Notes and Queries, Number 214, December 3, 1853

PETER BRETT

Your correspondent T. K. seems to think that Scotchmen, and Scotch subjects, have an undue prominence in "N. & Q.:" let me therefore introduce to your readers a neglected Irishman, in the person of Peter Brett, the "parish clerk and schoolmaster of Castle-Knock." This worthy seems to have been a great author, and the literary oracle of the district over which he presided, and exercised the above-named important functions. His magnum opus appears to have been his Miscellany; a farrago of prose and verse, which, to distinguish it from the herd of books bearing that title, is yclept, par excellence, Brett's Miscellany. When Mr. Brett commenced to enlighten the world, and when his candle was snuffed out, I know not. My volume of the above work purports to be the fifth:

"Containing above a hundred useful and entertaining Particulars, Divine, Moral, and Historical; chiefly designed for the Improvement of Youth, and those who have not the Opportunity of reading large Volumes. Interspersed with several Entertaining Things never before printed. Dublin, 1762."

The parish clerk's bill of fares is of the most seductive kind. Under all the above heads he has something spicy to say, either in prose or verse; but the marrow of the book lies in the Preface. To say that a man, holding the important offices of parish clerk and schoolmaster, could be charged with conceit, would be somewhat rash; if, therefore, in remarking upon the rare instance of a parish clerk becoming an author, he lets out that "whatever cavillers may say about his performance, they must admit his extensive reading, and the great labour and application the concoction of these books has cost him," he is but indulging in a feeling natural to a man of genius, and a pardonable ebullition of the amour propre. Mr. Brett seems to have been twitted with the charge of taking up authorship as a commercial spec; he sullenly admits that his book-making leaves him something, but nothing like a recompense, and draws an invidious comparison between one Counsellor Harris and himself; the former having received 200l. per annum for collecting materials for the Life of King William III., while he, the schoolmaster of Castle-Knock, scarcely gets salt to his porridge for his Collections and Observations for perpetuating the Honour and Glory of the King of Kings.

Peter farther boasts that these his volumes

"Contain the juice and marrow of many excellent and learned authors, but compacted after such an ingenious manner, that the learned would find it a great difficulty to show in what authors they are to be found!"

A plan for which, I think, the learned would award him the birch. Mrs. Brett is no less a genius than her husband; and she takes advantage of the publication of the Miscellany, to stick the following little bill upon the back of the title:

"Ann Brett, wife of the said Peter, at the sign of the Shroud in Christ Church Lane, opposite to the Church, makes and sells all Sorts of Shrouds, draws all Sorts of Patterns, does all manner of Pinking, and teaches Young Misses Reading and Writing, Arithmetic, and Plain Work. The Dublin Society," she adds, "was pleased to honour her with a handsome Present for her Curious Performance with the Pen."

RICHARD'S "GUIDE THROUGH FRANCE."

As we are not supposed to be sensible of our own failings, I should much wish to know whether any English-French exists equal to some French-English I know of, and inclose a specimen. Mr. P. Chasles has played the critic so well with the English tongue, that perhaps he can find us a few specimens. Without doubt, it will be a wholesome correction to the Malaprop spirit if she is shown up a little; and I regret extremely that Mr. P. Chasles was not invited to correct the proofs of the Itinéraire de France. Here we are posting with M. Richard:

"The courier à franc-étrier cannot use bridle of their own, they must not outrun the postilion who leads them, and the post master if they might arrive at, without their postillion, must not give them horse before this last is come. The supply-horses, according to the number of persons, shall be put to carriages as much as the disposition of the vehicles will admit. For example, three horses shall be put to cabriolets, and till six to the berline, but as it should not be possible, to put a horse en arbalête (cross-bow) without notable accidents, either to caleches with two horses or to the limonieres; they shall be obliged to pay the charge for supply horse."

Here we are in a steamer, p. 52.:

"The sea is smooth, the sky pure, the air calm, everything promises a happy navigation, our boat is in a very favourable position in the middle of the Seine, on the right hand the hills of Honfleur, on the left the coast of Ingouville, let us pause a little more on these shores we are going to leave: behold on the east the fortifications of Havre, small seats! clusters of trees! this is the village of l'Eure threatened by the sea of an entire destruction. We must not pass over this green hill so delightful to view, standing on the opposite shore seamen would not forgive my silence, among these high trees stands a chapel dedicated to Notre-Dame-de-Grace. Ingouville is of 4,800 inhabitants, among which a great many Englishmen live there as in their own country, having their particular churchyard, physicians, and many occasions of hearing from England, which they can perceive from their pavilions. The traveller can go to Elbeuf by land or water. The lover of the scenes of nature will enjoy very romantical prospects, a new kind of view will strike his sight, a long train of rocks called D'Orival, the most part steep, covered with evergreen trees, which seem shoot out, with difficulty, of their craggings."

He tells us Soissons (p. 102.) "has a college, a pretty theatre, and a bishoprick-sec, from the Cradle of Christianity into the Gauls." At Coulommières (Seine et Marne), "the sciences are not cultivated, but the inhabitants know pretty well how to play at nine pins." At Fontaines les Cornues, "the inhabitants of Paris with a small expense can procure to himself a scenery scarecely to be found in the other quarter of the globe!" At Chatillion-sur-Seine, "the streets are neat and well aired." At Arles, p. 361., a head of a goddess carved in marble:

"The way in which the neck and left shoulder are ended, points out that the head is related to a figure in drapery cut in another block."

"The merchant of Bordeaux is distinguished by his noble easy and pompous manner, he makes himself easily forgiven a sort of boasting, which is the foible of the country."

How the ladies bathe at Mont d'Or, p. 218.:

"At five in the morning bathing begins. Two hardy Highlanders go and fetch in a kind of deal boxes the fashionable lady, who when in town never quits her bed-down before noon, the annuitant, the rich man, are all brought in the same manner in these boxes. It is one of the most pleasant bathing establishments; it offers a peristyle, a small resting-room, a warming-place for linen, with partitions to prevent its mixture."

The work consists of 446 mortal pages though I am bound to say a portion here and there is respectably written.

WOMEN AND TORTOISES

I had intended sending you a paper on Bishop Taylor's Similes, with Illustrative Notes on some Passages in his Works; but I soon found that your utmost indulgence could not afford me a tithe of the space I would require. Instead, therefore, send you an illustration of a single simile, as it is short, and not the least curious in the lot:

"All vertuous women, like tortoises, carry their house on their heads, and their chappel in their heart, and their danger in their eye, and their souls in their hands, and God in all their actions."—Life of Christ, Part I. s. ii. 4.

"Phidias made the statue of Venus at Elis with one foot upon the shell of a tortoise, to signify two great duties of a virtuous woman, which are to keep home and be silent."—Human Prudence, by W. De Britaine, 12th edit.: Dublin, 1726, 12mo., p. 134.

"Vertuous women should keep house, and 'twas well performed and ordered by the Greeks:

Which made Phidias, belike, at Elis paint Venus treading on a tortoise: a symbole of women's silence and housekeeping.... I know not what philosopher he was, that would have women come but thrice abroad all their time, to be baptized, married, and buried; but he was too straitlaced."—Burton's Anat. Mel., part iii. sec. 3. mem. 4. subs. 2.

"Apelles us'd to paint a good housewife upon a snayl; which intimated that she should be as slow from gadding abroad, and when she went she shold carry her house upon her back: that is, she shold make all sure at home. Now, to a good housewife, her house shold be as the sphere to a star (I do not mean a wandring star), wherin she shold twinckle as a star in its orb."—Howell's Parly of Beasts: Lond. 1660, p. 58.

The last passage reminds us of the fine lines of Donne (addressed to both sexes):

WEATHER RULES

J. A., Jun., being desirous of forming a list of weather rules, I send the following, in the hope that they may be acceptable to him, and interesting to those of your readers who have never met with the old collection from which they are taken.

Malta.

OCCASIONAL FORMS OF PRAYER

I now send you a list of Occasional Forms of Prayer in my own possession, in the hope that the example may be followed by other individuals.

A Fourme to be used in Common Prayer table twise a Weke, and also an Order of Publique Fast to be used every Wednesday, &c. during this time of Mortalitie, &c. London, 1563.

This was the first published occasional form of the reign of Elizabeth.

A Fourme to be used in Common Prayer every Sunday, Wednesday, and Friday throughout the whole Realme: to excite and stirre up all Godly People to pray for the Preservation of those Christians and their Countreys that are now invaded by the Turke in Hungary or elsewhere. Set fourthe by The Reverend Father in God, Matthew, Archbishop of Cantaburie. Imprinted by Richarde Jugge and John Cawood. 4to.

There is no date; but it is ascertained that this form was put forth in the year 1566.

The Order of Prayer and other Exercises upon Wednesdays and Fridays, &c. 4to. Christopher Barker. 1580.

This was put forth in consequence of an earthquake.

Prayers. 1584.

They consist of "A Prayer for all Kings," &c., "A Prayer for the Queene," &c., and "A Prayer in the Parliament onely." They are appended to Treasons of Pary, forming part of the volume.

An Order for Prayer and Thanksgiving for the Safety of Her Majesty. 1594.

Certaine Prayers set forth by Authoritie to be used for the Prosperous Successe of her Majesties Forces and Navy. 4to. The Deputies of Christopher Barker, 1597.

An Order for Prayer and Thanksgiving (necessary in these dangerous Times) for the Safety of her Majestie and the Realme. 4to. The Deputies of C. Barker. No date.

An Order for Publike Prayers within the Province of Canterbury. No date. By the Queen's Printer.

Prayers for the Queen's safe Deliverance, London, 1605.

Form of Prayer, &c. Nov. 5. London, 1605.

The original edition.

Form of Prayer, &c., Nov. 5. London, 1620.

Form, &c. for the 5th of August, being the Day of His Highnesse's happy Deliverance from the Earle of Gowry. London, 1623.

Form, &c. Fast during the Plague. 1625.

The "Prayer for the Parliament" appears for the first time in this form.

Form, &c. Fast. War and Pestilence. 1626.

Form, &c. Fast. War. 1628.

Forme of Prayer, &c. for averting God's heauy Visitation, &c. 1636.

This is the form which was attacked by Burton and Prynne, and on which a charge was raised against Laud.

Form, &c. Fast. Plague. 1640

Form, &c. Fast. War. Oxford, 1643.

This is the form authorised by Charles I. to be used at the commencement of the war. It is frequently alluded to by the Parliamentary writers of the period. The House of Commons had ordered a monthly fast, and Charles commanded that the second Friday in every month should be set apart for the same purpose. This form was to be used on such occasions.

Form, &c. Fast. Oxford, 1643.

The same as the preceding, but a different edition, one being in black-letter, the other in Roman. Both were printed in Oxford, and in the same year.

A Collection of Prayers and Thanksgivings used in His Majesties Chapel and in his Armies, upon occasion of the late Victories against the Rebels. Oxford, 1643.

This was reprinted at York in 1644.

The Cavaliers' New Common Prayer Booke, unclasp't. Reprinted at London, with some briefe and necessary Obseruations to refute the Lyes and Scandalls that are contained in it. 1644.

This is a reprint of the preceding form, with a scurrilous preface and observations. The prayers are given as they stand in the Royal form, but with parenthetical sentences of a most abusive character after almost every paragraph. Thus, after the clause, "Pity a despised Church," the authors add, "You mean the prelates and their hierarchy." After the next clause, "and a distracted State," they add, "made so by your wicked party." In one of the thanksgivings, after "Glory be to God," we have, "Your mock prayers defraud Him of His glory." Then, after the words "We praise thee, we bless thee," &c., from the Communion Office, we have, "Softly, lest you want breath, and thank the old Common Prayer Book for that."

Private Forms for these Sad Times. Oxford, 1645.

A Form of Thanksgiving, to be used the Seventh Day of September, thorowout the Diocese of Lincoln, and in the Jurisdiction of Westminster.

This remarkable form has no date, but it was put forth by Williams, then Bishop of Lincoln and Dean of Westminster, in the year 1641. The House of Commons had ordered a day of Thanksgiving; but they were greatly offended with Williams, on account of this form, and, instead of going to St. Margaret's Church as usual, where it was ordered to be read, they attended divine service, after their own fashion, in the chapel of Lincoln's Inn.

A Supply of Prayers for the Ships of this Kingdom that want Ministers to pray with them agreeable to the Directory, &c. London. Published by authority.

A Presbyterian form, and the only one ever published by men who decried all forms. It was put forth, as the preface admits, because the sailors clung to the Book of Common Prayer.

Prayers to be used in the Armies. 1648.

A Form of Prayer used at His Majesties Chapel at the Hague. 1650.

Prayers for those who mourn, &c. 1659.

Form of Common Prayer, to be used on the Thirtieth of January, &c. 1661.

This form differs materially from that subsequently put forth by Convocation, with the revised Prayer Book of 1662. There was also another form still earlier, in the year 1661, in which some singular and obnoxious petitions relative to Charles I. were found.

A Form of Prayer with Thanksgiving, to be used on the 29th of May, 1661.

The original edition. It differs from that which was sanctioned by Convocation and published in 1662.

Form of Prayer, &c. June 12. Fast during a Dearth. 1661.

Form, &c. Fast during a Sickness. 1661.

Form, &c. Fast, to implore a Blessing on the Naval Forces. April 5, 1665.

Form, &c. Thanksgiving for Victory by Naval Forces. July 4, 1665.

Form, &c. Fast, on occasion of the Fire of London, 1666.

Form, &c. Thanksgiving for Victories at Sea. 1666.

Form, &c. Fast. 1674.

Form, &c. Fast. 1678.

Form, &c. Fast. Dublin, 1678.

Form, &c. Fast. Dublin, 1679. To seek Reconciliation with God, and to implore Him that he would infatuate and defeat the Counsels of the Papists our Enemies. By the Lord Lieutenant.

Form, &c. Fast. 1680.

Form, &c. Thanksgiving. 1683. For the discovery of Treason.

Form, &c. Thanksgiving. 1685.

Form of Prayer with Thanksgiving for 29th May, 1685.

First edition of this reign. It was altered by the authority of the Crown.

Form of Prayer, &c. January 30, 1685.

First edition of this reign.

Form of Prayer, &c. February 6, 1685.

The accession service of James II.

A Form or Order of Thanksgiving, to be used, &c. in behalf of the King, the Queen, and the Royal Family, upon occasion of the Queen's being with Child. 1687.

This form was the occasion of much comment at the time.

A Form of Prayer with Thanksgiving, &c., for the Birth of the Prince. 1688.

A Form, &c. Fast. 1689.

A Form, &c. Fast. 1690.

A Form, &c. Fast. 1694.

A Form, &c. Fast. 1714. Thanksgiving on the Accession of George I.

Bristol.

PICTURES IN HAMPTON COURT PALACE

There are two or three of these concerning which I should be obliged to any reader of your publication who would satisfy my Queries.

No. 119., "The Battle of Forty," by P. Snayers. This seems a kind of combat à outrance of knights armés de pied en cap. Where can I find any account or detail of it?

No. 314., "Mary of Lorraine, mother of Mary Queen of Scots." This is a very pleasing picture, in good preservation, and as it was not in its present position two years ago, I conclude it has recently been added. She was ninth child of Claude de Lorraine, first Duc de Guise, born in 1515, and married in 1538 to James V. of Scotland, and she died in the forty-fifth year of her age, 10th June, 1560. There are the arms of the Guise family in the right-hand corner, with a date of 1611. Pray by whom was it painted, and where can find any notices respecting it?