Notes and Queries, Number 14, February 2, 1850   By: Various

A MEDIUM OF INTER COMMUNICATION FOR LITERARY MEN, ARTISTS, ANTIQUARIES, GENEALOGISTS, ETC.

"When found, make a note of." CAPTAIN CUTTLE.

No. 14.] SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 1850 [Price Threepence. Stamped Edition 4d.

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CONTENTS

NOTES: Reprints of Old Books, by J.P. Collier. 209 Catacombs and Bone houses. 210 Lines attributed to Hudibras. 210 Notes from Fly leaves, No. 5. 211 The Pursuits of Literature. 212

QUERIES: Barryana. 212 Nine Queries by the Rev. J. Jebb. 212 Minor Queries: Mowbray Coheirs Draytone and Yong Fraternity of Christian Doctrine Treatise by Engelbert New Year's Day Custom Under the Rose Norman Pedigrees Dr. Johnson's Library Golden Frog Singular Motto Sir Stephen Fox Antony Alsop Derivation of Calamity, &c. 213

REPLIES: Field of Forty Footsteps, by E.F. Rimbault. 217 Queries answered, No. 4. Pokership, by Bolton Corney. 218 Mertens the Printer. 218 Etymology of Armagh. 218 Matters of the Revels, by E.F. Rimbault. 219 Replies to Minor Queries: Red Maids Poetical Symbolism Fraternitye of Vagabondes Anonymous Ravennas Dick Shore Travelling in England Sanuto Darnley's Birth place History of Edward II., &c. 219

MISCELLANIES: Gray's Elegy Shylock Sonnet The Devotee By Hook or by Crook Macaulay's Young Levite Praise undeserved Cowper's "Task". 221

MISCELLANEOUS: Notes on Books, Sales, Catalogues, &c. 223 Books and Odd Volumes wanted. 223 Notices to Correspondents. 223 Advertisements. 224

ENGLISH AND AMERICAN REPRINTS OF OLD BOOKS

Most people are aware of the great demand there is for English literature, and indeed for all literature in the United States: for some years the anxiety of persons in that part of the world to obtain copies of our early printed books, prose, poetry, and plays, has been well known to such as collect and sell them on this side of the water. Where American purchasers could not obtain original editions they have, in all possible cases, secured reprints, and they have made some themselves.

Not very long since a present of a most creditable and well edited republication of "Four Old Plays" was sent to me from Cambridge, U.S., consisting of "Three Interludes: Thersytes , Jack Jugler , and Heywood's Pardoner and Frere ; and Jocasta , a tragedy by Gascoigne and Kinwelmarsh." They are preceded by a very well written and intelligent, and at the same time modest, Introduction, signed F.J.C., the initials of Mr. Francis James Child; who in fact was kind enough to forward the volume to me, and who, if I am not mistaken, was formerly a correspondent of mine in a different part of the republic.

My particular reason for noticing the book is to impress upon editors in this country the necessity of accuracy, not only for the sake of readers and critics here, but for the sake of those abroad, because Mr. Child's work illustrates especially the disadvantage of the want of that accuracy. It so happens that two, if not three, of the pieces included in the Cambridge volume, are absolutely unique, and are now in the library of the Duke of Devonshire. They went through my hands some years ago, and as they had been previously reprinted in London (two of them for the Roxburghe Club), I took the opportunity of collating my copies of them. The third interlude, which was not reprinted for any society, but as a private speculation, "by George Smeeton, in St. Martin's Church yard," is Heywood's Pardoner and Frere , the full title of which is " A mery playe betwene the pardoner, and the frere, the curate and neybour Pratte ." The original copy has the following imprint: "Imprynted by Wyllyam Rastell the v. day of Apryll, the yere of our lorde, M. CCCCC. xxx III."