2»* S. IX. Jan. 7. 'GO.] 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



oil, and prepared after the same manner as that of the 

 buffalo. 3. A military coat made of thick leather, so that 

 a blow cannot easily pierce it." 



The word buffle bears the same meaning in French : 

 " Buffle se dit aussi d'un cuir de buffle ou autres 

 aniinaux, prepare et accommode pour porter a la 

 guerre comme une espeee de juste-au-corps." 

 (Diet, de VAcad.) The word " buffe, buffle, buffet, 

 coup de poing, soufflet," is, according to Barba- 

 zan, cited by Roquefort in v., derived from buffle, 

 because thick gloves (still called buffle) were made 

 of the hide of the buffalo. 



Monsignor Caetani, in Buffon, torn. x. p. 81., 

 states that the skin of the Italian buffalo is used 

 for the traces of ploughs, and for the coverings of 

 boxes and trunks ; and that it is not employed, 

 like that of the ox, for making the soles of" shoes, 

 because it is too heavy, and admits the water. 



The expression " to stand buff," for " to stand 

 firm," which occurs in Hudibras's epitaph : — 

 " And for the good old cause stood huff, 

 'Gainst many a bitter kick and cuff, 



alludes to the thick leather jerkin which served as 

 a defence. As the leather used for this jerkin was 

 of a tawny hue, the word buff came to denote a 

 colour (" buff-coloured ") ; hence it acquired as 

 an adjective the sense which it now commonly 

 bears in English, and which is peculiar to our 

 language. This acceptation of the word is how- 

 ever of no great antiquity ; the earliest writer 

 from whom it is cited is Goldsmith ; and it is not 

 even mentioned in Johnson's Dictionary. AVe may, 

 therefore, conclude that the phrase " blue and 

 buff," for the colours of the Whig party, does not 

 ascend beyond the middle of the last century. 



G. C. Lewis. 



THE BEFFANA, 



An Italian Tivelfth Night Custom. 



The Beffana is said to have been an old woman, 

 who was busily employed in cleaning the house 

 when the three kings were journeying to carry 

 the treasures to be offered to the infant Saviour. 

 On being called to see them pass by, she said she 

 could not just then, as she was so busy sweeping 

 the house, but she would be sure to see them as 

 they went back. The kings however, as is well 

 known, returned to their own country by another 

 way ; so the old woman is supposed to be ever 

 since in a perpetual state of looking out for their 

 coming, something after the manner of the legend 

 of the wandering Jew. She is said to take great 

 interest in the welfare of young children, and 

 particularly of their good behaviour. Through 

 most parts of Italy on the twelfth night the 

 children are put to bed earlier than usual, and a 

 stocking taken from each and put before the fire. 

 In a short time there is a cry, "Ecco la Beffana!" 

 and the children hurry out of bed, and rush to 



the chimney ; when lo ! in the stocking of each is 

 a present, supposed to have been left by the Bef- 

 fana, and proportioned in its value to the be- 

 haviour of the child during the past year. If any 

 one has been unusually rebellious and incorrigible, 

 behold ! the stocking is full of ashes. This de- 

 grading and disappointing circumstance is gene- 

 rally greeted by a torrent of tears, and the little 

 rebel is then told, if he or she will promise most 

 faithfully to be better behaved for the future, the 

 stocking shall be replaced, and perhaps the Bef- 

 fana may rely on the promises of amendment, and 

 leave some little present as she comes back. Ac- 

 cordingly the child is put to bed again, and in a 

 shoit time the cry is again raised, "Here's the 

 Beffana," and the child jumps up, runs to the 

 stocking, and finds some little toy there, which of 

 course the parents have placed there in the in- 

 terim. Any misbehaviour during the following 

 year is met with, " Oh ! you naughty child, what 

 did you promise on Epiphany? No more presents 

 will you get from the Beffana." 



On the preceding night a sort of fair is held, 

 consisting of the toys so to be presented, which is 

 crowded to excess. On one occasion when I 

 witnessed it at Borne, the soldiers were sent for 

 to clear the way, as the people got so closely 

 packed there was no means of getting about. 

 The interest excited could scarcely be believed in 

 England. 



The name Beffana is probably a corruption of 

 Epifania. [A. Ashpitel. 



Poets' Corner. 



THE ALDIXE ARATUS. 



In the Catalogue of the portion of the Libri 

 library sold by Messrs. Leigh Sotherby and Wil- 

 kinson in August, the Lot 138. stands thus : — 



" 138. Arati Solensis Phenomena, cum Commentariis, 

 Grace. Accedit Procli Diadochi Sphrera Thoma Linacro 

 Britanno Interprete ad Arcturum Cornubicn Valliaquc II- 

 lustrissimum Principem. 



"First edition, large pater, very rare, unknown 

 to Renouard, folio (Venetiis apud Aldum, 1499). 



" This is a portion of the Aldine Edition of the Astro- 

 nomi Vtteres taken off separately, probably for the use of 

 Aldus himself, as there are several marginal notes in 

 his Autograph. No copy of the complete work on large 

 paper is known. Prefixed to the translation of Proclus 

 are the Dedication to Alberto Pio Prince of Carpi, the 

 letter of the celebrated William Grocyn to Aldus, dated 

 London, VI Cal. Sept. and the Dedication of Linacre to 

 the Prince of Wales." 



I have long been somewhat incredulous about 

 " Very rare " books, and my scepticism has not 

 been diminished by finding that (so far as I can 

 jud^e from a cursorv comparison) a volume which 

 has been on my shelf some forty years just an- 

 swered this description. Not being acquainted 

 with the handwriting of Aldus, I cannot tell whe- 

 ther the Greek MS. notes in the margin of raj 



