Notes and Queries, Number 26, April 27, 1850 | Page 6

the 5th verse of the 19th chap. of
Proverbs, instead of the 1st chap. of Ruth.
David Stevens. Godalming, April 11. 1850.
[In Brand's Popular Antiquities (ed. Ellis). vol. iii. 188-9, it is stated
that the key is placed upon the 50th Psalm.]
_Weather Proverb._--Weather proverbs are among the most curious
portions of popular literature. That foul or fair weather is betokened
according as the rainbow is seen in the morning or evening, is recorded
in the following German "saw," which is nearly identical with our
well-known English Proverb:
Regenbogen am Morgen Macht dem Schäfer sorgen; Regenbogen am
Abend Ist dem Schäfer labend.
In Mr. Akerman's recently published volume called _Spring Tide_, a
pleasant intermixture of fly-fishing and philology, we have a Wiltshire
version of this proverb, curious for its old Saxon language and its
comparatively modern allusion to a "great coat" in the third and sixth
lines, which must be interpolations.
"The Rainbow in th' marnin' Gies the Shepherd warning' To car' his girt
cwoat on his back The Rainbow at night Is the Shepherd's delight, For
then no girt cwoat he lack."
No one, we believe, has yet remarked the philosophy of this saying;
namely that in the morning the rainbow is seen in the clouds in the west,
the quarter from which we get most rain, and of course, in the evening,
in the opposite quarter of the heavens.
William J. Thoms.
* * * * *
BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTES.
1. A pleasant Dialogue between a Soldier of Barwicke and an English
Chaplain; wherein are largely handed such reasons as are brought in for
maintenance of Popish traditions in our English Church. 8vo. circa
1581.
This work is frequently attributed to Barnaby Rich; but from Bancroft's
_Dangerous Positions_, p. 42, the author is ascertained to have been
Anthony Gilby.
2. The Trumpet of Fame; or Sir Francis Drake's and Sir John Hawkin's
Farewell: with an encouragement to all Sailors and Souldiers that are

minded to go in this worthie enterprise, &c. 12mo. London, by T.
Creede, 1595.
This poetical tract is of the greatest rarity, and was unknown to Ames,
Herbert, Warton and Ritson. A MS. note, in a contemporary hand, says
the author was one Henry Roberts, whose initials are appended to the
work.
3. The Mastive, or Young Whelpe of the Olde Dogge. Epigrams and
Satyrs, by H.P. 4to. London, by T. Creede, circa 1600.
As an Epigram in this collection also appears in Henry Peacham's
_Minerva Britanna_, with a slight variation, it is fair to surmise that he
was the author of this very rare volume, in preference to Henry Parrott.
4. Pasquil's Jests, mixed with Mother Bunch's Merriments. Whereunto
is added a dozen of Gulles. Pretty and pleasant to drive away the
tediousnesse of a winter's evening. 4to. 1608.
In the _British Bibliographer_, vol i., may be seen an account of the
edition of 1609, with extracts from it, and a statement that "an earlier
edition is without the Gulls." The present copy (which passed through
my hands some years ago), although earlier, has the Gulls.
5. Holie Historie of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ's Nativitie, Life,
Actes, Miracles, Doctrine, Death, Passion, Resurrection, and Ascension.
Gathered into English Meeter, and published to withdraw all vajne wits
from all unsaverie and wicked rimes and fables &c. 12mo. London, by
R. Field, 1594.
Ames and Herbert say this book was written by Henry Holland; but the
author's name {414} was Robert Holland. It is not mentioned by
Warton.
6. News from the Stars; or, Erra Pater's Ghost, by Meriton Latroon.
12mo. 1673.
"Richard Head, a broken bookseller, and the author of the _English
Rogue_, writ this. He turned Papist, and in his voyage to Spain was
drowned."--_MS. note in a contemporary hand._
Edward F. Rimbault.
* * * * *
POPE, PETRONIUS, AND HIS TRANSLATORS.
The vindication of Pope from the charge of borrowing his well-known
sentiment--"Worth makes a man," &c.--from Petronius, is not so
completely made out by "P.C.S.S." as it might be; for surely there is a

sufficient similitude of idea, if not of expression, between the couplet
of Pope and the sentence of Petronius, as given in all four of the
translations cited by him (No. 23. p. 362.)--"The heart makes the man,"
&c.--to warrant a notion that the one was suggested by the other. But
the surmise of plagiarism originates in a misconception of the terms
employed by the Latin author--_virtus_, _frugalitas_, and more
especially _corcillum_,--which have been misunderstood by every one
of these translators. Virtus is applied to mental as well as bodily
superiority (_Cic. Fin._ v. 13.).--The sense in which frugalitas is
employed by Petronius may be collected from a preceding passage in
the same chapter, where Trimalchio calls his pet _puerum
frugalissimum_--a very clever lad--as he explains the epithet by