Notes and Queries, Number 12, January 19, 1850

In Short

This installment of the weekly mid-nineteenth-century periodical functions as a collaborative clearinghouse for historical, literary, and antiquarian research. Through short essays, archival extracts, and reader inquiries, scholars and amateur enthusiasts track down forgotten origins of famous literary couplets, examine public accounts of historic theatrical productions, investigate ancient infrastructure, and debate localized etymology. It serves as a physical record of community-driven knowledge collection, where readers ask for missing details about historical figures or rare manuscripts, while booksellers advertise rare editions. It has lasted as a rich snapshot of Victorian intellectual culture and historical methodology.

The Story

The issue opens with brief critical essays and textual investigations that address longstanding literary misattributions and local historical lore. E.F. Rimbault examines the origins of a famous couplet frequently misattributed to Samuel Butler’s Hudibras, tracing its sentiment back to much earlier printed collections of witty verse. Bolton Corney follows with a discussion of how poetic verse reflects an author's actual biography, illustrating his point with an original sonnet by John Adamson alongside notes on Portuguese historical literature.

The publication shifts into financial and archival reporting, laying out the exact night-by-night receipts of the original thirty-two performance run of John Gay’s The Beggar's Opera. The record breaks down the revenue accrued by manager John Rich, the profits earned by Gay himself, and the impact of actor benefit nights on total box office numbers. This is accompanied by topographical notes on London, recording the 1666 residential locations of nobility in Clerkenwell and confirming the physical site of the Tyburn Gallows in Connaught Square.

Physical remnants of the past spark further discussion on public health and civic engineering. Edward Ventris contrasts the modern, disease-plagued state of the Italian Maremma with the ancient population of Etruria, questioning how Etruscan cities maintained health despite narrow walls and poor ventilation. He identifies their sophisticated underground drainage systems (cloacæ) and strict practice of burying the dead outside city walls as key factors in their historical survival. Meanwhile, contributor "T." defends the reliability of Bishop Burnet’s historical writing against previous accusations of inaccuracy, citing favorable evaluations by Lord Dartmouth, Jonathan Swift, and Thomas Babington Macaulay.

The central section gives way to specific queries submitted by readers seeking information. R. Monckton Milnes details the fourteenth-century attempts to canonize Thomas, Earl of Lancaster, citing royal letters sent to the Papal court to counter accusations against the late Earl. J.R. Planché inquires after the disappearance of a secondary shield, or "pavoise," once displayed over the tomb of Edward the Black Prince at Canterbury, alongside inquiries about Charles I's real sword from Charing Cross. Other correspondents query the etymology of the name "Shylock," the origin of the word "cannibal," the history of Bristol's "Red Maids" charity dinner, and historical records of sacrilege punishments involving human skin.

The final pages transition into practical correspondence and commercial bibliography. Contributors present brief historical items, such as the weekly financial allowance granted to the wife of Robert the Bruce while kept at Barking Abbey, and details on Charlemagne's talisman held by Prince Louis Napoleon. The issue closes with notices of upcoming manuscript auctions by Sotheby and Co., publisher advertisements for works by Christopher Marlowe, and trade catalogues listing rare second-hand volumes.

How It Unfolds

Literary origins and biographical poetry Rimbault corrects a misattributed line from Hudibras by tracing it to a 1656 collection, while Corney shares an original sonnet by John Adamson that reflects real personal experiences in Portugal.

Financial records of the London stage A contributor presents a line-item breakdown of the revenue generated by the first season of The Beggar's Opera, highlighting John Gay's earnings and the impact of benefit nights.

Civic health and historical defense Ventris attributes ancient Etruscan survival to advanced drainage and extramural burials, while "T." uses historical commentary to defend Bishop Burnet's narrative reliability against charges of inaccuracy.

Petitions, relics, and missing artifacts Milnes outlines royal efforts to canonize Saint Thomas of Lancaster, while Planché asks readers to help trace the missing heraldic shield of the Black Prince and the sword of Charles I.

Etymological and antiquarian inquiries Correspondents submit queries regarding the origin of the name Shylock, ancient punishments involving flaying for sacrilege, and the local history behind charity institutions like the Red Maids.

Archival notes and commercial catalogues The issue concludes with historical notes on royal prisoners and Charlemagne's talisman, ending with publisher announcements, manuscript auction notices, and bookseller sales lists.

The People

E.F. Rimbault A meticulous literary contributor who seeks to correct persistent errors in textual transmission and London topography. He wants to establish factual accuracy regarding misquoted poetry and the historical locations of landmark sites.

Bolton Corney A literary scholar and bibliographer who seeks to clarify how an author's poetry maps onto real life. He uses the bibliographical history of Portugal to demonstrate how authentic personal experiences inform literary work.

John Adamson A scholar of Portuguese history and literature who corresponds with fellow antiquaries. After facing forced departure due to impending French invasion, he dedicated his studies to early Portuguese bards and historic chieftains.

John Gay The eighteenth-century playwright whose financial success with The Beggar's Opera is analyzed through box office records. His earnings from author benefit nights are calculated against manager John Rich's total theatrical revenue.

R. Monckton Milnes A historical inquirer investigating the obscure medieval movement to canonize Thomas, Earl of Lancaster. He searches through papal letters to determine how political rivalries and accusations hindered official sainthood.

J.R. Planché An antiquary focused on historic armor, military relics, and royal monuments. He seeks to discover what became of missing artifacts from Canterbury Cathedral and Charing Cross, suspecting historical theft or oversight.

In Its Own Voice

"When found, make a note of."

This classic advice from Captain Cuttle opens the publication, establishing its core mission as a repository for scattered bits of historical and literary information.

"Verse may picture the feelings of the author, or it may only picture his fancy."

Bolton Corney introduces a sonnet by reflecting on the tricky relationship between an author's written words and their actual life story.

"The Etruscans appear to have taken very great pains with the drainage of their cities; on many sites the cloaca are the only remains of their former industry and greatness which remain."

Edward Ventris points to ancient underground engineering as the true secret behind the health and survival of historic Etruscan populations.

What It's Really About

This issue is fundamentally about the collective preservation of historical truth through incremental evidence. It argues that history is vulnerable to misquotation, mythmaking, and physical loss unless actively maintained by a community of attentive researchers. By bringing together questions about theatrical revenue, medieval canonization, and forgotten word origins, the text demonstrates that minor details collectively build a true picture of the past. It asserts that historical work is an ongoing conversation, relying on open exchange rather than singular authority to solve long-standing puzzles.

Why Read It Today

Readers interested in the history of scholarship, Victorian intellectual life, and literary detective work will appreciate this peek into mid-nineteenth-century research methods. Reading it feels like looking over the shoulders of passionate researchers sharing their raw notes, unpolished discoveries, and unsolved questions in real time.

The primary difficulty lies in its fragmented, non-narrative structure. Because it is a periodical composed of short submissions, it jumps abruptly from seventeenth-century satire to Roman drainage, medieval church history, and modern book sales without transitional prose. The text also assumes familiarity with historical figures, Latin phrases, and obscure bibliographical works that are not explained in detail. However, what stays with you is the quiet enthusiasm of these nineteenth-century contributors, whose careful work created a collaborative network for preserving historical knowledge long before the digital age.