt borrowed from Baader, as quoted by Archdeacon Hare in a note to his Sermons on the Mission of the Comforter,—

"Nations, like individuals, may get free and rid of certain prejudices, beliefs, customs, abuses, &c., in two ways. They may really have risen above them, or they may have fallen below them and become too bad for them."

In a volume of tracts (Class mark Gg. 5. 27.) in St. John's College Library, Cambridge, is a copy of Nicolas Carr's edition of the Olynthiacs and Philippics of Demosthenes, (4to. London, Henry Denham 1571.). As Carr died before the work was published, his friends wrote a number of commemorative pieces in Greek and Latin, prose and verse, which are annexed to the volume. Amongst the rest, Barth. Dodyngton wrote a copy of Greek elegiacs, and a Latin prose epistle. On Dodyngton, Baker has written the following note:—

"Barthol. Dodyngtonus in Com. Middlesex. natus, admissus fuit Discipulus Coll. Jo. pro Fundatrice an. 1548.—Idem admissus Socius, Apr. 8, an. 1552.—Idem admissus Socius Senior, an. 1558.—Idem admissus Socius Major Coll. Trin. Oct. 29, an. 1580."

In the same volume is note on Cheke:—

"Joan. Cheke admissus Socius Coll. Jo. Cant., Mar. 26, an. 21. Henrici 8'vi."

Another tract in the same volume is "Exodus, &c., a Sermon Preach't Sept. 12, 1675. By occasion of the much lamented Death of that Learned and Reverend Minister of Christ, Dr. Lazarus Seaman."—By William Jenkyn. After Dr. Seaman's name Baker adds, "some time Master of Peter House." Of Jenkyn he says: "Gul. Jenkin Coll. Jo. admissus in Matriculam Academiæ (designatus Joannensis), Jul. 3, an. 1628."

    J.E.B. Mayor.

St. John's College, Cambridge.

PARALLEL PASSAGES

I believe the following have not been hitherto noticed in "NOTES AND QUERIES."

"Nec mirum, quod divina natura dedit agros, ars
humana ædidicavit urbes."—Varro, R. R. iii. 1.

"God made the country and man made the town,
What wonder then," &c.—The Task, i.

"[Greek: O de Kritias … ekaleito idiotaes men en philosophois, philosuph s de en idiotais.]"—Schol. in Timoeum. Platonis.

"Sparsum memini hominem inter scholasticos insanum, inter sanos scholasticum."—Seneca, Controv. i 7., Excerpt. ex Controv. ii.

"Lord Chesterfield is a Wit among Lords, and a Lord among Wits."—Johnsoniana.

"[Greek: Ostis eim ego; Meton,
On oiden Hellas cho Kolonos.]"

    Aristophanes, The Birds, 997.
"Under the Tropics is our language spoke,
And part of Flanders hath received our yoke."

    Martinus Scriblerus, Ch. xi.
"Pandite, atque aperite propere januam hanc Orci,
obsecro:
Nam equidem haud aliter esse duco: quippe quo
memo advenit
Nisi quem spes reliquêre omnes."

    Plautus, Bacchis, Act iii Sc. 1.
"Per me si va nella città dolente
Lasciate ogni speranza, voi che intrate."

    Dante, Inferno, iii. 1-9.

    W.B.D.

FOLK LORE

Power of Prophecy.—MR. AUG. GUEST (Vol. ii., p. 116.) will perhaps accept—as a small tribute to his interesting communication on the subject of that "power of prophecy" which I apprehend to be still believed by many to exist during certain lucid intervals before death—a reference to Sir Henry Halford's Essay on the [Greek: Kausos] of Aretæus. (See Sir H. Halford's Essays and Orations read and delivered at the Royal College of Physicians, Lond. 1831, pp. 93. et seq.)

    J. Sansom.

Bay Leaves at Funerals.—In some parts of Wales it is customary for funerals to be preceded by a female carrying bays, the leaves of which she sprinkles at intervals in the road which the corpse will traverse.

Query, Is this custom practised elsewhere; and what is the meaning and origin of the use of the bay?

    N.P.

Shoes (old) thrown for luck.—Brand, in his Popular Antiquities, observes, that it is accounted lucky by the vulgar to throw an old shoe after a person when they wish him to succeed in what he is going about. This custom is very prevalent in Norfolk whenever servants are going in search of new places; and especially when they are going to be married, a shoe is thrown after them as they proceed to church.

    C.P.R.M.

Some years ago, when the vessels engaged in the Greenland whale-fishery left Whitby, in Yorkshire, I observed the wives and friends of the sailors to throw old shoes at the ships as they passed the pier-head. Query, What is the origin of this practice?

    [Hebrew: T.A.]

Roasting Mice for Hooping-cough is also very common in Norfolk; but I am sorry to say that a more cruel superstitious practice is sometimes inflicted on the little animal; for it is not many years since I accidentally entered the kitchen in time to save a poor little mouse from being hung up by the tail and roasted alive, as the means of expelling the others of its race from the house. I trust that this barbarous practice will soon be forgotten.

    R.G.P.M.

The Story of Mr. Fox.—Your correspondent F.L., who has related the story of Sir Richard, surnamed Bloody, Baker, is, doubtless, aware of a similar tale with which Mr. Blakeway furnished my late friend James Boswell, and which the latter observed "is perhaps one of the most happy illustrations of Shakspeare that has appeared."—(Malone's Shakspeare, vol. vii. pp. 20. 163.)

The two narratives of Bloody Baker and Mr. Fox are substantially the same. Variations will naturally creep in when a story is related by word of mouth; for instance, the admonition over the chamber in Mr. Fox's house—