Notes and Queries, Number 53, November 2, 1850

Notes and Queries, Number 53,
November 2, 1850

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Title: Notes & Queries, No. 53. Saturday, November 2, 1850 A
Medium Of Inter-Communication For Literary Men, Artists,
Antiquaries, Genealogists, Etc.
Author: Various
Release Date: September 27, 2004 [EBook #13540]
Language: English
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NOTES AND QUERIES:
A MEDIUM OF INTER-COMMUNICATION FOR LITERARY MEN,
ARTISTS, ANTIQUARIES, GENEALOGISTS, ETC.
* * * * *

"When found, make a note of."--CAPTAIN CUTTLE.
* * * * *
No. 53.] SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 1850 [Price Threepence.
Stamped Edition 4d.
* * * * * {369}
CONTENTS.
NOTES:--Page
Shakspeare and Marlowe, by Samuel Hickson. 369 A Plan for a
Church-History Society. 371 Burnet as a Historian. 372 Epigrams from
Buchanan. 372 Mistakes about George Chapman the Poet. 372 Minor
Notes:--Shakspeare and George Herbert--Old Dan Tucker--Lord John
Townsend--Croker's Boswell--Misquotation--Tindal's New
Testament--The Term "Organ-blower"--"Singular" and "Unique". 373
QUERIES:-- Early Poetry, &c., Five Bibliographical Queries
respecting. 374 Minor Queries:--History of Newspapers--Steele's
Burial place--Socinian Boast--Descent of Edward IV.--Viscount
Castlecomer--Judge Cradock, afterwards Newton--Totness
Church--Meaning of "Harissers"--Ringelbergius: Drinking To
Excess--Langue Pandras--The Coptic Language--Cheshire Cat--Mrs.
Partington--Cognation of the Jews and Lacedemonians. 375
REPLIES:-- Fairfax's Translation of Tasso. 377 Small Words. 377
Replies to Minor Queries:--Concolinel-Wife of the Poet
Bilderdijk--Schweickhardt the Artist--Noli me tangere--Chimney
Money--Passage from Burke--Nicholas Assheton's Journal--Scotch
Prisoners--Long Friday--Bradshaw Family--Julin, the Drowned
City--Dodsley's Poems--Shunamitis Poema--Jeremy Taylor's
Works--D[au]ctor Dubitantium--Aërostation--Gwyn's London and
Westminster--"Regis ad Exemplum totus compositur Orbis"--St.
Uncumber, &c. 378
MISCELLANEOUS:-- Notes on Books, Sales, Catalogues, &c. 382
Books and Odd Volumes Wanted. 382 Notices to Correspondents. 382
Advertisements. 383
* * * * *
NOTES
SHAKSPEARE AND MARLOWE.
A special use of, a use, indeed, that gives a special value to your
publication, is the communication through its means of facts and

conclusions for the information or assistance of editors or intending
editors. I do not suppose that any gentleman occupying this position
would be guilty of so much disrespect to the many eminent names
which have already appeared in your columns, as would be implied in
not giving all the attention it deserved to any communication you might
see fit to publish; and with this feeling, and under this shelter, I return
to the subject of Marlowe, and his position as a dramatic writer relative
to Shakspeare. I perceive that a re-issue of Mr. Knight's Shakspeare has
commenced, and from the terms of the announcement, independently of
other considerations, I conclude that the editor will take advantage of
this opportunity of referring to doubtful or disputed points that may
have made any advance towards a solution since his previous editions. I
have read also an advertisement of an edition of Shakspeare, to be
superintended by Mr. Halliwell[1], which is to contain the plays of
"doubtful authenticity, or in the composition of which Shakspeare is
supposed only to have taken a part." Neither of these gentlemen can
well avoid expressing an opinion on the subject I have adverted to, and
to them more especially I would address my observations.
I think I have observed that the claims of Marlowe have been
maintained with something very like party spirit. I have seen latterly
several indications of this, unmistakeable, though expressed, perhaps,
but by a single word. Now it is true both Mr. Collier and Mr. Dyce are
committed to a positive opinion on this subject; and it would be
unreasonable to expect either of those gentlemen to change their views,
except with the fullest proof and after the maturest consideration. But
who, besides these, is interested in maintaining the precedence of
Marlowe? These remarks have been called forth by an article in the
_Athenæum_, containing the following passages:--
"All Marlowe's works were produced prior, we may safely assert, to the
appearance of Shakspeare _as a writer for the stage_, or as an author, in
print.
"It is now universally admitted among competent critics, that
Shakspeare commenced his career as a dramatic author, by remodelling
certain pieces written {370} either separately or conjointly by Greene,
Marlowe, Lodge, and Peele."
An anonymous writer commits himself to nothing, and I should not
have noticed the above but that they illustrate my position. In the

passage first cited, if the writer mean "as a writer for the stage _in
print_," it proves nothing; but if the words "in print" are not intended to