NOTES AND QUEBIES* 



[2"d s. N^ 79., July 4. '57. 



Can we reasonably doubt that these were, and 

 are, Shakspeare's lines ? Not only are the par- 

 ticles omitted of no value, but how likely it is that 

 they were inserted by Wilkins in the speedy pro- 

 cess of transcribing his notes for the printer, who 

 was, perhaps, actually waiting for them. If the 

 passage had not been delivered on the stage, very 

 nearly in the form we have given it, how would it 

 have been possible for Wilkins, or for any other 

 person, anxious to bring out the novel with all 

 haste, for the purpose of gratifying public cu- 

 riosity, to have deliberately composed such lines 

 as those above-inserted ? What is Thaisa's reply 

 to them ? Exactly in the same form and spirit :— 



" And what, most royal father, with my pen 

 I have in secret written unto you, 

 With my tongue now I openly conflrm ; 

 Which is, I have no life but in his love, 

 Nor being, but th' enjoyment of his worth." 



These are, as nearly as possible, the very words 

 in Wilkins's novel, with no omission of the slightest 

 ipiportance ; moreover, the blank-verse is quite 

 regular, which cannot be said of hundreds of line^ 

 in the play, as printed in 1609. I am convinced 

 that the play was made up frqm notes, in mi^ny 

 instances much more imperfeot than those which 

 Wilkins employed for his novel — that the two 

 short-hand writers were, as it were, running a 

 Tace for priority — that Wilkins w'as first ready 

 Vrith his prose narrative ; and consequently that 

 it came out in 1608, while the play was not com- 



Jleted for publication until some time afterwards, 

 do not alter, or omit, a single syllable of what 

 Wilkins gives us as the speech of Simonides in 

 answer to his daughter : I only divide it into 

 lines ; -^ 



" Equals to equals, good to good is join'd : 

 This not being so, the bavin of your mind, 

 In rashness kindled, must again be queneb'd, 

 Or purchase our displeasure." 



I do not complain of Mr. Singer, or of any body 

 else, for using the extracts I formerly gave from 

 this publication, without the slightest acknow- 

 ledgment that I was the first to direct attention 

 to it ; all I am anxious about is, that the value of 

 the novel, not of the discovery, should be ad- 

 mitted. J. Payne Coi/Lieb. 



Maidenhead, June 22, 1857. 



AN CLP author's MUSICAI, ADVICE, 



The following interesting chapter is taken frpin 

 Sk rare little volume entitled, — 



"The Rules of Civility; or, certain ways of Deport- 

 ment observed amongst all Persons of Quality upon 

 several Occasions. Newlv revised and enlarged London : 

 Printed for K. Chiswell.'T. Sawbridge, G. Wells, and R. 

 Bentley, 1685. 12mo." 



It illustrates a passage in Shakspeare's As You 

 Like It, Act V. Sc. 3. : 



" Shall -we clap into't roundly, without hawking or 

 spitting; which are the only prologues to a bad voice; " 



and shows how correct the great poet was in his 

 observance of little things. 



" Chap. XV. — If we have a faculty in singing, playing 

 upon the Musick, §*c., how we are to demean. 



" If j'ou have a talent in singing, musick, or making 

 of verses, you must never discover it by any vanity of 

 your own. If it be known any other way, and you be 

 importun'd by a person of quality to show him j'our 

 skill, you may modestly excuse yourself. If that will not 

 satisfie, 'tis but civil to gratifie him readily, and the 

 promptitude of your compliance atones for any miscar- 

 riage ; whereas a sullen and obstinate denial favours too 

 much of the mercenary, and either shows that 3'ou would 

 be paid for what you do, or that you think him unworthy 

 of j'our skill ; and this unwillingness and difficulty to 

 sing, &c., does many times dispose people to censure, and 

 make them cry out to his face sometimes, ' Is this all he 

 can do ? This is not worth the trouble be put us to to 

 intreat him.' 



" When you begin to sing, or play upon the Theorbo, 

 Lute, or Guitar, you must not hawk, nor spit, nor cough 

 (before those that attend) to clear up your voice. 

 Neither must you be too long in tuning j'our instrument. 



" You must have a care of seeming to applaud 3'ourself 

 by any affected or fantastical gesture, nor by any ex- 

 pression that may signifie how much we are delighted 

 ourselves : as to say, ' Now observe tiiis note ; this is well ; 

 this excellent ; take notice of this cadence,' &c. 



" You must observe likewise not to sing or play so long 

 as to tire the company ; you must end therefore so dis- 

 creetly as to leave them with a relish, and opinion of your 

 faculty, that they may be tempted to invite j'ou another 

 time ; otherwise you will be in danger of being told, ' It 

 is enough,' which on his side (if the person who sings be 

 a gentleman) is as much rudeness as to talk to him and 

 interrupt him." 



Edwakd F. Rimbault. 



INBDITED VERSES BT COWPER. 



If the following lines have not already appeared 

 in print, they may be interesting to some of the 

 readers of " N, & Q." T- 



Worcester. 



" Lines addressed by Cowper to Mary Unwin, on her 

 becoming Blind. 

 " Mary, oft my mind recals thee, 

 Resting on the Arm Divine ! 

 Happj', whatsoe'er befals thee, 



Faith, the Christian's anchor, thine. 

 " Though in outward darkness journej'ing, 

 Glorious light for thee is sown ; 

 Israel's pillar brightly burning, 

 Guides thee on to Mercy's throne. 

 " Worldly pomps no more attracting. 

 Half the Christian's conflicts cease, 

 Worldly lights no more distracting. 

 Thou canst trim thy lamp in peace. 

 "Though the World may little heed thee, 

 Thou hast joys it knows not of, 

 For the Lord thy God doth lead thee 

 To the fount of peace and love. 



