Notes and Queries, Number 69, February 22, 1851 | Page 3

M.P., notes, of which the following is a copy, giving
account of the Authors of The Rolliad, and of the series of Political
Satires which followed it:--
Extract from Dedication. Fitzpatrick. Nos. 1. 2. G. Ellis. No. 3. Dr.
Lawrence. No. 4. J. Richardson. No. 5. Fitzpatrick. Nos. 6. 7. 8. Dr.
Lawrence. No. 9. Fitzpatrick. Nos. 10. 11. J. Richardson. No. 12.
Fitzpatrick. Nos. 13. 14. Dr. Lawrence.
PART II.
Nos. 1. 2. G. Ellis Nos. 3. 4. J. Richardson. No. 5. Fitzpatrick. No. 6.
Read. No. 7. Dr. Lawrence.
Political Eclogues.

Rose. Fitzpatrick. The Lyars. Do. Margaret Nicholson. R. Adair. C.
Jenkinson. G. Ellis. Jekyll, Lord J. Townsend and Tickell.
Probationary Odes.
No. 1. Tickell. 2. G. Ellis. 3. H. B. Dudley. 4. J. Richardson. 5. J.
Ellis. ?G. 6. Unknown. 7. (Mason's). Do. 8. Brummell. 9. Sketched by
Canning, the Eton Boy, finished by Tickell. 10. Pearce. ? 11. Boscawen.
12. Lord J. Townsend. 13. Unknown. Mr. C. believes it to be Mrs.
Debbing, wife of Genl. D. 14. Rev. Mr. O'Byrne. 15. Fitzpatrick. 16. Dr.
Lawrence. 17. Genl. Burgoyne. 18. Read. 19. Richardson. 20. G. Ellis.
21. Do. 22. Do.
"If ever my books should escape this obscure corner, the above
memorandum will interest some curious collector.
"JAMES MACKINTOSH.
"The above list, as far as it relates to Richardson, is confirmed by his
printed Life, from which I took a note at Lord J. Townsend's four days
ago.
"J. MACKINTOSH. 18 Nov., 1823."
* * * * *
NOTE ON PALAMON AND ARCITE.
It has probably often been remarked as somewhat curious, that Chaucer,
in describing the arrival of Palamon and Arcite at Athens, mentions the
day of the week on which it takes place:
"And in this wise, these lordes all and some, Ben on the Sonday to the
citee come," &c.
Nothing seems to depend on their coming on one day of the week
rather than on another. In reality, however, this apparently insignificant
circumstance is astrologically connected with the issue of the contest.
Palamon, who on the morning of the following day makes his prayer to

Venus, succeeds at last in winning Emelie, though Arcite, who
commends himself to Mars, conquers him in the tournament. The
prayers of both are granted, because both address themselves to their
tutelary deities at hours over which these deities respectively preside. In
order to understand this, we must call to mind the astrological
explanation {132} of the names of the days of the week. According to
Dio Cassius, the Egyptians divided the day into twenty-four hours, and
supposed each of them to be in an especial manner influenced by some
one of the planets. The first hour of the day had the prerogative of
giving its name, or rather that of the planet to which it was subject, to
the whole day. Thus, for instance, Saturn presides over the first hour of
the day, which is called by his name; Jupiter over the second, and so on;
the Moon, as the lowest of the planets, presiding over the seventh.
Again, the eighth is subject to Saturn, and the same cycle recommences
at the fifteenth and at the twenty-second hours. The twenty-third hour is
therefore subject to Jupiter, and the twenty-fourth to Mars.
Consequently, the first hour of the following day is subject to the sun,
and the day itself is accordingly dies Solis, or Sunday. Precisely in the
same way it follows that the next day will be dies Lunæ; and so on
throughout the week. To this explanation it has been objected that the
names of the days are more ancient than the division of the day into
twenty-four parts; and Joseph Scaliger has attempted to derive the
names of the days from those of the planets, without reference to this
method of division. His explanation, however, which is altogether
geometrical, inasmuch as it depends on the properties of the heptagon,
seems quite unsatisfactory, though Selden appears to have been
inclined to adopt it. At any rate, the account of the matter given by Dio
Cassius has generally been accepted.
To return to Chaucer: Theseus, as we know, had erected in the place
where the tournament was to be held three oratories, dedicated to Mars,
to Venus, and to Diana. On the day after their arrival, namely, on
Monday, Palamon and Arcite offered their prayers to Venus and Mars
respectively, and Emelie, in like manner, to Diana. Of Palamon we are
told that--
"He rose, to wenden on his pilgrimage Unto the blisful Citherea

benigne"
two hours before it was day, and that he repaired to her temple "in hire
hour."
In the third hour afterwards,
"Up rose the sonne, and up rose Emelie And to the temple of Diane gan
hie."
Her prayer also was favourably heard by