Notes and Queries, Number 17, February 23, 1850

As Pennant was a Welchman, a scholar and a naturalist, he will probably be considered good authority; and Hyfr, the most likely origin of the altered terms of the deer park-keepers.

The word occurs twice in page 61. vol. ii. of the Sportsman's Cabinet, in the article on the Stag or Red Deer, where it is printed Heavier; and it will be found also as Hever, in Mr. Jesse's Scenes and Tales of Country Life, at page 349.

    WM. YARRELL.

Ryder Street, St. James, Feb. 11. 1850.

Mr. Halliwell gives the words haver and havering, in the same sense as havior. Are not these words identical with aver, averium, in the sense of cattle, tame beasts? Averium, from the old French, aveir, i.e. avoir, originally meant any personal property; but like catalla, chattels, it came to signify more particularly the most important part of a peasant's possessions—namely, his live stock. Thus, in the laws of William the Conqueror (Thorpe's Ancient Laws, vol. ii. p. 469.), we find:—

"Si præpositus hundredi equos aut boves aut oves aut porcos vel cujuscumque generis averia vagancia restare fecerit," &c.

The word may naturally enough have been applied to deer reduced to the state of tame and domesticated cattle.

    C.W.G.

[TREBOR furnishes us with a reference to Pegge's Anonymiana, who endeavours to show that the proper term is "halfer;" on the same principle that an entire horse is spoken of, the word being pronounced "hâver" by those who call half "hâfe," while those who pronounce half with the open a say "hauver:" while J. Westby Gibson suggests that Havior is Evir, from the Latin "Eviro, Eviratus, Eviratio," but admits that he can give no authority for the use of Evir.]

Sir W. Hamilton (No. 14. p. 216.).—Douglas says, that this Sir W. Hamilton was not son, but grandson and brother of the 1st and 2nd earls of Abercorn, his father having died vitâ patris. I therefore doubt that the inscription has been miscopied. "He was," Douglas says, "resident at Rome, on the part of the Queen Dowager;" but this could hardly be the service alluded to.

    C.

Dr. Johnson's Library (no. 14. p. 214.).—I have a copy of Dr. Johnson's Sale Catalogue. The title is as follows:

"A catalogue of the valuable Library of Books of the late learned Samuel Johnson, Esq., LL.D., deceased, which will be sold by auction (by Order of the Executors) by Mr. Christie, at his Great Room in Pall Mall, on Wednesday, February 16. 1785. and three following Days. To be viewed on Monday and Tuesday preceding the Sale, which will begin each Day at 12 o'Clock. Catalogues may be had as above."

It is a Catalogue of 28 pages and 662 lots, of which 650 are books. The twelve last are prints, chiefly "framed and glazed." The Catalogue is very rare; there is not a copy in the British Museum, and Messrs. Christie and Manson are without one. I may add, as your correspondent is curious about Johnson's Library, that I have the presentation copy to the Doctor of Twiss's Travels in Spain, with "the gift of the Author" in Johnson's handwriting, immediately beneath Twiss's MS. presentation. The Twiss was in Lot 284.

    PETER CUNNINGHAM.

MISCELLANIES

Etymology of "News."—The word "news" is not derived, as many suppose, from the adjective new, but from a practice that obtained in newspapers of an early date, of prefixing to the title the letters expressive of the cardinal points, thus:—

meaning that their intelligence was derived from all quarters of the globe. This must, at any rate, be allowed as ingenious etymology.

    J.U.G. GUTCH.

THE GOLDEN AGE

(From the Latin.)

Why "golden," when that age alone, we're told,
Was blest with happy ignorance of gold—
More justly we our venal times might call
"The Golden Age," for gold is all in all.

    RUFUS.

NOTES ON BOOKS, SALES, CATALOGUES, ETC

Messrs. Sotheby and Co. will sell on Monday next two collections of Autographs; the first consisting of Autograph Letters, the property of a gentleman; which will be immediately followed by that belonging to the late Mr. Rodd, and the extensive Correspondence of the late William Upcott, Esq., comprising several thousand Autograph Letters. Mr. Rodd's collection comprises many letters of great historical and literary interest.

Messrs. Puttick and Simpson will sell by auction on Friday, March the 8th, and seven following days, the extensive and very important Stock of Books of Mr. James Carpenter, of Bond Street, who is retiring from business. The characteristics of this fine collection are the numerous books of prints and illustrated works which it contains, such as the matchless Series of Piranesi's Works, being the dedication copy to the king of Sweden: a copy of Boswell's Life of Johnson, in 8 vols. folio, illustrated with nearly six hundred Portraits and Views.

We heard some time since that the long-established and highly-respectable house of Payne and Foss, of Pall Mall, had succeeded the late Mr. Rodd in the agency of purchasing for the British Museum. The rumour proved to be unfounded, and now receives a formal contradiction by the announcement that Messrs. Payne and Foss are retiring from business, and that the first portion of their extensive and valuable Stock of Books will be sold by auction by Messrs. Sotheby and Co.; the first division in a ten days' sale, commencing on the 18th and terminating on the 28th March; which will be followed by the second division, which will also occupy ten days, and commence on Monday the 8th April. The lovers of choice copies of fine editions of first-class books will have, on this occasion, such an opportunity of enriching their collections as rarely presents itself.

We have received the following Catalogues:—

"Number Two, for 1850, of John Miller's Catalogue of Books, old and new, on sale at 43. Chandos Street, Trafalgar Square."

"Catalogue of curious and rare Books, recently purchased, now on sale by George Bumstead, 205. High Holborn."

"Catalogue (No. 5.) of Books, Theological and Miscellaneous, and Catalogue (No. 6.) of Books, consisting chiefly of Foreign Literature and Theology, on sale by Andrew Clark, No. 4. City Road."

"Cheap List of useful and curious Books relating to Ecclesiastical History, Councils, Ceremonies, the Puritans, &c., on sale by S. and I. Palmer, 24. Red Lion Street, Holborn."

"A List of Books, chiefly curious ones, now selling by Thomas Kerslake, Bookseller, at No. 3. Park Street, Bristol."

BOOKS AND ODD VOLUMES

WANTED TO PURCHASE

(In continuation of Lists in former Nos.)

HIERONYMUS MAGIUS DE TINTINABILIS. 12mo. 1608 and 1664.

A. STOCKFLEET DE CAMPANARUM USU.

REIMANU'S DISSERTATIO DE CAMPANIS.

NICOL. EGGER'S DISSERTATIO DE ORIGINE ET NOMINE CAMPANARUM. EJUSDEM DISSERTATIO DE CAMPANARUM MATERIA ET FORMA.

PACICHELLI DE TINTINABULO NOTANO LUCUBRATIO.

WALLERI DISSERTATIO DE CAMPANIS ET PRÆCIPUIS EARUM USIBUS.

HILCHER DE CAMPANIS TEMPLORUM.

ARNOLDUS DE CAMPANARUM USU. 12mo. 1665.

ROCCHA DE CAMPANIS COMMENTARIUS. 1612.

THIERS, TRAITE DES CLOCHES.

MITZLER DE CAMPANIS. ESCHENWECKER DE EO QUOD IUSTUM EST CIRCA CAMPANIS.

PINGRE'S ACCOUNT OF HIS VOYAGE TO RODRIGUEZ, published (?) at Paris about 1762.