500
NOTES AND QUERIES. [ii s. i. JUNE is, 1910.
will be found under Amadaun, which is the Irish
aumaddn, from amad, cognate with Lat. amens,
Sansk. a-mati, out of one's mind, and not from a
hypothetical tin, a fool, as here given. Drooth
is from drowth, not drought ; inyions, not ingions,
is the vulgar pronunciation of " onions " (p. 100).
Amplush, perplexity, which puts Dr. Joyce to a
non-plus, is merely a misunderstanding of that
word, as if an onplush. Worst of all, Dr. Joyce,
to our surprise, still cherishes the old Vallanceyan
notion that Beltaine, the May festival, is " evi-
dently derived in some way from the Phoenician
fire festival in honour of the Phoenician god
Baal " (p. 170). Will that particular snake, so
often scotched, never be killed ? Finally, airy,
ghostly. Scotch eerie, has certainly nothing to
to do with air and air-demons.
Burdetfs Hospitals and Charities, 1910 (The Scientific Press) is one of those books of reference which have too secure a reputation to need new praise. Sir Henry Burdett tells us in his Preface that he has " for twenty-one years. . . .borne the burden and responsibility of its compilation." For work so careful and devoted warm thanks are due. The book every year seems to increase its comprehensive scope. The present edition includes two new chapters, one on orphanages, and one on State aid to hospitals in the United States and Canada, which embodies the report of Dr. Goldwater, a hospital superintendent of New York. The sections on Poor Law and nursing are much fuller than in previous years. Finally, the elaborate index is a feature which will win the approval of all experts in the use of books of reference.
MESSRS. DUCKWORTH should secure a wide sale for their shilling editions of Stories from De Maupassant, translated by E. M., and Caliban's Guide to Letters. The stories read well in English, and are by a master of the conte who is still unknown to many English readers.
Mr. Belloc's little book is delightfully ironic and humorous. It shows up candidly and use- tfully, amid its exaggeration, a good deal of the blatant commercialism and pretentious cant to which the average person is either blind or pur- posely indifferent. It is a little masterpiece which will last, and some day, perhaps, be read with amazement.
The Burlington Magazine opens with an interest- ing and authoritative article on ' King Edward VII.' as a lover of art. We are told that in such matters he " took a keener interest than may have been expected by the maj ority of his subjects. ' ' He super- vised and personally approved all the arrange- ments of the pictures, tapestry, furniture, or the like in his palaces, and it was by his special per- mission that a series of ' Notes on Pictures and Works of Art in the Royal Collections ' were rstarted in ' The Burlington.' Thus, if he was not entitled to rank as a connoisseur deep in theory and criticism, he showed an affectionate interest in his treasures and their value as works of art. His patronage was at once extensive and judicious.
Mr. G. F. Hill continues his study of Italian medals, dealing this month with Francesco di Giorgio and Federigo of Urbino, and Miss Mary Hill her ' Notes on a Tudor Painter : Gerlach Flicke.' Dealing with ' The Noel Paton Collec- tion of Arms and Armour now in the Royal Scottish Museum, Edinburgh,' Mr. Guy Francis
Laking has to expose the heterogeneous character
of the collection. The ' Sword of Battle Abbey,'
which is figured in an illustration, is said after-
technical examination of its details to have been
manufactured in toto in the fifteenth century, so
" that it is not the actual weapon which the Con-
queror William presented to the favoured Abbey
and the veritable sword which he wore at the
battle of Senlac." A helmet purporting to be of
the thirteenth century is described as "an
impudent forgery perpetrated in London about
1850, and fashioned by the same hand that com-
pleted " a set of Gothic harness also in the
collection. Mr. Lionel Cust in his ' Notes on
Pictures in the Royal Collections ' above referred
to treats this month ' The Equestrian Portraits
of Charles I. by Van Dyck,' splendid monuments
of art which no one who has seen them can
forget. The version under discussion, that at
Windsor of Charles on a white horse attended by
M. St. Antoine, is declared to be superior to those
at Hampton Court and elsewhere. Mrs. Stopes, an
indefatigable searcher in records, contributes
some extracts from state papers of the Court
Painter ' Daniel Mytons in England.' These
supplement and occasionally correct .the bio-
graphies of him. Two ' Seicento Porcelain Bowls '
are discussed by Mr. Bernard Rackham with
illustrations. Further attractive illustrations are
added to Mr. Roger Fry's article on ' A Modern
Jeweller.' Bastien Lepage's ' Portrait of Sir
Henry Irving ' recently presented by Ellen Terry
to the National Portrait Gallery is reproduced,
and discussed by the Director, Mr. C. J. Holmes.
It represents Irving at the very summit of his
career, and we can well believe all the good things
that Mr. Holmes says of it. ' Affidavits concern-
ing the Wax Bust of Flora ' complete the main
text of a number of exceptional interest.
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