356
NOTES AND QUERIES. [9* s. XL MAY 2, IMS.
the fortune-teller a lady who has a " gift "
in that direction. The " teller " looks inside
the cup, and for a minute or so studies the
pattern which the twirling motion has caused
the dregs to form round the cup inside. The
reading is from left to right, beginning
opposite the handle. A person of imagina-
tion can make a good deal out of the pattern,
and tell any kind of fortune she (it is always
she) pleases. Thus the fortune-seeker sets
out on a journey ; she meets with a pleasant
fair man, but further on is a dark man, of
whom she must be careful as he bodes
her no good. Yet a little further a coffin
bars the way, and sorrow is to come through
the death of one near and dear. Ahead
there is more journeying shown, with troubles
on the way, and maybe riches, while the
fair man effectually defeats the wicked plans
of the dark man, and all ends well with a
wedding day. This was a regular tea-party
pastime in Derbyshire amongst tea-drinking
gossips, who seem to have met for the purpose.
THOS. KATCLIFFE.
WILLIAM AND ROBERT BENT (9 th S. ix. 188)' A. G. will find a reply to his questions in 'Modern English Biography,' by Frederic Boase, vol. i. (1892), where it is stated that W. was the father of R. Bent, who edited the ' London Catalogue,' 1839, and that he died in 1859.
Most questions relating to persons, not only English, but of all countries, if they did anything and died in England during the latter half of the nineteenth century, can be found in Mr. Boase's book. The Editor of 4 N. & Q.' has frequently mentioned this ; but as not one library in a hundred possesses this dictionary, I have repeated all the informa- tion Mr. Boase was able to give.
From my own notes I find that W. Bent is in a biographical dictionary (by W. Upcott), 1816. He died 15 July, 1823, aged seventy- six (see Gent. Mag. for December, p. 570). The British Museum Catalogue has a meteoro- logical journal of the year 1793 by him, but nothing under Robert's name.
In 'Aggravating Ladies,' by O. Hamst, p. 36, it is said that the ' London Catalogue,' 1800-1827, is " published for the executor of the late W. Bent by Longman." From this I presume that Robert was not then old enough to edit it. RALPH THOMAS.
Clifford's Inn.
MEMORIAL TO " NETHER - LOCHABER " SEANNACHIE (9 th S. xi. 186, 277)."wmac&M is the Gaelic seanachaidh, properly a reciter of ancient stories ; also, one skilled in ancient tales, an antiquarian " (Macleod). It is from
Gael, seanachas, an ancient story, a tale,
cognate with O. Irish senchas, an old tale.
The suffix is uncertain, but the word is
obviously from Gael, seem, O. Irish sen,
W. hen, old ; allied to L. senex, an old man.
WALTER W. SKEAT.
It may interest MR. PICKFORD to recall the passage in Scott wherein Mr. Oldbuck ridicules the list of Pictish kings given in Henry Maule of Melgum's history :
" They are all of the tribe of Macfungus, sprung up from the fumes of conceit, folly, and falsehood, fermenting in the brains of some mad Highland seannachie." ' Antiquary,' chap. vi.
ADRIAN WHEELER.
ARTHUR HENRY HALLAM (9 th S. x. 427, 510 ; xi. 295). The authors of the 'Memoir' of Henry Fitzmaurice Hallam, signed H. S. M. and F. L., were Mr. (afterwards Sir) Henry Sumner Maine and Mr. (afterwards Sir) Franklin Lushington, the latter of whom died quite recently as chief magistrate at Bow Street. The ' Memoir ' was originally issued in 1853 for private distribution as a small octavo pamphlet of sixteen pages.
W. F. PRIDEAUX.
GODWIN, BISHOP OF LLANDAFF (9 th S. xi. 267). I have a mass of notes on the genealogy of this family, but am still in the dark as to their origin. I cannot make out whether or no they belonged originally to Gloucester- shire. A family of the name was seated at English Bicknor at the commencement of the sixteenth century, and probably much earlier ; but I have never been able to connect genealogically the " episcopal " God- wins with them, though the latter were in so many ways associated with that parish and neighbourhood. I shall be glad if your corre- spondent will favour me with a private com- munication. JOHN HOBSON MATTHEWS.
Monmouth.
VICISSITUDES OF LANGUAGE (9 th S. x. 446 ; xi. 314). MR. C. LAWRENCE FORD, in his interesting reply on this subject, omits one instance even more strongly in his favour than those which he mentions that of the Persian language. Though the Persians ruled Asia for two hundred years and possessed an empire whose power and prestige were infinitely greater than any then in existence, their language appears to have spread hardly at all, even among the peoples whom they ruled. On the other hand, Greek had made considerable advances in Asia Minor even before Alexander's conquests, and after them was not long in spreading over the greater part of the nearer East. The fact seems to be that the extension of a language is deter-
