Replies.

ASINORUM SEPULTURA.

To discover the origin of this phrase, your correspondent (Vol. ii., p. 8-9.) need not go further than to his Bible.

"Sepultura asini sepelietur, putrefactus et projectus extra portas Jerusalem."—Jerem. xxii. 19.: cf. xxxvi. 30.

With regard to the extract given by Ducange, at the word "Imblocatus," from a "vetus formula Excommunicationis præclara," it is evident that the expressions,—

"Sint cadavera eorum in escam volatilibus cœli, et bestiis terræ, et non sint qui sepeliant eos,"

have been derived from S. Jerome's Latin version from the Hebrew of Psal. lxxix. 2, 3.:

"Dederunt cadavera servorum tuorum escam volatilibus cœli; carnes sanctorum tuorum bestiis terræ. Effuderunt sanguinem eorum quasi aquam in circuitu Hierusalem, et non erat qui sepeliret."—Vide Jacobi Fabri Stapulensis Quincuplex Psalterium, fol. 116. b., Paris, 1513; Sabatier, tom. ii. p. 162. Ib. 1751.

R. G.

The use of this term in the denunciation against Jehoiakim, more than six centuries B.C., and the previous enumeration of crimes in the 22nd chapter of Jeremiah, would seem sufficiently to account for its origin and use in regard to the disposal of the dead bodies of excommunicated or notorious malefactors, by the earliest Christian writers or judges. The Hebrew name of the ass, says Parkhurst, is "derived from its turbulence when excited by lust or rage;" and the animal was also made the symbol of slothful or inglorious ease, in the case of Issachar, B.C. 1609: Genesis, xlix. 14. It is thus probable some reference to such characteristics of the brute and the criminal, rather than any mere general allusion to throwing the dead bodies of inferior or unclean animals (of which the dog was a more common type) under any rubbish beyond the precincts of the city, may have been intended, by specifying this animal in prescribing an ignominious sepulture.

Lamba.

It can hardly have escaped the notice of your Querist (although the instance is not one adduced by Ducange), that the phrase, "burial of an ass" קְבוּרַת חֲמוֹר for "no burial at all," is as old as the time of the prophet Jeremiah. (Vide chap. xxii. 19.) The custom referred to being of religious origin, might lead us to the sacred books for the origin of the phrase denoting it; and it seems natural for the Christian writers, in any mention of those whose bodies, like that of Jehoiakim, were for their sins deprived of the rites of sepulture, to use the striking phrase already provided for them in Scripture; and as natural for that phrase to continue in use even after the somewhat more civilised custom of "imblocation" had deprived it of its original reference to "the dead body's being cast out in the day to the heat, and in the night to the frost." (Jer. xxxvi. 30.)

J. Eastwood.

This phrase is, I think, accounted for by the ass being deprived of interment in consequence of the uses made of its dead carcass. After a description of the adaptation of his bones to instrumental music, Aldrovandus continues as follows:—

"De corio notissimum, post obitum, ne quid asini unquam conquiescat, foraminibus delacerari, indeque factis cribris, assiduæ inservire agitationi; unde dicebat Apuleius: cedentes hinc inde miserum corium, nec cribris jam idoneum relinquunt. Sed et Albertus pollicetur asinorum corium non solum utile esse ad soleas calceorum faciendas, sed etiam quæ ex illa parte fiunt, in qua onera fuerunt, non consumi, etsi ille qui utitur, eis continuo peregrinando in lapidibus portaverit, et tandem ita indurare ut pedes sustinere nequeant."—De Quadruped., p. 351.

T. J.

POPE FELIX.

Four Popes of the name have filled the chair of St. Peter.

The first suffered martyrdom under Aurelian. He is honoured with a festival at Rome on the 29th May.

The second also received the crown of martyrdom, under Constantine. His festival is kept on the 29th July.

The third is commemorated as a holy confessor on the 25th February. He was a collateral ancestor of Pope St. Gregory the Great, who mentions him in his writings.

Gregory had three aunts by the father's side, who all became nuns. One of them, Tarsilla, a lady of pious and beatified life, and of very advanced age, had one night a vision of Pope Felix, who was then dead. He seemed to point towards the mansions of eternal glory, and to invite her to enter. She soon after sickened, and her end visibly approached. While a number of her friends were standing around her couch, she suddenly exclaimed, looking upwards, "Stand aside, stand aside, Jesus is coming;" and with a look of ineffable love, she presently expired. This story is related by St. Gregory.

This Pope is the best known of the four on account of his relationship to St. Gregory.

The fourth of the name was also a confessor. His festival occurs on the 30th January.

J. A. S.

Edinburgh, May 27. 1850.

REPLIES TO NUMISMATIC QUERIES.

I beg to offer the following remarks in reply to the numismatic queries of E. S. T. (Vol. i., p. 468.):—

1. I can only account for the Macedonian coin being struck in lead, by supposing it to be the work of an ancient forger.

2. Third brass coins of Tiberius are not uncommon; I have one in my cabinet of the sort described. Obv. head of Tiberius, TI. CAESAR. DIVI. AVG. F. AVGVSTVS; Rev. the altar of Lyons, ROM. ET. AVG.

3. The coin of Herennia Etruscilla is probably a base or plated denarius, the silver having been worn off. Silver coins sometimes acquire a black tarnish, so that they are not to be distinguished from brass without filing the edge, or steeping them in acid. If a genuine brass coin, it should have the S. C. for Senatus Consultum.

4. The coin of Macrinus was struck at Antioch in Syria, of which famous city there exists a regular series of imperial coins from Augustus to Valerian. One in my possession has Δ above the S. C., and Ε below for ΔΗΜΑΡΧ. ΕΞΟΥΣΙΑΣ, Tribunitia Potestate. May not these be the letters described by E. S. T. as L. C.?

J. C. Witton.

Coins of Constantius II.—Can any numismatist kindly inform me by what marks the coins of Constantius II., the son of Constantine the Great, are distinguished from those of Constantius Gallus, his nephew? Mr. Akerman, in his Rare and Inedited Roman Coins, gives the following titles as common to both, but does not afford any rule for appropriating their coins:—

CONSTANTIVS. NOB. CAES. FL. IVL. CONSTANTIVS. NOB. CAES. D. N. CONSTANTIVS. NOB. C. D. N. CONSTANTIVS. NOB. CAES.

J. C. Witton.

AS LAZY AS LUDLUM'S DOG.

(Vol. i., p. 382.)

I feel obliged by the extract from the Doctor given by J. M. B. (Vol. i., p. 475.), though it only answers by a kind of implication the Query I proposed. That implication is, that, instead of Ludlum and his dog being personages of distinction in their own way and in their own day, the proverb itself is merely one framed on the principle of alliteration, and without precise or definite "meaning." This is very full of meaning, as anyone may convince himself by observing the active energy of every muscle of all dogs in the act of barking. What can typify "laziness" more emphatically than a dog that "lays him[self] down to bark?"

A jingle of some kind is essential to a proverb. If a phrase or expression have not this, it never "takes" with the masses; whilst, having this, and being capable of any possible and common application, it is sure to live, either as a proverb or a "saw," as the case may be. Alliteration and rhyme are amongst the most frequent of these "jingles;" and occasionally a "pun" supplies their place very effectively. We find these conditions fulfilled in the proverbs and saws of every people in the eastern and western world, alike in the remotest antiquity and in our own time. But are they therefore "without meaning?" Do not these qualities help to give them meaning, as well as to preserve them through their long and varied existence?

But there is another principle equally essential to the constitution of a legitimate and lasting proverb; or rather two conjointly, metre and euphony. These may be traced in the proverb as completely as in the ballad; and precisely the same contrivances are employed to effect them in both cases where any ruggedness in the natural collocation of the words may present itself. For instance, change in the accent, the elision or the addition of a letter or syllable, the lengthening of a vowel, transposition, and a hundred other little artifices. The euphony itself, though sometimes a little imperfect, is also studied with the same kind of care in the older and purer proverbs of all languages.

Attention to metre and euphony will generally enable us to assign, amongst the forms in which we pick up and note any particular proverb, the original and legitimate one; especially when combined with brevity and "pith." As a case in point, our friend Ludlum will serve our purpose for comparison. Who does not see at a glance, taking account of the principles which govern the construction of a proverb, that the Sheffield version, as I gave it, must be more genuine than Southey's version, quoted by J. M. B.? Besides this, I may add, that a friend, whose early days were spent in Sheffield, has told, me (since the Query was proposed) that he has heard his mother tell some legend of "the fat Miss Ludlum." After all, therefore, the proverb may be founded on a fat old maid and her fat poodle. I can hardly, then, deem my inquiry answered.

J. M. B. quotes two others from the Doctor; one for the purpose, as would appear by his marking the words, to illustrate the alliterative principle. The following are variations which I have heard:—"As proud as the cobbler's dog, that took [or as took—the most general vernacular form, for the sake of euphony] the wall of a dung-cart, and got crushed for his pains." "As queer as Dick's hatband as went nine times round and wouldn't tie."

On these I will only remark, that few persons would pronounce dung-cart as J. M. B. implies, even for alliteration; and, indeed, when so even marked to the eye, it is not without an effort that we can read accordingly. As to Dick's hatband, it is expressed in a peculiarly clumsy and round-about manner by Southey.

One word more. J. M. B. quotes as a proverb—one of those without meaning—"As busy as Batty;" and says, "no one knows who Batty was." Surely, the inference that Batty was not a real personage in some distant age—that he was a mere myth—must be a non sequitur from the premises before us. Perhaps Mr. Batty was a person of notable industry—perhaps remarkable for always beings in a "fluster"—perhaps the rural Paul Pry of his day and district. He has left, too, a large progeny; whether as regards the name alone, or whichever of the characters he bore.

This jingle upon words partakes largely of the character of the pun. It, however, reminds me of a mode of speech which universally prevailed in the north of Lincolnshire thirty years ago, and which probably does so yet. A specimen will explain the whole:—"I'm as throng as throng." "He looks as black as black." "It's as wet as wet." I have heard this mode used so as to produce considerable emphasis; and it is more than possible, that some of the jingles have thus originated, and settled into proverbs, now without any obvious meaning, but originally very forcible ones.

D. V. S.

Shooter's Hill, May 18.