10 s. xii. AUO 28, 1909.] NOTES AND QUERIES.
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Joseph Knight and the Rabelais Club.—In the affectionate tribute which Mr. John Collins Francis, in his admirable 'Notes the Way,' has paid to the memory of the last Editor of 'N. & Q.,' he has not, I think made any reference to Knight's connexion with two institutions in which he took considerable interest the—Ex-Libris Society and the Rabelais Club. Both of them have now crossed the Stygian ferry—the former within the last few months, though I believe here are some hopes of its resuscitation; the latter more than twenty years ago. Knight was a member of the Council of the Ex-Libris Society, and was a pretty regular attendant at its meetings, and I think it is to be regretted that none of his colleagues should have given some reminiscences of this genial collector in the Journal of the Society.
Of the Rabelais Club Knight was an original member, and his extensive knowledge of early French literature gave him fitting rank by the side of such connoisseurs a Sir Walter Besant and the brothers Pollock. When the Club was established in 1880, Knight was the London correspondent of that highly interesting journal Le Livre, and was in his literary prime. I can find only one contribution with the familiar initials J. K. in the 'Recreations' of the Club. It occurs in the first volume, p. 68, and has the following lengthy title:—
"Translation of the Ballad and Rondeau of Guillaume Cretin (Raminagrobis), addressed to Christofle de Refuge, Maitre d'Hôtel to Monseigneur d'Alençon; who had asked his advice upon the subject of marriage:—poems which are supposed to have suggested to Rabelais the idea of the consultations of Panurge as to his projected marriage."
The motif of the poem is summarized in the concluding rondeau, of which I subjoin a copy as a specimen of Knight's neat versification:—
Take her, friend, or take her not:
If you take her, you are wise;
If to take her you despise,
Nowise worse will be your lot.
Gallop apace; proceed jog-trot;
Stand doubtingly; commence red-hot,
Take her, friend.
Starve, or empty twice the pot—
To do what is undone arise,
Or undo all that done you prize;
Preserve her life, or have her shot,
Take her, friend.
The wit and wisdom compressed into the three volumes of the 'Recreations' of the Rabelais Club render the work a rare and valuable possession. W. F. Prideaux.
"Fabius Pictor." =—I find that a second-hand bookseller lately sold as by John Ruskin a copy of the "Hand-book of Taste; or, How to observe Works of Art, especially Cartoons, Pictures, and Statues. By Fabius Pictor. Second Edition. London, 1844." It may as well be put on record that this book was written by Anthony Rich, the author of 'A Dictionary of Roman and Greek Antiquities,' 1860, and not by Ruskin.
