280
NOTES AND QUERIES. m s. iv. SEPT. 30, 1911.
Register of Magdalen College, Oxford. New
Series. Vol. VII. Fellows, 1882-1910. By
William Dunn Macray. (Frowde.)
DR. MACRAY needs no introduction to the readers
of ' N. & Q.,' who will join with us in heartily
congratulating him on the happy completion of
his Register the first volume of which was issued
in 1894. His own record amongst that of the
Fellows of the College appears, with a reproduction
of an admirable portrait, on pp. 53 and 54, and
.even those who know that he is a veteran may be
surprised to learn that he began at Magdalen
as a schoolboy as far back as 1836. The College
can hardly possess a more devoted son, and the
work before us shows the fullness and care in
detail which are rare nowadays and indicate a
labour of love.
The list of Fellows is, indeed, brilliant, and their publications represent a wide range of learning. Dr. Macray is more than up-to-date in this section of his book, for he mentions work shortly to be expected, e.g., a series of musical compositions by Mr. A. W. Pickard-Cambridge. Nor are books alone recorded ; the reader will find a formidable list of papers both in English and foreign languages under the names of H. A. Miers, J. L. Myers, and H. M. Vernon.
Before this section come ' Extracts from Registers and Bursars' Accounts,' which provide a good deal of varied interest. There are refer- ences concerning animals for the College Grove, successes on the river, electric lighting, the May Day hymn, and the last of the Fellow Commoners, who died in 1888. It was not until 1882 that the quarter-days of the College were ordered to corre- spond with those usually recognized. In 1892 there were more than 150 applicants for the place of head cook. In 1895 and 1898 about 500 people attended the College ball. Prince Christian Victor planted two trees in the College Grove in 1898. Numerous contributions to the cause of good learning are mentioned, and the College has been generous in lending its treasures in the way of books. Wolsey's illuminated gospel- book, lent in 1908, was insured for 200L The same great ecclesiastic appears in extracts from ' The Earliest Bursar's Books ' at the end of the volume, where a facsimile is added giving what is regarded as beyond doubt his autograph (13th week of Third Term, 1497).
There is also a list of Presidents who were not before their election members of the College (1448-1688). Of Richard Mayew, appointed 1480, the College possesses the will with a long inventory of his plate, both reproduced here. In 1552 and 1650 there were arbitrary appointments of f Vimbridge men to the Headship. Bonaventure Giffard, the last of the Presidents mentioned, lived through troublous times to the age of ninety- two, and has attracted the attention of our own contributors.
Dr. Macray ends his Preface with a touching sentence in which he speaks of his " unfailing heart and will." No one could have done more to carry on the work begun by another enthusiastic antiquary and devoted son of the College, John Rouse, Bloxham.
Unenglisches English. Von Dr. G. Kriiger.
(Dresden, Kochs.)
DR. KRUGER has made a collection of some of the worst mistakes which the German makes when he tries to speak English, due to his con- forming the foreign idiom to his own, the result being a kind of supposititious English. According to the German saying which he takes as the motto of his book, " It looks like wine, but it isn't." This Germanic caricature of our tongue produces, as might be expected, some queer results. The worthy Teuton speaks of a young man being solide when he means steady and respectable. The sick man " betters himself " (sick gebessert) when his health improves ; he is todmude when dead-tired ; and " sleeps fast " (fest schlaft) when he goes fast asleep. If poor, he goes to the Arbeitshaus or work-house. When he uses an improper expression it ist kein parlamentarisch. An ineligible young man in a matrimonial point of view ist kcinc besondere Partie. We often have a difficulty in recognizing the original of this " English as she is spoke." Dr. Kriiger tells us, e.g., that sind Sie im Englischen firm ? is equivalent to " Are you well up [? strong] in English ? " A person uneasy or suspicious is said to have einen Floh ins Ohr gesetzt. A paar of shillings does duty for a few or two or three. The book, regardless of its title, is largely made up of corrupted Galli- cisms which would be as unfrench in France as the other words undoubtedly are unenglish in England.
MR. R. A. PEDDIE, whose name is familiar to the bibliographical readers of 'N. & Q.,' will deliver his lecture on ' How to Use the Reading-Room of the British Museum,' in the Lecture-Room of the Museum, on the afternoons of Saturdays, 7 and 28 October, and 2 December this year, and the first Saturday in January, February, and March next. Admission to the lecture is free.
ON all communications must be written the name
iind address of the sender, not necessarily for pub-
lication, but as a guarantee of good faith.
WE beg leave to state that we decline to return communications which, for any reason, we do not print, and to this rule we can make no exception.
WE cannot undertake to answer queries privately, nor can we advise correspondents as to the value of old books and other objects or as to the means of disposing of them.
EDITORIAL communications should be addressed to "The Editor of ' Notes and Queries'" Adver- tisements and Business Letters to " The Pub lishers " at the Office, Brea/n's Buildings, Chancery Lane, E.G.
COL. J. H. ("Captive of spear and bow "). A
faulty remembrance of 2 Kings vi. 22.
R. V. G. ("To return to our muttons "). From the fifteenth-century 'Farce de Maistre Pierre Patelin,' sc. xix. There is a long note on the saying in King's valuable 'Classical and Foreign Quota- tions,' 3rd ed., p. 303.
