Notes and Queries, Number 20, March 16, 1850Various
History
Notes and Queries, Number 20, March 16, 1850
Various
Questions and answers -- Periodicals
"'Circiter festum Conversionis Divi Pauli ad horam nonam quodam die
pro arbitrio moderatoris' (ex consueto modo quo eunt collectum
Avellanas Mense Septembri), itur a pueris ad Montem. Mons puerili
religione Etonensium sacer locus est; hunc ob pulchritudinem agri,
amoenitatem graminis, umbraculorum temperationem, et Apollini et
Musis venerabilem sedem faciunt, carminibus celebrant, Tempe
vocant, Heliconi praeferunt. Hic Novitii seu recentes, qui annum
nondum viriliter et nervose in acie Etonensi ad verbera steterunt
_sale primo_ condiuntur, tum versiculis qui habeant _salem_ ac
leporem, quoad fieri potest egregie depinguntur. Deinde in recentes
epigrammata faciunt, omni suavitate sermonis, et facetiis alter
alterum superare contendentes. Quicquid in buccam venit libere
licet effutire, modo Latine fiat, modo habeat urbanitatem, modo
caveat obscoena verborum scurrilitate, postremo et lacrymis
_salsis_ humectant ora genasque' et tune demum veteranorum ritibus
initiantur. Sequuntur orationes et parvi triumphi, et serio
laetantur, cum ob praeteritos labores tum ob cooptationem in tam
lepidorum commilitonum societatem."
It seems that "salting" was a sort of initiation, like that which
prevails among our Teutonic brethren, where the "Fuchs" is raised to the
sublime degree of a "Brandfuchs," "junge Bursch," "bemorstes Haupt," by
successive promotions. Not improbably in after times, especially at the
Universities, like "passing the Line," it admitted of being commuted for
a money payment. The exact nature of the "salting" at Eton I cannot
explain; perhaps your able correspondent, R.O., may afford information
on this head.
C.R. SOC.
_College Salting_ (no. 17. p. 261.).--I cannot but think that the asking
for salt at the now abolished ceremony of the Eton Montem (whence also,
as it is said, "Salt Hill" was named) must have been connected with the
"College Salting." The salt, or money, then collected belonged, as is
well known, to the head-boy who had "got Montem," as it (alas!) _was_
called, and who was about to enter on his career (of course as a
freshman) at Cambridge.
I would gladly, if permitted, draw the attention of your correspondents,
who are considering the original subject, to the latter, by placing it
in juxtaposition with "College Salting."
G.W.
Hamilton Terrace.
* * * * *
JUNIUS.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account