1816.] Failure of the Rev. Mr. Hayter's Mission to Naples. is a Neapolitan Greek and Latin, which is not worth the trouble it has cost. All these inconveniences may be obviated by a mode of treatment, in which, if the roll has not received any damage, that is to say, holes which penetrate to the interior, nothing is lost by breaking off during the operation; which enables you to read the very words of the manuscript, and not those supplied by conjectural criticism; by which the great loss of time hitherto incurred will be avoided, and various circumstances highly injurious to the work will be prevented. This better mode of treatment, of which I inade an experiment on the spot for my own pleasure, has nothing to do with any chemical process, in which many others have sought it, and by which unfortunately so many rolls have been totally destroyed in unskilful hands; but consists in some slight improvements of the machine itself, and principally in a method which is so easy and so simple that, as I have already remarked, probably for this very reason it has never yet been thought of. That it has not been discovered, and that the English and French have had as little, nay perhaps still less, success in their treatment of these manuscripts as the Neapolitans themselves, I conclude from the profound silence observed respecting their attempts: for we have heard little or nothing of the proceedings of the Rev. Mr. Hayter, who was sent many years since by the Prince Regent of England to Naples, and carried several rolls away with him, and as little of the experiments which the National Institute of France, to whom six fine manuscripts were sent as a present from Naples, may have thought fit to make. In London, as well as in Paris, they are probably shut up in cabinets of curiosities, and there, like those at Naples, await the general resurrection. In a number of the Morgenblatt, indeed, I found, some time since, the following paragraph: "The literati of the continent will be anxious to learn the result of Hayter's mission, and what has been done with the rolls of papyrus which were the object of it. The real state of the case is as follows: It is well known that about 14 years since, Hayter was sent, on the recommendation of the Prince of Wales to Naples to superintend the unrolling of the Herculanean manuscripts, and that a sum of money was One of those daily publications peculiar to Germany, which are confined to subjects of general interest and amusement, without any admixture of politics. EDITOR. 197 voted by Parliament for the purpose. He transmitted six rolls out of the whole collection to London. They were deposited in the Prince's library at Carlton House, and it was hoped that British ingenuity and mechanical or chemical discoveries would furnish better 'means for unrolling them than had before been tried. A room was set apart for these experiments. Carbonic gases were tried; but their effect was to reduce the roll to a pulpy mass. Other mechanical contrivances proved equally unsuccessful. A second roll was destroyed by them. The remaining four came into the possession of Dr. Young. For the rest, Hayter prosecuted the unrolling of the manuscripts, with British guineas, in the old well-known manner. During the six years that he resided at Naples, attempts were made upon about 200 rolls out of the 1800 composing the collection. In 1806, when Hayter was obliged, by the invasion of the French, to remove to Palermo, he took with him 94 fac similes of unrolled manuscripts, which he afterwards brought home to his royal patron. These were sent by the Prince to the University of Oxford, through the Chancellor, Lord Grenville. His Royal Highness likewise allowed Hayter a salary, that he might reside at Oxford, and there in association with the first scholars of that university prepare those copies for publication. But whether the gentlemen of Oxford are too indolent, or to whatever cause else it may be owing, we hear nothing farther of the matter, and the hopes of seeing some portion of these relics of antiquity communicated to the world are for the present totally vanished." From this statement, which carrie, with it all the appearance of truth, it results that in England nothing has been done for the Herculanean manuscripts; and to me the reason is very obvious. Chemical experiments, which were formerly tried at Naples, cannot possibly impart to the carbonised paper from Herculaneum that tenacity which is requisite for unrolling. Their invariable effect must be its destruction. Mechanical experiments must likewise fail, if they deviate too much from the method hitherto practised at Naples, which, as I know for certain, is susceptible of improvements only in certain points. These improvements are rather connected with the method to be pursued in unrolling, than with the machine itself and the other auxiliaries. My first visit to Naples was in 1807, the year after the departure of Hayter. I had several conversations with one of his mechanical 108 Solution of the Algebraical Question in No. 31. assistants, and also with several scholars who were perfectly well acquainted with the circumstances. By them I was assured, that in regard to the mechanical part of the operation, Hayter left every thing to his Neapolitan assistants, and never deviated in the least from the old method. Great dissatisfaction was expressed with him because he had begun with so many rolls, (luckily only the smaller ones,) and given them up again, after a few columns only had been unrolled. It was admitted that he possessed neither zeal nor perseverance for such a business. The fac similes which he took with him, are said to be as might be expected-full of large chasms, and therefore almost wholly useless as subjects of serious inquiry to the critical scholar. Nay, it [Oct. 1, was even asserted that he was not Grecian enough to be able to forward the business by his own powers; that be merely caused the unrolled pieces to be copied, and talked of being engaged upon works concerning them, but never showed a line upon the subject to any person. Hence I am not at all surprized that, as the paragraph above quoted says, we hear nothing farther of the inatter," from Oxford. The labour of the British literati upon the fac similes, would, as they must by this time have perceived, be only thrown away. This experiment was therefore rather for ostentation than utility, but it ought not, under all the circumstances, to prove discouraging. 66 (To be concluded in our next.) SOLUTION OF THE ALGEBRAICAL QUESTION IN NO. $1. Let the proposed equation be transformed into one whose roots are &c., by Or, (by expounding each of the terms by the binomial theorem, and multiplying both ides of the equation by 2"), the transformed equation required. 1 Now, it is well known that the co-efficient of the second term of an equation is equal to the sum of the roots of the equation with their signs changed. In a similar manner the value of the series A+m B+m2 C+m3 D+ &c. continued ad infinitum might have been investigated. HOMUNCULUS. 1816.] Documents respecting the Endowment of Church Livings. MR. EDITOR, In the preface to a small volume published many years since by Dr. Ducarel, containing the endowments of the vicarages in the dioceses of Canterbury, and Rochester, the author stated his work to form the plan of a more extensive under taking, designed to embrace in its execution the whole kingdom. It may probably fall within the knowledge of some of your readers, whether this design was ever afterwards, either wholly or in part carried into execution. In such a case, what I should wish particularly to learn, is, whether the work was published as an entire transcript, or only as a summary sketch of the valuable MS. drawn out by the same author, and now deposited in the Archives of the Lambeth library? Amongst the voluminous records in this rich depository, more immediately affecting the interests and property of the church, there are not any of more general and practical importance than these volumes of Dr. Ducarel's.* Were the plan of their laborious compiler ever carried into execution, a most essential service must have been rendered to the profession. In taking possession of small vicarages, it is incredible what obstacles and difficulties the incumbent has often to encounter, in ascertaining only the exact extent of what he is entitled to receive. These difficulties (in nine cases out of ten, I believe) arise from the vicar's being unable to come at a copy of the original endowment of his living. The appeal to such a document, wherever a copy has been fortunately found to exist, has been the frequent means of obviating litigation, by defining at once the exact rights of the incumbent. This was precisely the object of Dr. D. in his projected work of which the small publication to which I have above alluded, was designed as a sort of prodromus. With great labour and indefatigable industry, he formed copious abstracts of whatever endowments he could any where discover, either in the various collegiate, and local public libraries-in the registries of the bishops-in the records of religious houses, preserved in cathedrals, and other libraries, and in other authentic documents. These he arranged under their respective dioceses, and drew up together in two folio volumes, under the title of " References to Endowments of Vicarages"—and as they This MS. forms two large folio volumes. 199 distinctly describe each document, they are of invaluable use in enabling the proprietors, and holders of endowed livings, to ascertain (i. e. as far as these lists go) where the original record of endowment may be found. Extensive, however, as the plan was, &c. and ably as it was conducted, as far as depended on this author's laborious exertions, and unwearied research for a long period of years, there are (it is presumed) still a considerable number of these records in being, of which no accessible memorial exists. Such of these records as were connected with the larger monastic houses, have been in general pretty well preserved by the transfer of their libraries, with the more substantial property of such establishments to the cathedrals and chapters, to the formation or enlargement of which they were in most cases appropriated. But as the bulk of the smaller houses were either given or sold to private individuals, the manuscript documents, and other archives by passing over with the titles of the estates to their new possessors, became so dispersed, and, in many cases, through lapse of years, so dilapidated and injured, that inany still in existence are at this day, to any useful purposes at least, entirely lost. Indeed, it so happens as to be often the policy of those who possess them to keep them in concealment. And, thus, many a meritorious and exemplary minister is doomed to submit to the scanty and inadequate pittance which the lordly patron of his living may choose to pay him, as the compensation of his just, but suspended right. V. M. H. August 17, 1816. MR. EDITOR, On reading in your Magazine of the present month, an address to the public by the society for superseding the necessity of climbing boys, by encouraging a new method of sweeping chimneys, &c. I immediately gave orders to my servants that in future, instead of employing those persons who sent boys to sweep chimneys, they should apply to some one or other of those mentioned in the address, who make use of the mechanical means, and am doing all in my power to recommend it with every one of my acquaintance. I am happy to say that I have succeeded in most instances where I have mentioned it. My object in addressing you on this subject, is, that through the medium of your useful miscellany, I may recommend to all families a perusal of that address, and a determi 200 Mr. Dougall on the Ancient Language of Malta. nation to discontinue the employment of climbing boys, by the substitution of the machine, which I find only needs to be more generally known, to insure its suc cess. London, Aug. 14, 1816, L. OBSERVATIONS ON THE ANCIENT LAN GUAGE OF MALTA. BY MR. JOHN DOUGALL. (Concluded from p. 28.) Although in the formation of the preceding parts of speech, the affinity of the Maltese with the Hebrew, the Arabic, and other oriental tongues, be very perceptible; yet, it is in the verb that this affinity is to be traced with the greatest certainty. Agreeably to this intimate relationship, the formation and conjugation of the Maltese verbs are very different from those of the Greek, Latin, or other verbs of European tongues. In these last, the first person singular of the present of the indicative active, may be considered as the origin or root from which spring all the other parts of the verb but on the contrary, the Maltese verb, like the Hebrew, begins with the third person singular masculine of the præterite tense, thence proceeds to the third person singular feminine, and then to the second and first persons singular, which are of the common gender. From the præterite, the conjugation goes on to the future tense, and to the imperative derived from it; concluding with the present, if the verb possess such a tense appropriated to it. The Maltese verb is of two kinds, the radical, and the augmented: the radical being the origin of other verbs, but itself primitive; and the augmented verb being a derivative. Hence, the first class consists of radical letters only, while the second in addition to these radicals, admits characteristic letters by which they are augmented. The præterite and the future are called proper tenses; the imperfect and the pluperfect are called 'improper the present tense is proper in intransitive verbs, and improper in transitive. The numbers are singular and plural: the persons, the third, second, and first: the genders are masculine, feninine, and cominon. The third person singular masculine of the præterite indicative being considered as the root of the verb, all the letters in it are called radical; and all others preceding or following these in other parts of the verb arc servile. Thus, khasam, he has divided, is the root consisting of radicals only; but the syllable na, and [Oct. 1, the final u in nakhsmu, we will divide, are both servile. This verb khasam, he has divided, is thus conjugated. PRÆTERITE, INDICATIVE, ACTIVE. he has Sing. Sing. 3. m. khasam khasmet 3. f. 2. C. she has khsamt thou hast I have Divided. Divide. It was before observed, that transitive verbs have no proper present tense; but that they often instead of it employ the future: the verb here given has therefore no present, which is supplied by means of the substantive verb kyn, he or she was, and the future yakhsam, he will divide. Verbs transitive are either active, as here, khasam, he divided, or passive, as nkhatel, he was slain. Verbs intransitive denote an action remaining in the agent, as khahad, he stood; rakhad, he slept. Neuter verbs are such as kyn, he was, sar, he is become. In some cases the Maltese affords examples of phraseology, in lieu of regular verbs, nearly related to expressions frequently occurring in the Old Testament. Thus, instead of the verb to please, the Maltese, say fhajni, in my eye, for it pleases me; fhajnck, in thy eye, for it pleases thee, &c. In the same way the preposition hand, apud, at, is employed with a personal pronoun, to express the present tense of some verbs; as handı, apud me est, for habeo, I have; handek, apud te est, for habes, thou hast, &c. The substantive verb kyn, fuit, he was, is also used in a similar way, with certain alterations for softening the pronunciation, thus kyn li changed into kelli, fuit mihi, stands as in Latin for I had; kellek, fuit tibi, for thou hadst, &c. But it is now high time to produce a specimen of Maltese vocables, with their corresponding English terms, by which the oriental scholar will be able to form an accurate judgment of the near affinity subsisting between the language of Malta, Ghdash Trash. 4 Syttash 5 Slatash 6 Tmyntash 7 Zetash 8 Ghoshrin 9 Vyhed u ghoshrin 10 11 . 12 Tlytin. The present year, 1816, might be read elf utmymmiae syttash; but the Maltese like ourselves are in the habit of saying tmyntash y miae u syttash, eighteen hundred and sixteen. The ordinal numbers are formed from the cardinal, by prefixing the article (with the exception of levvel, signifying the first) thus, yt-tyni the second, yt-tylet the third, yr-rabah the fourth, yl-khames the fifth, ys-syttae the sixth, ys-sebha the seventh, yt-tmyniae the eighth, yt-dysgha the ninth, yl-ghashra the tenth, yt-tnash the twelfth, &c. The days of the week are thus named, Sunday yl ghad, from the verb khaddes to sanctify; the others in their numeral order, as Monday yt tyni or the second day; excepting yl gymha Friday, a term signifying also a week, as yl gymha yl kbirae the great, or holy week, or passion week. From this name for Friday, it would seem that the Maltese had borrowed and retained it from the Mahometan Arabs, who set apart that day of the week for religious service. Saturday is called ys sebha or the seventh day. The names of the months are all evidently derived, but corrupted from the Latin, or rather from Italian, excepting September, which is called shakar-alsalib, the month of the cross; because on the 14th of that month, is celebrated the festival of the cross. MR. EDITOR, IN answer to Y Z's third question in your last number, I beg leave to submit the following: It is said, that when the Danes infested this country, they lorded it over the poor inhabitants to an intolerable degree, many of them living at the tables of the English, and making very free with their NEW MONTHLY MAG.-No. 33. 35 40 50 60 70 wives and daughters. There was generally one Dane, at least, in each house, who was completely Major-Domo, and ruled the family as he liked, insomuch, as to be called by the members of the family, My Lord Dane. Hence, the saying among the lower classes in many parts of this country, of an Idle Fellow, who lives by the labour of others, that he has the Fever Lurden, (i. e.) Lord Dane. Some of these unwelcome inmates used to maltreat and not unfrequently to murder some of the members of the family they dwelt with, and in mixed companies, when both parties were warm with irritation and liquor, it was no uncommon thing with the Danes to watch their opportunity, and cut the throats of the English while in the act of drinking; to prevent which, the English used to pledge themselves for each other's protection whilst they drank. Hence, it is the custom for the person who sits next to one who is going to drink, to say "I will pledge you," by which is meant, he will be a pledge for his neighbour's safety, which has obtained to this time, though the occasion has long since happily ceased. Kettering. E. VIALLS.: MR. EDITOR, OBSERVING among a few miscellaneous questions in the last number of your magazine, an enquiry into the origin of the saying "Tenterden Steeple's the cause of Goodwin Sands," I remembered having met with the explanation of it in Mr. Ray's collection of English proverbs, in the provincial selection under the head of "Kent;" but as few of your readers are most likely in possession of that work, or if they are, may not have been fortunate enough to have met with the passage, and as I think it rather curious, I VOL. VI. 2 D |