The Queer, the Quaint and the Quizzical: A Cabinet for the CuriousStauffer, Frank H.
History
The Queer, the Quaint and the Quizzical: A Cabinet for the Curious
Stauffer, Frank H.
Literary curiosa
"SIR: I have _two_ silver teaspoons in London and _two_ at Bristol. This
is all the plate which I have at present; and I shall not buy any more
while so many round me want bread.
"I am, sir,
Your most humble servant,
JOHN WESLEY."
_Grace Knives._
There is in existence a curious class of knives, of the sixteenth
century, the blades of which have on one side the musical notes to the
benediction of the table, or grace before meat, and on the other side
the grace after meat. The set of these knives usually consisted of four.
They were kept in an upright case of stamped leather, and were placed
before the singer.
_Religious Relics._
At the commencement of the seventeenth century there was a crucifix
belonging to the Augustine friars, at Burgos, in Spain, which produced a
revenue of nearly seven thousand crowns per annum. It was found upon the
sea, not far from the coast, with a scroll of parchment appended to it
descriptive of the various virtues it possessed. The image was provided
with a false beard and a chestnut-colored periwig, which its holy
guardians declared were natural, and they also assured all pious
visitors that on every Friday it sweated blood and water into a silver
basin. In the garden of this convent grew a species of wheat, the grain
of which was unusually large, and which its possessors averred was
brought by Adam out of Paradise. Cakes, for the cure of all diseases,
were made out of the wheat kneaded with the aforesaid blood and water,
and sold to the credulous multitude for a quartillo each. They also
sold blue ribbons, of the exact length of the crucifix, for about a
shilling each. The ribbons were a sovereign cure for headache, and had
upon them, in silver letters, "La madi del santo crucifisco de Burgos."
_Mammoth Bottle._
In January, 1751, a globular bottle was blown at Leith capable of
holding two hogsheads. Its dimensions were forty inches by forty-two.
This immense vessel was the largest ever produced at any
glass-works.—_Hone._
_A Drinking Glass a Yard Long._
"On the proclamation of James II., in the market place of Bromley, by
the Sheriff of Kent, the commander of the Kentish troop, two of the
king's trumpets, and other officers, they drank the king's health in a
flint glass a yard long."—_Evelyn's Diary_, Feb. 10th, 1685.
_Kneeling Statue of Atlas._
In the Museo Borbonico, at Naples, is a kneeling statue of Atlas
sustaining the globe. It is a very interesting monument of Roman art,
and one of great value to the student of ancient astronomy. Of the
forty-seven constellations known to the ancients, forty-two may be
distinctly recognized. The date of this curious sculpture is fixed as
anterior to the time of Hadrian by the absence of the likeness of
Antinous, which was inserted in the constellation Aquila by the
astronomers of that period.
_The Druid's Seat._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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