388 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



[2»<i S. X. Nov. 17. '60. 



Furmety. — I am well aware that the old- 

 fashioned dish called furmety, furmenty, or 

 frumenty, derives its name from the Latin fru- 

 mentum, and that it is made of wheat. But I 

 wish to know how it is made. Having understood 

 that new wheat is best, I have got some up from 

 the country, and am only waiting for instructions. 

 I shall feel thankful, indeed, for any information 

 about furmety, as I only know of it by hearsay. 



Paul Pry. 



[New wheat is undoubtedly the best, as our corre- 

 spondent has been led to think. But though (like fluoa- 

 mer}', Scotch collops, beef h, la mode, cup, buttered ale, 

 hasty pudding, caudle, and toad in a hole) furmety has 

 passed out of common use, we know that in some parts it 

 is still made and eaten, not only after harvest, but all the 

 year through. 



In our affection for all that is old-fashioned we have 

 twice partaken of furmety made of this year's wheat ; 

 and, as the result of our experience, we would by all 

 means advise our inquiring correspondent to carry out 

 his intended trial. The modes of making furmety are 

 various ; but, without referring to cookery books, we will 

 state only the two of which we are personally cognisant. 

 First, Boil the wheat well in water all the morning, then 

 boil it in milk to supper-time, and serve up hot. Se- 

 condly, Soak the wheat two days in cold water, then boil 

 in milk without boiling in water at all. The latter me- 

 thod we decidedly prefer ; not only because the much 

 boiling in water rather hardens the wheat than softens 

 it, but because the process is attended with a gelatinous 

 abstraction which, in our humble opinion, very much de- 

 teriorates the furmety. Good furmety assumes when cold 

 the consistency and appearance of something between 

 jelly and blanc mange, with the grains of wheat im- 

 bedded. It used to be sold every fall in Covent Garden, 

 and perhaps may be had there still. 



Furmety may be variously seasoned, to suit different 

 palates. We think the simplest addition the best — a 

 little sugar; but nutmeg is admissible, or even a little 

 ginger. 1 



Beasts tumblikg over their Heads. — An 

 experienced farmer, addressing a young friend 

 who was commencing in the grazing line, gave 

 him the following advice : " Buy lean beasts, and 

 just turn them into those meadows. In the course 

 of a twelvemonth they will tumble over their heads."' 

 What did he mean ? » Paul Pry, 



[" Tumbling over their heads " is doubling their market 

 value. The phrase is Kentish.] 



" Pen and Ink Sketches," by Cosmopolitan. 



— Is it generally known who was the author oC 



the above little wnrlr P Ts bp alive ? If not, rrhen 

 iiKi np. nip r a 



uiu ne aie i 



A. 



[This work is by John Dix, who afterwards took the 

 name of Ross, author of The Life of Thomas Chatterton 

 and other works, a. must look after him in America.] 



Death of Sir Erasmus Philtpps, — Sir Eras- 

 mus Philipps, Baronet, of Picton Castle, was acci- 

 dentally drowned in the Avon at Bath, in October, 

 1743. I am anxious to know the cause of the catas- 

 trophe, and shall feel greatly obliged to any of the 



numberless readers of " N. & Q." who may possess 

 a copy of the Annual Register for 1743 (if it was 

 then in existence), or some such work, which may 

 contain an account of the accident, if they will 

 copy the same, and either forward it to me, or, 

 with your permission, publish it in the pages of 

 " N. & Q." John Pavin Phillips. 



Haverfordwest. 



[In the Gent. Mag., xiii. 554., it is stated, that " Sir 

 Erasmus Philipps, Bart, M. P. for Haverfordwest, was 

 drowned by a fall from his horse in the Avon near 

 Bath."] 



J, C. PiLKiNGTON. — This gentleman was the 

 son of Mrs. Lffititia Pilkington. He was a poet 

 and author of various works. Can you give me 

 any account of his writings, poetic or dramatic, 

 published or unpublished ? X. Y. 



[AH that is known of this gentleman and his poetic 

 productions is told by himself in The Real Story of John 

 Carteret Pilkington, written hy Himself. 4to. 1760. He 

 died in 1763.] 



Henry K. White. — I should be obliged if any 

 of your readers could tell me whether the lecture 

 on Genius delivered by Henry K. White before 

 the members of the Nottingham Literary Society 

 is published. Doglas M'Donald. 



[Southey informs us that Henry Kirke White "lec- 

 tured upon Genius, and spoke extempore for above two 

 hours, in such a manner that he received the unanimous 

 thanks of the society, and they elected this young Roscius 

 of oratory their Professor of Literature." It is not likely 

 it was ever printed.] 



Anonymous. — Who is the author of the follow- 

 ing work ? 



" Historical Collections out of several grave Protestant 

 Historians, concerning the Changes of Religion, and the 

 Strange Confusions following, in the reigns of King 

 Henry VI H., Edward VI., and Queen Mary and Eliza- 

 beth. Published with Allowance. London, printed by 

 Henry Hills, 1686, 12mo." 



It contains many curious notices of the Refor- 

 mation only to be found in expensive and rare 

 works. W. A. 



[On turning to the new edition of Lowndes's Bibliog^ 

 Manual, p. 1074., we find it stated that this work was 

 "compiled by Dr. George Hickes." This is not correct: 

 it is the production of George Touchet, a Benedictine, and 

 chaplain to Queen Catharine, 1671-2. The first edition 

 appeared in 1674. See Dr. Oliver's Collections of the Ca- 

 (AwH^. .zjvi.v,.-.- ,•„ Cornwall, Sfc., p. 524. ] 



" Slaughterhouse :" "Translator." — In the 

 language employed by London workmen among 

 themselves, they use the terms " slaughterhouse " 

 and " translator." In what sense ? 



UrB ANO - RUSTICUS. 

 [Finding their own materials and working on their 

 own account, journeymen sometimes make an article of 

 furniture (such as a cabinet, a child's crib, or a chest of 

 drawers), which, when made, they take about from one 

 dealer to another, in hopes of effecting a sale. If unsuc- 

 cessful, they take it, as a last resource, generally on a 



