his activity, strength, and
manly accomplishments; and not only defrayed every expense, but
loaded him with presents." Is there any notice of this visit in any of our
numerous memoirs and diaries of Charles II.'s reign?
A curious tract, printed in the sixth volume of Churchill's _Voyages_,
"The Mosquito Indian and his Golden River, being a familiar
Description of the Mosquito Kingdom, &c., written in or about the
Year 1699 by M.W.," from which Southey drew some touches of
Indian manners for his "Madoc," speaks of another King Jeremy, son of
the previous one; who, it is said, esteemed himself a subject of the King
of England, and had visited the Duke of Albemarle in Jamaica. His
father had been carried to England, and received from the King of
England a crown and commission. The writer of this account says that
the Mosquito Indians generally esteem themselves English:--
"And, indeed, they are extremely courteous to all Englishmen,
esteeming themselves to be such, although some Jamaica men have
very much abused them."
I will conclude this communication, whose length will I hope be
excused for the newness of the subject, {427} by an amusing passage
of a speech of Governor Johnstone in a debate in the House of
Commons on the Mosquito country in 1777:--
"I see the noble lord [Lord North] now collects his knowledge by
piecemeal from those about him. While my hon. friend [some one was
whispering Lord North] now whispers the noble lord, will he also tell
him, and the more aged gentlemen of the House, before we yield up our
right to the Mosquito shore, that it is from thence we receive the
greatest part of our delicious turtle? May I tell the younger part, before
they give their consent, that it is from thence comes the sarsaparilla to
purify our blood?"--_Parl. Hist._ vol. xix. p. 54.
C.
* * * * *
NOTES ON BACON AND JEREMY TAYLOR.
In his essay "On Delays," Bacon quotes a "common verse" to this
effect:--"Occasion turneth a bald noddle after she hath presented her
locks in front, and no hold taken." As no reference is given, some
readers may be glad to see the original, which occurs in an epigram on
[Greek: Kairos] (Brunck's _Analecta_, ii. 49.; Posidippi Epigr. 13. in
Jacob's _Anthol._ ii. 49.).
[Greek: Hae de komae, ti kat' opsin; hupantiasanti labesthai, nae Dia.
Taxopithen d' eis ti phalakra pelei; Ton gar apax ptaenoisi
parathrexanta me possin outis eth' himeiron draxetai exopithen.]
In Jermey Taylor's Life of Christ (Pref. § 29. p. 23. Eden's edition), it is
said that Mela and Solinus report of the Thracians that they believed in
the resurrection of the dead. That passage of Mela referred to is, l. ii. c.
ii. § 3., where see Tzschucke.
In the same work (Pref. § 20. p. 17.), "Ælian tells us of a nation who
had a law binding them to beat their parents to death with clubs when
they lived to a decrepit age." See Ælian, _Var. Hist._ iv. 1. p. 330.
Gronov., who, however, says nothing of clubs.
In the next sentence, the statement, "the Persian magi mingled with
their mothers and all their nearest relatives," is from Xanthus (Fragm.
28., Didot), apud Clem. Alexandr. (Strom. iii. p. 431 A.). See Jacob's
_Lect. Stob._ p. 144.; Bahr, _On Herodotus_, iii. 31.
In the same work (
Part I. sect. viii. § 5. note _n_, p. 174.) is a
quotation from Seneca, "O quam contempta res est homo, nisi super
humana se erexerit!" which is plainly the original of the lines of Daniel,
so often quoted by Coleridge ("Epistle to the Countess of
Cumberland"):--
"Unless above himself he can Erect himself, now mean a thing is man!"
Perhaps some of your readers can supply the reference to the passage in
Seneca; which is wanting in Mr. Eden's edition.
In
Part III. sect. xv. § 19. p. 694. note _a_, of
the _Life of Christ_,
is a quotation from Strabo, lib. xv. _Add._ p. 713., Casaub.
As the two great writers on whom I have made these notes are now in
course of publication, any notes which your correspondents can furnish
upon them cannot fail to be welcome. Milton also, and Pope, are in the
hands of competent editors, who, doubtless, would be glad to have their
work rendered more complete through the medium of "NOTES AND
QUERIES."
J.E.B. MAYOR
Marlborough Coll., April 8.
* * * * *
DUKE OF MONMOUTH'S CORRESPONDENCE.
Thomas Vernon, author of _Vernon's Reports_, was in early life private
secretary to the Duke of Monouth, and is supposed to have had a pretty
large collection of Monmouth's correspondence. Vernon settled himself
at Hanbury Hall, in Worcestershire, where he built a fine house, and
left a large estate. In course of time this passed
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