Notes and Queries, Number 78, April 26, 1851: A Medium of Inter-communication for Literary Men, Artists, Antiquaries, Genealogists, etc.Various
History
Notes and Queries, Number 78, April 26, 1851: A Medium of Inter-communication for Literary Men, Artists, Antiquaries, Genealogists, etc.
Various
Questions and answers -- Periodicals
_Epitaph in Hall's Discovery_ (Vol. iii., p. 242.).--The work entitled
_Discovery of a New World, or a Description of the South Indies, hitherto
unknown, by an English Mercury, imprinted by E. Blount_, no date, 12mo., is
not, as our correspondent supposes, very rare, nor is it by Bishop Hall. It
is a free translation, or rather paraphrase, and an excellent one in its
way, by John Healey, of Bishop Hall's very entertaining _Mundus Alter et
Idem_, first published in 12mo., Francof., without date, afterwards
reprinted with Campanella's _Civitas Solis_ and Bacon's _Atlantis_ at
Utrecht, 1643, 24mo., and subsequently included in the edition of Bishop
Hall's works by Pratt, 10 vols., Lond., 1808, 8vo. The epitaph quoted is
not a satire upon any statesman of the time. The writer is describing the
Land of Changeableness, or, as it is called in the Latin original, "Variana
vel Moronia Mobilis," and gives in the course of his description this
epitaph on Andreas Vortunius (a vertendo), or, as he is styled in the
English {339} translation, "Andrew Turncoate." The epitaph occurs in p.
132. of the Latin edition of 1643, and is evidently, as indicated by the
marginal notes, an imitation or parody of the famous one on AEelia Laelia
Crispis, which has exercised the ingenuity of so many writers, and of which
our own countryman, Richard White, of Basingstoke, the historian, has given
three different interpretations. See his _AElia Laelia Crispis, Epitaphium
Antiquum quod in Agro Bononiensi adhuc videtur, a diversis interpretatum
varie, novissime autem a Richardo Vito explicatum_, Padua, 1568, 4to. An
article on this epitaph and its various interpreters, of whom I have
collected about forty, might be made a very interesting one.
JAMES CROSSLEY.
[We wish MR. CROSSLEY--than whom no one is more competent--would favour
us with such an article. The following communication from MR. FORBES is
only one of several we have received, showing that the interest in this
enigma is not abated.]
_Epitaph in Hall's Discovery_ (Vol. iii., p. 242.).--When this epitaph is
assigned to its right owner, it may perhaps throw some light on its
twin-brother--the epitaph on "AElia Laelia Crispis"--"_about which many of
the learned have puzzled their heads_." (See _Encyc. Brit._, article
"AEnigma.") I enclose a copy of this epitaph, which you can use or not, as
you please. If you think that it might help to "unearth" Mister Andrew
Turnecoate, you may perhaps like to lay it before your readers; if, on the
other hand, that it would but increase the difficulty of the operation by
distracting attention needlessly, you can hand it over to "the Editor's
best friend"--the fire.
"D. M.
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.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account