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Literary Men as Husbands.-The great Dante was married to a notorious scold, and when he was an exile he had no desire to see her, although she was the mother of his six children.

Shakespeare lost the sympathies of the world by marrying Anne Hathaway, a woman eight years his senior, who was coarse and ignorant.

It is told of Lord Bacon that he enjoyed but little domestic bliss and "loved not to be with his partner."

Milton was not great in the character of husband and father. We read of him that his first wife was disgusted with his gloomy house, and soon ran away from him, and his daughters were left to grow up utterly neglected.

Of the great artist, Domenichino, it is told that he married a lady of high birth and great beauty, who was such a virago that it is believed she poisoned him.

Montaigne, when a widower, said he would not marry again, "though it were to wisdom itself.”

Moliere was married to a wife who made him miserable, and Rousseau lived a most wretched life with his wife, who was low and illiterate.

Dryden "married discord in a noble wife", and Addison sold himself to a crossgrained old countess, who made him pay dearly for all she gave him.

Steele, Sterne, Churchill, Coleridge, Byron and Shelley were all married unhappily, and Bulwer and Dickens have been known by all the world as indifferent husbands.

The younger Pliny thus speaks of his wife Calphurnia: "Her affection for me has given her a turn for books; her passion will increase with our days, for it is not my youth nor my person that she loves, but my reputation and my glory of which she is enamored."

Sir Walter Raleigh married a beautiful girl eighteen years his junior, and she adored him with increasing ardor to the very last.

Dr. Johnson's wife was old enough to be his mother, but "he continued to be under the illusions of the wedding day until she died at the age of sixty-four", he being only forty-three.

Buffon told his friend that his wife had a great influence over his composition. "I am

always refreshed and aided by her advice."

Sir Walter Scott was a genius of the very first order. He succeeded in every department of letters; but his greatest happiness. was in his wife. He married her after a short acquaintance, and it was a genuine love-match, lasting until the day of her death.

Moore's wife was one of the noblest creatures, and he never tired of singing her praises.

Shelley's first marriage was unfortunate, but his second was a model of happiness. Wordsworth made a love-match and was a lover through life.

The wife of Christopher North had more influence over him than any other person in the world, and her death was his greatest of misfortunes.

Lamartine, the great French poet, was happily married and received great aid from his wife in all his undertakings.

It would be impossible anywhere to find more domestic felicity than among the great circle of our modern men and women of letters. Mr. and Mrs. S. C. Hall, the two Brownings, the two Howitts, Tennyson and his wife, Charles Kingsley, Baron Bunsen and his wife, and many others less noted might be mentioned, while the Englishmen of prominence in other fields have the same good fortune.

Beaconsfield married a lively young widow, who made him perfectly happy, and he never lost an occasion of singing her praises. Dr. Arnold, of Rugby, is cited as having an almost ideal home-life, and also the late Dean Stanley. All the world knows how happy the Gladstones are in their family circle, and so it is with many others.

On this side of the ocean we are proud of the domestic purity and happiness of most of our noted men: Longfellow, Emerson, Alcott, Holmes, Lowell, Hawthorne-all down the long and glorious list, we can proudly point to genius sanctified by domestic love, and none the less happy because they were literary people.

THE WRITER.

Ethan Allen's Sword.-The sword which Ethan Allen carried when he demanded the surrender of Fort Ticonderoga "in the name of the great Jehovah and the Conti

"Cornlaw Rhymer ":-Ebenezer Elliott. "The Apostle of the Orkneys":-St. Servan.

"The Matchless Orinda ":-Katherine Philips.

"The Washington of Brazil ":-the father of the late Dom Pedro II.

"The Protestant Pope":-R. Stephanus.
"Cider Philips ":-John Philips.
"Pigeon Paley":-Archdeacon Paley.
"Fiddling Conyers":-Conyers Middle-

ton.

"The Father of the Turf":-Tregonwell Frampton, Esq., temp. Queen Anne.

"The

"The Scourge of Homer", Rethorical Dog", also "The Thracian [Slave":-Zoilus of Amphipolis.

"The Rupert of debate":-Stanley, the 14th earl of Derby.

"Old Conchy":-The Duke of Wellington (in irreverent allusion to the shape of his nose). J. H. MARSHALL.

nental Congress" is by gift and inheritance the personal property of H. Allen Hopkins, a resident of Jackson, Mich. The sword is an old-fashioned blade, nicked and venerable, twenty-seven inches long and slightly curved. The handle measures seven inches, making the total length of the weapon thirtyfour inches. The handle is of bone and horn. The mounting is of silver washed with gold, the latter being partially worn off. A dog's head of silver forms the end of a handle, and from this to the guard runs a silver chain. On one of the silver bands of the scabbard the name "Ethan Allen" is engraved in large letters; on another band. "E. Brasher, maker, New York" and on still another, in script, "Martin Vosburg, 1775." Why this name appears no one knows. Upon the death of Ethan Allen the sword became the property of his son, Capt. Hannibal M. Allen. This Hopkins family also has the original commissions issued to Captain Allen-one as "first lieutenant in the regiment of artillerists," dated How Names Grow (Vol. viii, p. 108, etc.) March 14, 1806, signed by Thomas Jeffer--Preserved Fish. In Harper's Magazine son, countersigned by H. Dearborn, secre- for February, 1892, on p. 463, there is a tary of war, and the other as "captain of brief sketch, with a portrait, of the late Preartillerists," signed by James Madison, served Fish, formerly a prominent shipping countersigned by W. Eustis, and dated merchant of New York. "He is said to have May 26, 1812. Capt. Hannibal M. Allen, been picked off a wreck while floating down it seems, died at Fort Nelson, Va., in 1819, a river, and named Preserved Fish in conseand the sword was retained by his widow, quence by some inhabitants of New Bedford." Agnes B. Allen. After the death of her X. L. V. husband, Mrs. Allen made her home with Hannibal Allen Hopkins, her favorite nephew and heir, until her death in 1863. The sword of Ethan Allen then became the property of Hannibal M. Allen. He died in 1871 and left it to his widow. On her death it became the property of her son, H. Allen Hopkins, and is now in his possession, together with the commissions above referred

to.

(The Salem Historical and Geographical Record.)

Cast-me-down for Cassidony." In English cassidonie; and some simple people, imitating the same name, do call it 'cast me down.'"

GERARD'S HERBAL, 1597.

Ulm and America.-Before the voyages of Columbus, Ulm numbered 50,000 prosperous people, and she is the first town of the Danube that can say that her prosperity as a town was ruined by the discovery of America. It seems strange at this day to think of this little fortress as being a great port for the trade of the east, and yet so it was. Cargo boats went down to the Black sea, carrying the manufactures of western Europe and bringing back the treasures of the east, even from China; but all this came to an end with the discoveries of Columbus and the diversion of eastern trade around the "Panther of the South":-Juan Alvarez. | capes. (Poultney Bigelow in Harper's.)

Epithets of Noted People (Vol. viii, pp. 48, etc).

"The Magus of the North":-J. G. Hamann.

"Old Probabilities ":-Cleveland Abbe. "Eagle of Doctors", also "Hammer of Heretics":-Pierre d' Ailly.

Lincoln. An autograph.-"I have in my possession a note a copy of which is sent herewith, written by Mr. Lincoln in the summer of 1862, during the severest trials of the war, and in behalf of an unknown man, who, as Mr. Lincoln believed, had been assisting our soldiers in hospital. This poor man had gone from pillar to post in search of help to his home, and had finally reached the President, who was willing to hear his story and wrote a note, pleading his case as follows:

'I suppose this man has been doing something for our sick soldiers, and I think it would be no more than fair that he should have a railroad pass to his home at Albany, N. Y.

July 1, 1862.'

A. LINCOLN.

This note came to our headquarters, and, as might be supposed, the deserving man received the desired assistance. I have never read any writing or story of Mr. Lincoln which exhibits his tender feeling more than does this note, given to a perfect stranger and in the perplexing days of the war."

(Clinton H. Meleely, in Troy Times.)

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The Music of Nature. The bass of thunder is considerably lower than the lowest sound produced in an orchestra-below the zero of music, we may call it, at which all positive apprehension of musical sound ceases, and our senses are merely conscious of a roar. In observing the music of thunder, our attention, however, may be most profitably directed to the expression rather than to the notes. The musical diminuendo is more perfectly represented by thunder than by any other form of sound in nature. After the first clap is over, the ear will pursue with pleasure the rolling away and gradual fainting of the peal, until at immeasurable distance it sinks into silence.

The melody of rain dancing on the stones or pelting down in its first drops on the dry soil of a forest or a heath, is a species of sound which the art of music has yet to imitate, if it would complete its (at present very incomplete) list of instruments. The Mexicans had some rattles made of very peculiar clay, with pips inside, which were intended to represent this sound. Certain tribes of the North American Indians have

been similarly fascinated by the loud plash. of water, to the beauty of which we have alluded before. They have instruments constructed accordingly with a view to repro-duce this sound. Large buffalo hides are filled with water and sewn up in the manner of wine bags. Drumsticks of cork, or with their heads covered by a very fine gum, are wielded by the player, and the gentle and monotonous plash of water is produced by the drumstick striking softly on the skin. The natives will sit and listen to these instruments for hours.

Certain tribes on the Amazon have in a similar way been fascinated by the music of the waterfall. Musical instruments were found in use among them consisting of a complicated mechanism by which water was. poured from one bowl into another, in imitation of the cascade, and then returned by the receiving bowl into the vessel which had poured it; so that by a repetition of this mechanism a constant murmur of a cascade could be kept up so long as the audience desired or the player was able to perform it.— (Good Words.)

Barberry (Vol. viii, p. 159).--There is a barberry. It appears to be from the Latin mystery surrounding the very name of the berberis, and some derive the Latin from an Arabic name for the same plant; but late opinion derives the Arabic from the Latin. The Italians sometimes, (or in some places), Lord was crowned with it on Calvary. call it the Holy Thorn, believing that our Farmers very generally believe that a bar-berry bush will blast a field of wheat; but there is much reason to doubt the correctness

of this opinion. Besides the common barberry, which grows in Europe and America both, we have in this country several native species, some of them noteworthy for their beauty.

OWEN BIDDle.

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A MEDIUM OF INTERCOMMUNICATION

FOR

LITERARY MEN, GENERAL READERS, ETC.

Copyrighted, 1891, by the Westminster Publishing Co. Entered at the Post-Office, Philadelphia, as Second-class Matter.

Vol. VIII. No. 19.

SATURDAY, MARCH 12, 1892.

American Notes and Queries

PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY

$3.00 per year. $1,75, 6 months.
$1.00, 3 months. 10 cents per number.

NOTES.

THE MATERNAL INSTINCT IN FISHES.

Mr. Günther, in his valuable work on The Study of Fishes, p. 160, states that the only species of fish in which the mother takes any are of her offspring are of the genera Aspredo

THE WESTMINSTER PUBLISHING COMPANY, and Solenostoma. But I have seen the com

619 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, Pa.

mon catfish guarding her young in the most devoted manner; it may, however, have been the male, but I don't believe it. It was in July, 1882, and I was on the west shore of Long Lake, in the Great Northern Wilderness of New York State. The catfish had got her young (fifty or sixty in the school, I should say), into a little bay so shallow that her enemies could not swim in deed, and looked like little tadpoles. Whenit. The young catfishes were very small inever any one of the little fellows ventured into a deepish place, he was sure to be seized by some large fish, the large fish seemed to be perch; and there were half a dozen or so of them. Every perch that Its Origin and its First Instrument, 218. Colloquial and driven back several feet or yards; but came near was attacked by the mother-fish,

Communications for the literary department should be addressed: Editor AMERICAN NOTES AND QUERIES. All checks and money orders to be made payable to the order of The Westminster Publishing Company.

CONTENTS.

NOTES:-The Maternal Instinct in Fishes, 217. Lynch Law:

Ship-names, 219. Gold as an Amulet, 220.
-Conjugal Affection in Fishes, 221.

Andromeda

whenever the mother-fish turned to go back QUERIES:-Rind Tent-Authorship of Quotation-"Tid, to her young, one or more of the perch Mid, Misera"-Browning Puzzles-Wayfaring Tree-would bite her. Her caudal fin, or tail, European School Insubordination, 221. An EnigmaTennyson Queries: Sixty-five years a Poet; Three Brothers Poets-Bash-Bish, Wabash, 222.

REPLIES:-Cromwell in Ireland, 223-Sixty-five years a Poet "Happy is the Land," etc-Indian Place-Names"Sheeny" for "Jew"-Teach Your Grandmother," etcAdverbs in -ad, 223. "There'll be but one Lum," etcSpade Guineas-Landpike-Leap Year Saints-Goose COMMUNICATIONS:-A Swaliska Cross, 224.

Land, 224.

The Thumb

as Indicative of Character-Books Then and NowThought Transference-Nineteenth Century Jottings: Mining Mules; Salt in Food, 225. Thumb as a RuleWho First Used Tobacco?-A Quaint XVIth Century Sermon, 226. Authors and Printers, 227. Millionths of a Second-Dr. Edward Guest Misinterpreted, 228.

was torn in pieces. I watched the battle for some time. The old catfish was getting the worst of it, and when I left she was making a brave, but losing fight. One by one her offspring were picked off; the perch Occasionally rushing into the shallow water close to the school of young fishes. I do not know whether my observation is the only one of the kind or not.

Mass.

OBED.

LYNCH LAW:

ITS ORIGIN AND ITS FIRST INSTRUMENT.

On the lawn of the most charming home in South Virginia, in a beautiful valley of Campbell county, stands the old walnut tree on which Lynch law was first administered. "Avoca" is the name bestowed on the old Lynch place, in memory of Tom Moore's Avoca," by a granddaughter of the Colonel Charles Lynch of the Revolution.

"It is not generally known that the original lynch law never sentenced an offender to death, but only to be whipped. The term has been ascribed to more than one source. Modern dictionaries and some of the encyclopædias have treated it as worthy of notice. Webster, Worcester and other lexicographers ascribe the origin of lynch law to a Virginia farmer named Lynch, and the traditions and records of the Lynch family agree with the more formal references found in historical works. There is no room for doubt that the term "now become a part of the English language and accepted of all men" was derived from that fearless and honored soldier of the Revolution, Colonel Charles Lynch, whose sword hangs on the wall of the lofty hall at Avoca. But that Colonel Lynch should be reputed the father of lynch law in the modern acception of the term is quite another matter, and would be utterly unjust to him. In the year 1780, when the fortunes of the patriots were at low ebb, the Scotch settlers and Tories of Piedmont, Virginia, conspired to crush the "rebellion." Their efforts were thwarted by the courage, vigilance and energy of Colonel

Charles Lynch, Captain Robert Adams and Captain Thomas Calloway, aided by Colonel William Preston, all Virginians of wealth and influence. Colonel Lynch being Chief Magistrate had the powers of a Judge. He was a man of striking individuality, and "vividly impressed the popular imagination. So eminently a leader that he naturally and easily took his place at the head of the Whig party in his section of the country.” "These gentlemen, ardent patriots, kept a sharp watch upon the loyalists, and when one was discovered playing into the hands of the enemies of Washington he was seized, taken to the residence of Col. Lynch, examined by a court composed of the gentlemen above named and others, and if found guilty tied to the walnut trees, given thirtynine lashes and made to shout "Liberty forever!" After this he was set free, with words of counsel and admonition that left him a wiser if not a better man. One of the Tories arrested was found to have papers of importance to the royalists concealed in the hollow of a square bedpost. He received the usual castigation, was given a house to reside in on the premises and forbidden to leave them on pain of severe punishment. These orders he strictly obeyed. The refrain of a popular song of that section was:

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THE LYNCH LAW TREE.

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