Oct. 27. 1855.] 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



319 



stolen, the animal was caused, by means of a rope, to pull 

 the trigger, and tlius become the proximate executioner 

 of justice upon the offender." 



The Earl of Argyle, the last who suffered by this 

 instrument, declared, as he pressed his lips upon 

 the block, that it was " the sweetest maiden he 

 had ever kissed." 



The case of Dr. Guillotin would serve me well ; 

 but truth is strong, and I must give it up. 

 Neither did he invejit the instrument which now 

 bears his name, tliough he certainly recommended 

 its adoption in the phrase since become celebre : 

 " Moi, avec ma machine, je vous fais sauter la 

 tete d'un clin d'oeil, et vous ne souffrez pas ; " 

 nor did he become one of its victims, but died 

 peaceably in his bed some twenty years later, re- 

 gretted by all who knew him. His character is 

 represented as mild and benevolent; and if so, 

 how more terribly did he expiate the part he took 

 in the Reign of Terror, in the consciousness that 

 haunted this latter period of his life, that his name 

 had actually merged into that of the murderous 

 instrument whose adoption he had suggested, than 

 if he had perished at the time beneath its avenging 

 blade. In no period, perhaps, is retributive fate 

 more clearly to be discerned, than in the end 

 which awaited the sanguinary leaders of the Re- 

 volution. That of Danton may be cited, who, 

 condemned by a decree of the irresponsible Ex- 

 traordinary Tribunal, of which he was the origin- 

 ator, exclaimed on the platform : 



"This time twelvemonths 1 proposed that infamous 

 tribunal by which we die, and for which I beg pardon of 

 God and man." 



But while it has been attempted to show that — 



" Foul practices 

 Turn on their authors." 



Hamlet. 

 and that Scripture teaches what history confirms, 



*' There's meed for meed, death for a deadly blow." 



Timon of Athens. 



it may be added, that it is not alone upon those 

 who compass by active means the injury or de- 

 struction of their fellow-men, that the sword of 

 retributive justice has been supposed to fall. The 

 eastern saying quoted by Damas to the discom- 

 fited Beauseant, may be cited as exhibiting the 

 belief that the imprecations of those who call 

 down the anger of heaven upon others, will, like 

 " bread cast upon the waters, return after many 

 days " to the utterers themselves : 



" Curse away ! 

 And let me tell thee, Beauseant, a Avise proverb 

 The Arabs have — ' Curses are like young chickens, 

 And still come home to roost' " 



Bulwer, Lady of Lyons, 

 One more proof in conclusion, that, sooner or 

 later, — 



" Measure for measure must be answered." 



Henry VL 

 No, 313.] 



Who is there that sadly, yet calmly, reflects upon 

 the fate of the first Napoleon, — the protracted 

 eating away of the heart, which forced quiescence, 

 became in one whose life was energetic action, 

 the miserable confinement of " that spirit poured 

 so wildly forth," within the narrow precincts of 

 Longwood, — and does not recognise the awful 

 significance of the scriptural warning, " with what 

 measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you 

 again," in the analogy of this miserable termination 

 of the tyrant's career with that of his victim, — 

 that " most unhappy man of men," as Wordsworth 

 apostrophises him in his fine sonnet, — that 

 brightest of occidental heroes, Toussaint I'Ouver- 

 ture? 



I do not profess to have exhausted the illus- 

 trations which history, which is philosophy teach- 

 ing by example, affords of the truth of my com- 

 mencing remark ; but merely to have strung 

 together a few of the more definite and striking 

 instances, which, whether actual or mythic, may 

 serve sufficiently to point the moral of the poet : 



" To wrong-doers the revolution of time 

 Brings retribution." 



Twelfth Night. 



Or to illustrate the more emphatic warning of the 

 Proverbialist, that, — 



" Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein : and he that 

 roUeth a stone, it Avill return upon him." — Prov. xxvi. 

 27. 



William Bates. 



Birmingham. 



"JOHNIAN melodies:" CAMBRIDGE JEUX 



d'esprit. 



You have several times contributed to the re- 

 covery and preservation of those fugitive verses 

 which often circulate among the playful students 

 of our Universities. About forty years ago, a 

 number of copies of verses were current at Cam- 

 bridge under the title of Johnian Melodies, being 

 parodies of Moore's Irish Melodies. I believe, as 

 Me. Ingleby says (Vol. xii., p. 270.), that these 

 '•skits" were probably composed by Trinity-men. 

 I will write down one which I recollect com- 

 pletely, and shall be glad if any person can supply 

 any others. This is a parody of " When in death 

 I shall calm recline" : 



" When in hall j^ou go to dine, 



take j-our seat by the President's chair ; 

 Tell him I'm going to Tetham's to wine, 



And hope to meet Sir Isaac there. 

 Bid him not set me an imposition, 



For cutting his lectures this morning at eight ; 

 ■ For Hopper swears, with deep contrition. 

 She called me half an hour too late." 



" The President" was, I believe, the Rev. James 

 Wood, afterwards Master of the College, who then, 

 as President, occupied the head of the Fellows* 



