Notes and Queries, Number 73, March 22, 1851: A Medium of Inter-communication for Literary Men, Artists, Antiquaries, Genealogists, etc

In Short

This single issue of the Victorian periodical Notes and Queries, dated March 22, 1851, serves as an open clearinghouse for Victorian scholars, bibliophiles, and curious amateurs. Through brief essays, reader queries, and critical replies, its contributors debate Shakespearean terminology, record regional folklore, consider the preservation of church monuments, and probe obscure historical points. The issue endures because it captures the active, collaborative spirit of nineteenth-century intellectual life, demonstrating how small details of language, history, and custom were recorded, disputed, and preserved by a dedicated reading public.

The Story

The issue opens with an editorial response to E. S. Taylor’s proposal for a new society dedicated to recording existing church monuments. The publication argues against establishing another institution, suggesting instead that the Society of Antiquaries, led by Lord Mahon, is best suited to collect these inscriptions and deposit them directly into the British Museum's Manuscript Department.

From institutional preservation, the text shifts to literary criticism with Samuel Hickson’s analysis of the word "rack" in Shakespeare’s The Tempest. Hickson critiques contemporary editors for favoring Horne Tooke’s etymological interpretation of "rack" as simple vapor over Malone’s structural context, arguing that precise textual construction must take precedence when interpreting famous passages.

The issue then moves into regional tradition and natural history. K. R. H. Mackenzie shares unedited early poetry, while correspondents under the banner of "Folk-Lore" record belief systems from across England, including Yorkshire practices of using holy water from a convent chalice to cure hooping cough, and the regional association of moths with departed souls. A contributor named Phi. Lloyd requests that Dr. Maitland complete his writings on mesmerism, comparing modern interest in the phenomenon to historical religious movements like the fourteenth-century "Umbilicani." Minor notes record diverse historical anecdotes, such as an inscription on a gun stock, Dr. John Wallis’s 1653 argument that Richard III was called "crouch-backed" for wearing a cross rather than having a curved spine, and a note on gypsies eating cooked snails.

The "Queries" section invites broad public participation. T. M'Calmont seeks accessible printings of the Elizabethan preacher Henry Smith, praising his eloquent, unpedantic style. Other writers ask for local origins of place names like "Gig-Hill," details on Sir John Vaughan’s lineage, the source of an epitaph for the royal precentor John Quebecca, the identity of innocent convicts executed in England, and the origin of the term "slums."

The "Replies" section resolves earlier inquiries. Contributors debate the phrase "drink up Eisell" in Hamlet, weighing whether it refers to vinegar, a bitter potion, or a river. James Buckman provides detailed field observations on the mistletoe, listing its frequency across tree species to show that it rarely grows on the British oak, thereby explaining why ancient Druidical traditions held oak-bound mistletoe in such sacred regard.

The publication concludes with administrative business: reviews of recent publications, lists of wanted out-of-print books, notices to correspondents, and advertisements for contemporary texts ranging from hydropathy to homoeopathy.

How It Unfolds

Preserving the nation's records The issue begins by addressing a reader's proposal to form a dedicated society for cataloging church monuments. The text advocates utilizing existing institutions, specifically recommending that the Society of Antiquaries collect these records for preservation in the British Museum.

Debating Shakespearean phrasing Samuel Hickson challenges recent commentary on Prospero’s monologue in The Tempest, insisting that the word "rack" must be understood through sentence construction rather than purely through etymology. His note calls for greater discipline among literary editors.

Collecting folk beliefs and history Contributors submit regional customs, historical fragments, and medical curiosities. These entries range from Yorkshire parents seeking holy water for hooping cough to seventeenth-century etymologies regarding Richard III's physical appearance.

Soliciting reader knowledge The "Queries" section opens the floor to diverse inquiries about historical figures, obscure phrases, and regional names. Correspondents request details on Elizabethan preachers, Arthurian legends surrounding the Holy Grail, and the etymology of the word "slums."

Resolving queries through evidence The editorial core concludes with scholarly replies that draw on botany, foreign languages, and literature. James Buckman presents a statistical table of mistletoe growth across tree species, demonstrating its extreme rarity on oaks to explain its historical veneration.

The People

Samuel Hickson A precise literary critic who seeks to settle the meaning of Shakespeare's text. He argues against superficial etymology, taking editors like Mr. Collier and Mr. Knight to task for neglecting structural analysis in favor of showy authority.

E. S. Taylor An antiquarian contributor from Martham, Norfolk, who advocates for systematic record-keeping of England's church monuments. His initiative prompts the journal to outline a national strategy for manuscript preservation.

James Buckman A methodical field observer from Cirencester who approaches folklore through natural science. He meticulously counts mistletoe occurrences across native and foreign trees, using empirical data to explain the origin of ancient religious beliefs.

Dr. Maitland An author whose incomplete writings on mesmerism spark reader demand. His work attempts to evaluate mesmeric practices through a historical and Christian lens, linking contemporary phenomena to older religious traditions.

Henry Smith An Elizabethan preacher whose legacy is debated in the query columns. Known to contemporaries as the "Chrysostom of England," he is remembered for conveying persuasive arguments in pure, unpedantic language before dying young.

In Its Own Voice

"What he, and what the trustees would require, would be some security that the documents were what they professed to be..."

The journal outlines the strict evidentiary standards required by the British Museum when accepting records of ancient church monuments collected by private antiquaries.

"From this it would appear that notwithstanding the BRITISH OAK grows everywhere, it is at present only favoured by the companionship of the mistletoe in equal ratio with two comparatively recently introduced trees."

James Buckman presents his scientific findings, proving that mistletoe rarely attaches to oak trees compared to poplars or apple trees.

"It is high time that Christians should be decided as to whether or no they may meddle with the fearful power whose existence it is impossible to ridicule any longer."

A reader named Phi. Lloyd urges Dr. Maitland to continue his series on mesmerism so readers can evaluate the practice's moral implications.

What It's Really About

At its core, Notes and Queries is about the democratization of research and the preservation of cultural memory. The issue demonstrates how knowledge is assembled incrementally through public dialogue rather than handed down by a single authority. By placing a botanical survey of mistletoe alongside textual commentary on The Tempest and records of Yorkshire folk remedies, the issue argues that every fragment of history, language, and custom is worth recording. The journal champions empirical evidence, precise textual reading, and institutional preservation, urging its readers to capture vanishing local traditions and fragile monuments before they are lost to time.

Why Read It Today

Notes and Queries offers a fascinating window into the working minds of Victorian intellectuals, antiquaries, and everyday readers. Rather than presenting polished, final histories, it captures research in real time, showing how nineteenth-century thinkers argued over source materials, linguistic origins, and scientific observations.

The primary charm of the text lies in its variety and brief, readable formats. A reader can move within a single page from an intense debate on Shakespearean vocabulary to a report on gypsy cuisine or a note on medieval church architecture. It reads much like an early physical predecessor to online forums, driven by shared curiosity and specialized knowledge.

The text does present minor hurdles for modern readers. It assumes a basic familiarity with Latin phrases, classical references, and period literature, while the print advertisements reflect nineteenth-century medical theories like hydropathy and early homoeopathy. However, for anyone interested in the history of scholarship, Victorian culture, or the preservation of folklore, this issue remains a delightfully clear, precise, and intellectually vibrant snapshot of its era.