Oct. 4. 1851.] 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



251 



The difEculty is this ; that the printer, or perhaps 

 even the editor, may sometimes alter what he sup- 

 poses to be a contributors error of copying. Thus, 

 in Query 93. (Vol. iv., p. 151.), there is medulla 

 grammatica, where I wrote grammatice, as in my 

 authority : but the vile punctuation of the subse- 

 quent extract (which is also that of the original) 

 is duly preserved. It would be desirable to have 

 some symbol by which to call attention to the fiict 

 that some glaring error is real quotation, and is to 

 be preserved in printing. For example, an in- 

 dented line (" — ) drawn under the words in 

 question, or at the side, would warn the printer 

 that he is not to correct any error, however gross. 

 If you would suggest this, or any other method, 

 and request your contributors generally to adopt 

 it, an increased degree of confidence in the quota- 

 tions would result. 



" Nee [sle] intersit nisi dignus vindlce nodus 

 Inciderit." 



M. 



[We are quite alive to the importance of our cor- 

 respondent's suggestion. The excuse for such cor- 

 rections by compositors and readers is, that copy fre- 

 quently comes into their hands in such a state, that if 

 they did not exercise a power somewhat beyond the 

 strict limit of their duty, they would commit greater 

 sins, and give more oflence both to writers and readers. 

 It may be feared that some compositors would not 

 know what was meant by an indented line, and would 

 (especially if it was not carefully made) take it as a 

 direction for Italics. The object may, however, pro- 

 bably be attained by the writer's placing in the margin, 

 or in the line, or between the lines, so as to be either 

 above or below the particular word or phrase to which it 

 is meant to refer, the word " sic," with a line completely 

 round it. All persons concerned in the practical part 

 of printing understand, that " matter" which is thus 

 circumscribed or circumlineated, is not to be printed, 

 but is a private communication for the benefit of such 

 readers of the written copy as it may concern. If there 

 are many lines which require this caution, it will ge- 

 nerally be enough to mark one or two of the first 

 instances, for that will suffice to show that the writer 

 ktiows that he is doing, and means to do, what looks as 

 if it wanted correction. 



We are inclined to add one suggestion, for which 

 this seems to he a good opportunity, because it is pe- 

 culiarly inapplicable to the corresi)ondent who lias 

 drawn from us these remarks. It is this, that as those 

 who know that they are telling a story which is likely 

 to excite doubt, take more than usual care to put on a 

 grave and honest countenance, so tliose who know that 

 they are writing what is bad or questionable in gram- 

 mar, spelling, iSrc, should use the precaution of being 

 peculiarly legible. ] 



FOLK LOHE. 



Discovering Ilia Bodies of the Drnwiird (Vol. iv., 

 p. 1-lH.) Ii, is curious that a similar {n-aclice to 



that of discovering the bodies of the drowned by 

 loading a loaf with mercury, and putting it afloat 

 on the stream, extracted from the Gent. Mag., 

 seems to exist among the North American Indians. 

 Sir James Alexander, in his account of Canada 

 {VAcadie, 2 vols., 1849), says, p. 26. : — 



" The Indians imagine that in the case of a drowned 

 bodj', its place may be discovered by floating a chip of 

 cedar wood, which will stop and turn round over the 

 exact spot : an instance occurred within my own 

 knowledge, in the case of Mr. Lavery of Kingston mill, 

 whose boat overset, and the person was drowned near 

 Cedar Island ; nor could the body be discovered until 

 this experiment was resorted to." 



s. w. 



Liverpool, Sept. 1851. 



Tom Chippei-feild, S,'C. — In Herrick's Works 

 (W. and C. Uait, Edinburgh, 1823), p. 216., are 

 the following lines : 



" To his Boohe. 

 The dancing frier, tatter'd in the bush. 

 Those monstrous lies of little Robin Rush ; 

 Tom Cliipperfeild, and pritty lisping Ned, 

 That doted on a maide of gingerbrcd. 

 The flying pitcher, and ihc frisking dace. 

 With all the rabble of Tim TrundeWs race, 

 Bred from the dunghils and adulterous rhimes. 

 Shall live, and thou not superlast all times? " 

 Can any of your correspondents versed in the 

 folk lore of the West of Ensland give me any ex- 

 planation of Tom Cliipperfeild and Co. ? E. N. W. 

 Southwark. 



Ea.Ht Norfolk Folk Lore (Vol. iv., p. .53.).— Cure 

 for Ague. The cure mentioned by Mk. E. S. Taylor 

 above, I have just learnt has been practised with 

 much success by some lady friends of mine for 

 some years past amongst the poor of the parishes 

 in which they have lived. From the number of 

 cures etfected by them, I have sent_ the same ap- 

 plication (with the exception of using ginger in- 

 stead of honey) to a relative of mine in India, who 

 has been suffering from ague acutely, and am 

 anxiously waiting to hear the result. It would be 

 satisfactory to have the medical nature of the 

 remedy, as well as its effects, accounted for ; but 

 I fear' this would be considered as out of your 

 province. ' • . II. 1 . 



SERMON OF BISHOP JEREMY TAYLOR. 



I have a 12mo. volume entitled — 



" Christ's Yoke an easy Yoke, and yet the Gate to 

 Heaven a straight Gate: in two excellent Sermons, 

 well worthy the serious Perusal of the strictest 

 Professors. I3y a Learned and Reverend Divine. 

 Ileb. xi. 4. : Who hciiiij dead ijH spcakcth. Loridon, 

 printed for F. Smith, at the Elephant and Castle, near 

 the Royal Exchange in Cornhill, 1G75." 

 Pp. 92., exclusive of Prefiice. 



