440
NOTES AND QUERIES, to* s. xn. NOV. as, IB.
no more representative illustration of pictorial
masterpieces is to be hoped.
The Bride's Mirror. By Shamsululuma Maulavir Nazir Ahmad. Translated by G. E. Ward, B.C. IS. (Frowde.)
THIS work is, in its way, a curiosity. It is a trans- lation of a novel the original text of which was published four years ago as a text-book for Hindu- stani students. Written by a Muhammadan, it furnishes an insight into a subject all but unknown to Englishmen, social and domestic life in Muham- madan interiors. In the guise of a species of story it shows the uncomfortable results that may, and sometimes do, attend the system of child marriages which exists in India, and was at first intended for the edification of the writer's own daughters, to whom it supplies edifying lessons of conduct. The opening chapters depict the unruly conduct and the follies of Akbari Khanam, a Muhammadan wife, on behalf of whom it can only be pleaded that she was trusted to manage a household at a period at which an English girl would be still occupied with her doll. With her is contrasted, in the later pages, her sister Asghari, who, at a similar age, had read through the translation of the Qur-an, knew how to cook and do needlework, and wrote a weekly letter of news to her father. Asghari, a sensible, pious, and edifying woman, does not escape trials, but turns all to edification, while her elder sister lets everything go to rack and ruin. Apart from its educational value, the book may be read with interest. It shows Muhammadan husbands as henpecked as their Christian fellows. There are many proverbs, such as "Fretting when the birds have left the fields bare as an equivalent to "Crying over spilt milk," and endless matter of curiosity or interest.
The Bool of Herb*. By Lady Rosalind Northcote.
(Lane.)
LAI>Y ROSALIND NORTHCOTE'S ' Book of Herbs ' preserves much of the quaint charm of the Herbals from which its information is largely derived. If the illustrative quotations by which her descrip- tions are accompanied are her own selections the author must be credited with a wide range of reading. These are taken from Shakespeare, ' Piers Plowman,' Ben Jonson, Drayton, Browne's
- Britannia's Pastorals,' Spenser, and many early
works, as well as from more modern poets. Works similar in kind are, however, abundant, and the 'Plant-Lore and Garden-Graf t ' of the Rev. H. N. Ellacombe goes over much of the same ground and is even more abundant in quotation. The present work has charms of its own, and should be on the table of every country-house. To one pent in cities even it calls up pleasant memories of country life. Under 'Borage' Lady Rosalind seems to doubt if that herb is still put into claret-cup. We can assure her it is, though the present year afforded few temptations to try that beverage. Sorrel is, of course, an essential ingredient in potage bonne femme, which points to abundant rustic use in France. Many poetical effusions are printed concerning the marigold, but Wither, the most poetical of all, is neither quoted here nor elsewhere. The healing powers of calendula are the subject of comment. It is greatly used (infandu* dolor) by dentists. The information, good and attractive in itself, is pleasantly conveyed, and the book is one into which constantly to dip. Much
interest attaches to the illustrations, many of them
taken from Ampthill, close to which Sir Philip
Sidney wrote his 'Arcadia.' One presents the
Lavender Walk at Strathfieldsaye, and a second
the title-page of Gerard's ' Herbal.' It is pleasant
to find young English gentlewomen using for the
production of books of this class their unparalleled
opportunities.
MR. A. H. BULLEN has in preparation an antho- logy, ' Songs of the Vine, with a Medley for Malt- worms,' a comprehensive collection of drinking songs and poems, ranging from Walter Mapes to W. E. Henley. The editor, Mr. W. G. Hutchison, brought out ' Lyra Nicotiana.'
THE Oxford University Press will issue Dr. E. Moore's third series of ' Studies in Dante,' consist- ing of miscellaneous essays, dealing with the astro- nomy and geography of Dante, the date assumed by Dante for the vision of the 'Divina Commedia,' symbolism and prophecy in ^ the ' Purgatorio, and other :
the last six cantos of
er matters.
ta
We must call special attention to the following notices :
ON all communications must be written the name and address of the sender, not necessarily for pub- lication, but as a guarantee of good faith.
WE cannot undertake to answer queries privately.
To secure insertion of communications corre- spondents must observe the following rules. Let each note, query, or reply be written on a separate slip of paper, with the signature of the writer and such address as he wishes to appear. When answer- ing queries, or making notes with regard to previous entries in the paper, contributors are requested to put in parentheses, immediately after the exact heading, the series, volume, and page or pages to which they refer. Correspondents who repeat queries are requested to head the second com- munication " Duplicate."
F. T. HIBGAME ("Drowned bodies recovered"). See the many references under ' Folk-lore ' in each General Index.
M. B. (" When the little drummer beats to bed"). MR. ADRIAN WHEELER stated at 9 th S. xi. 76 that these lines occur in Act I. sc. ii. of ' The Moun- taineers,' by George Colman the Younger.
H. C. W. (" The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world"). By William Ross Wallace, an Ame- rican. For full information see 9 th S. ii. 358.
J. S. R. We have forwarded your letter to GENERAL MAXWELL.
E. G. B. (" Epitaph at Doncaster"). Will appear.
ELEVE (" Shakespeare and Tobacco "). No refer- ence to tobacco or snuff is to be found in Shake- speare.
NOTICE.
Editorial communications should be addressed to "The Editor of 'Notes and Queries ' "Adver- tisements and Business Letters to " The Pub- lisher" at the Office, Bream's Buildings, Chancery Lane, E.G.
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.
