55% Extracts from the Partfolioof a Man of Letters. [July 1, 
tempt, that they would not’ deign to 
adopt any practice which had been pre- 
viously pursued by an uninitiated herd, 
who were so far from being able to write 
a prescription in elegant Latin, that they 
could very rarely write itin plain English. 
Transferring the small-pox from one 
subject to another, by the common mode 
of inoculation, though unive?Sally sup- 
posed to have been introduced’in this 
nation by Lady Mary Wortley Montague, 
May, in jike manner, be traced back to 
a much earlier period, and is generally 
believed to have been long practiced in 
North Wales, as far back as any tradi- 
tion reaches. When the late Sir Watkin 
Williams Wynne, (I mean the grand- 
father of the present baronet,) was told, 
at his own table at Wynstyn, of the se- 
eret brought from Turkey, by the above- 
mentioned Lady Mary, he declared that 
when he was a boy, (and, as he was told 
and believed, for many ages back,) old 
women, who were distinguished by the 
name of cunning-women, and travelled 
the country as gypsies, practised inocu- 
lation as well as fortune-telling ; they af- 
fected to give the small-pox by a charm, 
but really carried the matterina quill, and 
scratched the arm with a pin or needle. 
The introduction of Lady Mary’s Cir- 
eassian mode of inoculation, transferred it 
from the cunning women, to the still inore 
cunning apothecaries; surgeons, &c. &c. 
&ec. 
Higeledy-piggledy, = - 
Scribble-scrabble, -\- 
See-saw, - tas 
Tittle-tattle, —- - - 
Munchance, -  - = 
Fee-fo-fum, - - - 
Hobble-de-hoy, - - 
Tit fortat, =. = - - 
Willy-nilly, - = 
Dingle-dangle, - - 
Hurry-scurry, - - 
Shilly-shally, - - 
Hurley-burley, = - 
Jopsy-turvey,—Arsy-versy, 
Riddle-me ree, - - 
Ding-dong, - - - 
A short specimen of A Supplement to Dr. - 
Johnson's Dictionary, comprising words, 
phrases, Sc. which that learned lexi- 
cographér thought beneath his notice. 
By a late celebrated Writer. 
I shall somewhat enlarge the catalogue 
of terms that demand explication, which 
like base metal among legitimate coin, 
have by long usage, become current in 
our language, and without which the 
commerce of the world, or even the 
traffic of letters can with difficulty be 
maintained, either with profit or delec- 
tation. To explain them may be some 
glory; it would be more substantial fame 
to contribute to their extirpation. 
Wishy-washy; fiddle-faddle;. slap- 
dash; hum-drum; harum-scarum 3; pit- 
pat; rantum-scantum; chit-chat; prittle- 
prattle; hoity-toity; tip-top; hubble- 
bubble; humpty-dumpty; hugger-mug- 
ger; hiccius-doccius; hurdy-gurdy. 
It is easy from this slight specimen to 
suppose extension and amplification. 
Printed authorities will be subjoined, as 
vouchers for the existence of every term 
and word that shall be cited; and its va- 
rious significations, where there are more 
than one, properly explained, 
He who writes a dictionary of any 
tongue whatsoever, may be Considered 
as labouring in a coal mine$ but he who 
collects the refuse of a language, claims 
more than ordinary commisseration, and _ 
may be said to sift the cinders. 
Conglomeration and confusion. 
Pages of inanity. 
Alterndte preponderation. 
Futilé conversation, 
Mental torpidity. 
Gigantic intonation.’ 
The period between adolescence and puberty. 
Adequate retaliation. 
The exertion of an act, maugre the consent ofanothet 
Aérial suspension, 
Inordinate precipitation, 
Hesitation and irresolution, 
Extreme tumult and confusion. 
An inversion of capitals and fundamentals. 
An enigmatic exordium, 
Tintinabulary chimes, used metaphorically tasignify 
dispatch and vehemence. 
Tag-rag,—Riff-raff, = - 
The lowest plebeians. 
See Base-born, and Scura 
, of the earth. 
Ninny-hammer—Nincompoop, Asinine wretches. 
Hocus-pocus, - - Pseudo necromancy. _ 
Jeminy-creminy, - + Anemasculate obsttentaion. os 
Rigmarele, - - Discourse incoherent and rhapsodical. 
Liz 2agy - - - Transverse angles. 
Crincum-crancum, + Lines of irregularity and involution. 
Helter-skelter, . - Quasi hilariter et celeriter, ‘signifying motion of 
: _ equal jocundity and velocity. “ »g 
Hodge-podge, . + Acculinary mixture of heterogeneous ingredients, — 
: applied metaphorically to all discordant 
evinbinations, 
; 
