Notes.

WHITEFIELD AND KENNINGTON COMMON.

Your correspondent the Rev. W. Sparrow Simpson (Vol. ix., p. 295.) has given some interesting little notes respecting the past history of Kennington Common. Other notes might be added, and which should not be overlooked in a record of events connected with a spot whose associations and whose name are about to pass away for ever. After all, it is a righteous act, a noble deed, a benevolent mission, that gives a kind of immortality to a locality. It was here that the ever memorable George Whitefield proclaimed in an earnest voice, and with an earnest look, the gospel of Jesus Christ to multitudes of his fellow-creatures. He was wonderfully endowed by God for his great work, and the evidence of his vast success is to be found in the fact that immense numbers flocked from all parts to listen to the tidings which he had to deliver. He had audiences on Kennington Common amounting to ten, twenty and thirty thousand people, great numbers of whom were savingly impressed by his message. He melted their hearts, and sent them away, reflecting on the great problems of man's history, and on the dignity and destiny of the human mind. Take the following from his published diary, which is now scarce, and not much known:

"Sunday, April 29, 1731. At five in the evening went and preached at Kennington Common, about two miles from London, where upwards of 20,000 people were supposed to be present. The wind being for me, it carried the voice to the extremest part of the audience. All stood attentive, and joined in the Psalm and Lord's Prayer so regularly, that I scarce ever preached with more quietness in any church. Many were much affected."

"Sunday, May 6, 1731. At six in the evening preached at Kennington; but such a sight I never saw before. Some supposed there were above 30,000 or 40,000 people, and near fourscore coaches, besides great numbers of horses; and there was such an awful silence amongst them, and the Word of God came with such power, that all seemed pleasingly surprised. I continued my discourse for an hour and a half."

"Sunday, July 22, 1739. Went to St. Paul's and received the blessed Sacrament, and preached in the evening at Kennington Common to about 30,000 hearers. God gave me great power."

"Friday, August 3, 1739. Having spent the day in completing my affairs (about to embark for America), and taking leave of my dear friends, I preached in the evening to near 20,000 at Kennington Common. I chose to discourse on St. Paul's parting speech to the elders at Ephesus, at which the people were exceedingly affected, and almost prevented my making any application. Many tears were shed when I talked of leaving them. I concluded all with a suitable hymn, but could scarce get to the coach for the people thronging me, to take me by the hand, and give me a parting blessing."

Let those who have a deep sympathy with the great and good, who have served their age with exalted devotion and burning zeal, remember that on that very spot which is now called Kennington Park, this extraordinary man lifted up his powerful voice, and with commanding attitude, with the tenderest affection, with persuasive tones, and with thrilling appeals, proclaimed the "glorious gospel of the blessed God" to multitudes of the human family. He preached as in the light, and on the borders of the eternal world. It is such facts as these that will enhance in mind and memory the interest of such a spot. The philosophy of Whitefield's life has yet to be written.

H. M. Bealby.

North Brixton.

ANACHRONISMS.

Mr. Thackeray makes another trip in the present (April) number of The Newcomes. Clive writes a letter dated "May 1, 183—," which is at once answered by Pendennis, who sends him "an extract from Bagham's article on the Royal Academy," and Mr. Thackeray makes the critic ask, "Why have we no picture of the sovereign and her august consort from Smee's brush?" To which it may be answered, "Because, even if the '183—' represents the time of Victoria's reign, her Majesty did not take unto herself an 'august consort' until Feb. 10, 1840." It may also be observed, that in all the illustrations to Mr. Thackeray's delightful story, Mr. Doyle has clothed the dramatis personæ in the dresses of the present day. A notable example of this occurs at p. 75., in his clever sketch of Mrs. Newcome's At Home, "a small early party" given in the year 1833, the date being determined by a very simple act of mental arithmetic, since the author informs us that the colonel went to the party in the mufti-coat "sent him out by Messrs. Stultz to India in the year 1821," and which he had "been in the habit of considering a splendid coat for twelve years past." The anachronism on Mr. Doyle's part is probably intentional. Indeed, he only follows the example which Mr. Thackeray had justified in these words:

"It was the author's intention, faithful to history, to depict all the characters of this tale in their proper costumes, as they wore them at the commencement of the century. But, when I remember the appearance of people in those days, and that an officer and lady were actually habited like this [here follows one of Mr. Thackeray's graphic sketches], I have not the heart to disfigure my heroes and heroines by costumes so hideous; and have, on the contrary, engaged a model of rank dressed according to the present fashion."—Vanity Fair, note to p. 55.

And, certainly, when one looks at a fashion-book published some twenty years ago, one cannot feel surprised at Mr. Doyle, or any other man of taste, preferring to commit an anachronism, rather than depict frights and monstrosities.

Cuthbert Bede, B.A.

CEPHAS, A BINDER, AND NOT A ROCK.

Some of the multifarious readers of "N. & Q." may feel interested in the suggestion of an original solution on Matt. xvi. 16-19. I submit it (not presumptuously, but hopefully), that its examination and discussion, by your learned readers, may throw more light upon my humble endeavour to elucidate a passage which seems to have been darkened "by a multitude of words."

The solution I propose is an extract from my MS. annotations on the Hebrew Old Testament, and forms a portion of a note on Habakkuk ii. 11. It will be desirable, for the readier comprehension of my exposition, to give the original, with a literal translation, of the verse alluded to:

כי אבן מקיר תזעק‎

וכפיס מעץ יעננה׃‎

"For the [Ebhen] stone shall cry out of the wall,

This verse has passed into a proverb amongst the Jews in every part of the world. It is invariably quoted to express the impossibility of secrecy or concealment; or to intimate the inevitable publicity of a certain fact. In short, the proverb implies the same meaning which our Lord's answer to the Pharisees expressed, viz., "If these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out" (Luke xix. 40.). I have myself heard the words under note used as a proverb, in this manner, amongst the Jews of Europe, Asia, and Africa. I am, moreover, inclined to believe that it was already one of the national proverbs in the days of our Lord.

All this may appear irrelevant to the critical exposition of this verse; but the consideration may help to clear up an apparently obscure passage in the New Testament, namely, Matt. xvi. 16-19. When Simon made the declaration in verse 16., "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God," he might have thought of or expressed the inspired proverb:

Thinking, or expressing, that concealment of the Messiahship of Jesus was impracticable.

"And Jesus [to whom word, thought, and deed were alike patent] answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona; for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Caphis; and upon the Ebhen I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven," &c.

The play (if so common an expression might be used in so sacred a theme) is not on the word Peter, but on the word כפיס‎ (Caphis), which signifies a rafter, a cross beam, a binder; or, as the margin (on Habak. ii. 11.) has it, "a fastener," from the verb כפס‎ (Caphas), to bind, to connect, to join.

That our Lord never used the Greek word σὺ εἶ Πετρος all must admit; that Κηφᾶς is not the Syriac word for stone is well known to every Oriental scholar. The proper Syriac word for stone is כאפא‎. However, there is a resemblance between the respective words, which may have been the origin of Simon's second surname—I mean to that of Cephas—Peter.

The import of Matt. xvi. 16-19. seems to me to be this: Christ acknowledges Simon to be part and parcel of the house, the Church; nay, more, He tells Simon that He intends him to be a "master-builder," to join, or bind, many members to that Church, all of which would be owned of Him. But the Church itself must be built upon the Ebhen, the Stone; by which Jesus evidently alluded to Ps. cxviii. 22.:

(Compare Matt. xxi. 42.)

May I ask whether the words ὅ ερμηνεύται Πετρος are to be considered as the words of St. John, or of his transcribers? The question may appear startling to some, but my copy of the Syriac New Testament is minus that sentence.

Moses Margoliouth.

Wybunbury, Nantwich.

EPITAPHS, ETC.

Epitaphs.—There is, or was, one at Pisa which thus concludes:

Nearer home, in Shoreditch churchyard:

"Sacred to the memory of Sarah Micci, who departed this life April 7th, 1819, aged 50 years.

Not far from this is the following laconic one:

"Dr. John Gardner's last and best bed-room, who departed this life the 8th of April, 1835, in his 84th year."

Which reminds me of one at Finedon:

B. H. C.

Curious Inscription (Vol. iv., p. 88.).—In the first edition of Imperatorum Romanorum Numismata Aurea, by De Bie, Antwerp, 1615, at the foot of a page addressed "Ad Lectorem," and marked c. ii., are the following verses, which may be noted as forming a pendant to those referred to:

"Sc ri ul ptorum R V erum S N ummorum D R espice D P icta

I st ll a Qu F idem R V isu I F aciemus N I am I V nde T Pl acebunt."

Signed "C. Hættron."

W. H. Scott.

Edinburgh.

Epitaph in Lavenham Church, Norfolk.—

I send you this copy from a nibbing of a quaint epitaph, made in the beautiful old church of Lavenham many years since, with a view to putting a Query as to its construction. The first two lines, as I read them, want a verb, unless we read the conclusion of the first line as a verb, to in-brasse (i.e. to record in brass). Can any of your readers give me an authority, from an old author, for the use of this or any similar verb? To in-grain seems somewhat like it, but is modern. If no authority for such a verb can be given, I should be glad to have the construction of the lines explained.

A. B. R.

Belmont.

THE RIGBY CORRESPONDENCE.

[In "N. & Q.," Vol. vii., pp. 203. 264. 349., mention is made of this correspondence. The letters, of which the following are copies, were sold as waste paper, and are in my possession. They appear to have been written by the Rt. Hon. Richard Rigby, Master of the Rolls in Ireland, and relate to the appointment of an Examiner in the Chancery in the year 1783.

James F. Ferguson.]

Dublin.

St. James's Place,

24th May, 1783.

I return you many thanks for your two letters of y^e 10th and 11th inst., and for the trouble you are so obliging as to take on y^e business of the Examiner's Office. I have found a copy of an appointment of an Examiner transmitted to me by Lodge in the year 1762, and I send you Mr. Meredith's appointment upon the stamp'd paper you inclosed to me. If that appointment will not answer, or if the stamp is not a proper one, as you seem to hint may be the case, I must desire you to tell Mr. Perry to make out a proper appointment and send it over ready for my signature. I shou'd hope the one I send herewith will answer, that you may have no further trouble. I perceive five hundred pounds English was y^e sum I receiv'd in 1762; and I imagine that is the sum Mr. Meredith proposes to give now, and to which I give my consent.

I thank you for inquiring after my health; my fits of the gout are not very violent, but I am very glad you never have any of them. Pray make my best comp^ts to Scott, and tell him that I din'd yesterday at Streatham with Macnamara, who is getting better, notwithstanding the weather here is as cold as at Christmas.

I am, my dear Lord, with all possible regard, your most sincere friend and oblig'd humble servant,

Richard Rigby.

Your stamp'd paper was not large enough, but my servant found a stamp'd paper at Lincoln's Inn.

———

St. James's Place,

9th June, 1783.

Ten thousand thanks for all the trouble you are so kind (as) to take in my affairs; this day I receiv'd yours of the 31st May, with the bill inclosed for 498l. 2s. 5d. If the instrument I sent over should not be satisfactory, I will sign any new deed which shall be sent me for the purpose.

I have not much acquaintance w^th Lord Northington; but seeing him at St. James's the day he took leave of the King, I wish'd him success in his new government, and took the liberty to mention your name to him as y^e person in the whole kingdom whose advice would be most beneficial to him. I told him I asked no favour of him but one, which was to recollect what I then said to him if he should have occasion to call upon you for advice and assistance hereafter, when he would find it for his great satisfaction to be well founded.

I am, my dear Lord, your most obliged and faithful humble servant,

Richard Rigby.

THE WANDERING BEE.

This incident of the wandering bee, highly poetical, seems at first sight very improbable, and passes for one of the many strange creations of this wild poem. But yet it is quite true to nature, and was probably suggested to Southey, an omnivorous reader, by some out-of-the-way book of travels.

In Hurton's Voyage to Lapland, vol. ii. p. 251., published a few years since, he says that as he stood on the verge of the North Cape,—

"The only living creature that came near me was a bee, which hummed merrily by. What did the busy insect seek there? Not a blade of grass grew, and the only vegetable matter on this point was a cluster of withered moss at the very edge of the awful precipice, and it I gathered at considerable risk as a memorial of my visit."

So in Fremont's Exploring Expedition to the Rocky Mountains, 1842, p. 69., he speaks of standing on the crest of the snow peak, 13,570 feet above the Gulf of Mexico, and adds:

"During our morning's ascent, we had met no sign of animal life, except the small sparrow-like bird already mentioned. A stillness the most profound, and a terrible solitude, forced themselves constantly on the mind as the great features of the place. Here on the summit, where the stillness was absolute, unbroken by any sound, and the solitude complete, we thought ourselves beyond the region of animated life: but while we were sitting on the rock, a solitary bee (Bromus, the humble bee) came winging his flight from the eastern valley, and lit on the knee of one of the men.

"It was a strange place, the icy rock and the highest peak of the Rocky Mountains, for a lover of warm sunshine and flowers; and we pleased ourselves with the idea that he was the first of his species to cross the mountain barrier, a solitary pioneer to foretell the advance of civilisation. I believe that a moment's thought would have made us let him continue his way unharmed, but we carried out the law of this country, where all animated nature seems at war; and seizing him immediately, put him in at least a fit place, in the leaves of a large book, among the flowers we had collected on our way."

A. B.

Philadelphia.