Imágenes de página
PDF
ePub

THE

GENTLEMAN'S MAGAZINE.

JANUARY, 1829.

ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS.

THE DOCTOR OF SANCHO PANZA.

Mr. URBAN, Taunton, Jan. 15.

auferret; qua de re monitus fuit Erraschid. eo Gabriel."

IT may, perhaps, be new to a large Sublata mensa, et lotis manibus, discessit ab proportion of your readers, as until lately it was to me, that the author of Don Quixote was in all probability indebted to the Arabian writers for the humourous idea of furnishing Sancho with a physician at the very commencement of his government, to regulate his diet, and controul his appeLite, and thus to wound the hungry governor in his tenderest part, stomach; thundering out Absit! at every dish as soon as it was uncovered, and prescribing, in lieu of solid food, about a hundred sugared wafers, and a few thin slices of quince to aid in their digestion.

his

It appears, from the life of Cervantes, that he was a prisoner at Algiers nearly six years, during which time a vigorous and curious mind like

his could not fail to become well acquainted with the language and writings, the manners and customs, of the Eastern nations. And that he adapted many of their romantic peculiarities to his rueful knight and laughter-loving squire, and thus heightened the extravagance of their characters, seems to admit of little doubt.

But there is one passage in particular, to which I would refer your readers, as exhibiting the prototype of

the idea of Sancho's "dread doctor." It occurs in the life of Gabriel Backtishma the physician, which was written in Arabic, and translated from that language into Latin. From this I will transcribe it, and subjoin a translation.

"Ait idem Josephus, Retulit mihi Salomon Chorasensis Raschidi servus : die quodam, inquit, cùm starem prope caput Raschidi in urbe Hira, dum cibum sumebat meridianum, et, ecce, ingressus est ad eum Aoun El-Ebadi Elgiavhari, discum manibus portans, in quo erat piscis butyro conditus, adjecto farto quod ipse accommodaverat. Voluit itaque Erraschid de illo pisce comedere; ut impedivit eum Gabriel, nictuq. oculi præfecto mense indicavit, ut illum

"The same Joseph said, that Salomon of Chorasan, a servant of Raschid, told me as follows: on a certain day, said he, as I stood close to Raschid, while he took refreshments at the behold! there entered Aoun El-Ebadi middle of the day, at the city of Hira, Elgiavhari, holding a dish with a fish in it, which was preserved in butter; to which was added a pudding, which he much inclined to eat of the fish; but himself had supplied. Erraschid was Gabriel prevented him, and with a wink of his eye signified to the prefect of the table that he should take it away. Of this, Erraschid being informed, the table was cleared, ablution

performed, and Gabriel departed."

One essential difference, however, there is, as to the effect of this medical surveillance on the tempers and feelThat, while the former was so much ings of the prince and the peasant. pleased that he gratified with 50,000 aurei the physician, qui tam benè me regit, tantamque mei curam habet;" Sancho fairly threatened Dr. Pedro Positive, of Bodewell, with a cudgel and the stocks.

66

In this narrative of the life of Ga

briel, are other points of such strong resemblance to passages in Don Quixote, as to justify an inference that Cervantes was familiar with it. One may be just mentioned. When Gabriel was first summoned to wait on the Caliph, he demanded his name.

[ocr errors]

Quodnam, inquit Erraschid, est nomen tuum? Gabriel, inquit ille: tum Erraschid, quid scis ex arte medica? Respondit, calidum reddo frigidum, et frigidum item calidum; siccum efficio humidum, et humidum pariter siccum. Ridens Calipha dixit, hoc est omne," &c.

"What," said Erraschid, "is thy name?""Gabriel," he said. "Then

4

Trinitarian System of Ecclesiastical Architecture.

Erraschid, what knowest thou of medicine?" He answered, "I can make cold hot, and hot also cold, dry moist, and moist dry." The Caliph, laughing, said, "Why this is the whole of it," &c.

In the same manner Sancho hearing the prescription of the wafers and guineas, threw himself backwards in his chair, and surveying the physician from hand to foot, asked in a grave and solemn tone, "What was his name, and where he had studied?" To this question the other replied, "I, my lord governor, am called 'Dr. Pedro ́ Positive de Bodewell, &c. and I took my doctor's degree at the University of Ossuna. A. D.

[blocks in formation]

IN the notices of the transactions of the Antiquarian Society, given in the last number of your valuable Miscellany, p. 553, it is stated, that on the 11th Dec. "Mr. J. Byrne, of York, communicated an essay on the working principles of Ecclesiastical Architecture, accompanied by a portfolio of Mathematical draughts in illus tration of his opinions, of a similar nature with the several plates which are attached to the Essay on Gothic Architecture, by the late Mr. Kerrich, in the 16th volume of the Archæologia."

As this notice cannot be considered official, I trust I shall not be thought guilty of any disrespect to the Society if I request you will allow me, through the medium of your Miscellany, to correct a mistake or two into which the reporter has fallen.

And first, there is a mistake in the name of the author, which is not Byrne, but Browne; nor is there such a similarity in the matter of the Essay, and the principles of Mr. Kerrich *, as the notice would lead your readers to think.

In the sixteenth vol. of the Archæologia, p. 313, it is conjectured by Mr. Kerrich that a figure (termed vesica piscis) produced by two intersecting arcs struck from the extremes of a

* Mr. Browne may be assured that it

was his book of draughts only, not his essay, that was compared to the excellent article of Mr. Kerrich. He persists in calling that gentleman Dr.; on that point we have of course bestowed correction upon him; and imagine that in other respects it may also be found requisite. EDIT.

[Jan.

given right line, influenced all sorts of things intended for sacred uses; and in the 19th vol. Mr. K. has given several plans of Churches and Chapels, all apparently under the influence of his vesica piscis.

Several plans are also advanced by Mr. K. which do not accord with his particular vesica piscis, and which have caused him to invent a scheme, by which he endeavours to shew that the ancient Ecclesiastical Architects had but six right-angled forms, the length of which was less in proportion to the breadth than his vesica piscis.

Plans of original edifices are also advanced by Mr. Kerrich, which he is not able to bring into any regular scheme; and he remarks, what rule the Architects prescribed to themselves for adjusting the plans of Churches, the length of which were longer in proportion to their breadth, than the preceding figures, he has not been able to discover, yet he supposes that it was by some method similar to that by which the architects were guided in the former case.

From the many different proportioned plans which I have found existing for Churches and Chapels, I am induced to imagine that the ancient Christian architects generally used proportions that were unconnected with any regular scheme or schemes of plans, except the one taken to produce the whole of the intended building.

It ought to be particularly observed that Mr. Kerrich's suggestions relate only to length and breadth, not to the origin of the thickness of the walls, the size of the buttresses, piers, doors, windows, or to their determined situation; consequently, although Mr. Kerrich may have advanced one step towards recovering the science of the Christian architects, yet much remains to be done. A system is to be sought, that shall appear to have led their fanciful inventions, and governed their decisions, not only in the proportions of length to breadth, for the plan of the building, but of every essential part of the fabric.

The essay which had the honour of being read by the Antiquarian Society on the evenings of the 11th and the 18th of December, professes to give a developement of the working principles of Ecclesiastical Architecture, by means of schemes constructed analogous to the principles of the doctrine of the Trinity.

1829.]

Remarks on the name Cell.

The folio of mathematical draughts which accompanied the Essay, were forms selected from various buildings, consisting of plain shields, shields with the principal chargings, divisions of bays, trefoils, quatrefoils, cinquefoils, sixfoils, septfoils, octafoils, neuffoils, cuspated heads, geometrical regular forms, and geometrical compound forms, crosses, and a plan and an elevation of a Cathedral Church, the principal portion of which forms being produced by the Trinitarian schemes, were found by admeasurement accurately to correspond with the originals. The Essay further sets forth, that there is a great probability of the schemes having in olden times constituted a principal secret in the sublime degree of Free-Masonry, and that the Bishops, Priests, and other distinguish ed personages of the Roman Catholic Church, were nearly the sole professors of that degree, and that they styled the principal secret of their order the "Art of finding new Arts."

But, whatever may be the conviction created by the matter advanced relative to the mystical allusions of the schemes, the importance of the schemes is not weakened, as offering sure and easy methods of imitating ancient Christian architecture. They will, I am persuaded, be found niuch more sure than any mode of proceeding by scale, and at the same time so easy, that the most difficult series of mouldings, or any other constituent part of an edifice, can be copied, by the application of these schemes, to any moderate size, with the greatest accuracy, by the youngest tyro in the art of Ecclesiastical Architecture. JOHN BROWne.

FROM

Mr. URBAN, King's-square, Jan. 13. ROM the perusal of a letter signed "T. T." in your Dec. Magazine, p. 491, I am induced to trouble you with a few remarks on the name Celt. Etymologies, I confess, are often extrensely fanciful; but they may also prove useful and instructive. On this word conjecture has been abundantly bestowed. That the term Celta was pronounced with the C hard, is I believe universally allowed; for it is immediately derived from the Greek language, in which it appears Kλro, and that the Romans did not give C the sound which we do, is proved by the discovery of some ancient monumental Inscriptions, in which the word pace

is spelt with the K. However harsh the sounds may be, it is yet true that Scythæ, Cimbri, Thrascæ, &c. were all pronounced in a similar manner.

That the Gauls wore a peculiar dress, as your Correspondent observes, is well known, and that the country received the name of Gallia braccata*, from the Bracche in which the people ar rayed themselves, is no less certain. Concerning this part of their costume, I entertain a different opinion from that which is generally received, and may at another time trouble you with my ideas concerning it; but, on the present occasion, I must take the liberty of correcting the supposition of "T. T." respecting the derivation of the term Celts.

It is certainly not "derived from the Celtic name for a part of the dress;" for that part is not "called by those who wear it, Kelts or Kilts," which are not Gaëlic, but Saxon words. The Lowlanders so term this part of the Highland garb, because it is kilted or tucked up, in which sense a woman is said to kilt her petticoat; but the name in the native tongue is Feile, literally the covering, to which beg, little,' is added, to distinguish it from the ancient Breacan feile, or belted plaid, now little worn.

[ocr errors]

The affinity of Celt and Gaul, the Greek and Roman forms of the word, to Caël or Gaël, is apparent. The appellation by which the ancient race have ever been distinguished, they retained as their own proper name (Pausanias, Cæsar, &c.), and it is evidently indigenous, from whatever circum

stance it first arose.

Allow me, Mr. Urban, to take this opportunity of correcting some slight errors that occur in a review of Mr. Bowles's "Hermes Britannicus," where reference is made to some papers of mine, published by the Society of Antiquaries. It is strange that the writer should say, the entrance to Seanhinny, (which is by a typographical mistake made Scanhinny, both here and in a review of the "Archæologia,") is closed up by a horizontal stone. A block of granite, measuring 16 feet 4 inches in length, by 4 feet 6 inches, and upwards of 3 feet in thickness, could not have been moveable, and the place where it lies cannot surely be termed an entrance; yet it is again said of the

* Incorrectly, in p.491, printed traccata.

6

Dr. Dominiceti's Baths at Chelsea.

[ocr errors]

curious circle at Auchorthie, here, as at Seanhinny, a horizontal stone obstructs the entrance.' A stone, 8 feet 6 inches long, filling up the interval between two others, and being between 3 and 4 feet high, is certainly an effectual obstruction. I neither said, nor ever imagined, the entrance was at this place.

The extract from my communication to the Society of Antiquaries, in your Magazine for November, should be" apud le Standand Stanes," i. e. standing stones, an appellation usually given to these circles in Scotland. Yours, &c. JAMES LOGAN.

Mr. URBAN,

Queen's Elm, Chelsea, Jan. 7.

[Jan.

took a house at Millbank; and from that time, till the year 1780, had upwards of. sixteen thousand persons under his care. His baths were very costly, well made, and convenient; and from his own publications it appears that he expended upwards of 87,000l. in erecting, contriving, and completing his house and baths in Cheyne Walk *.

"Among his visitors and patients at Chelsea, was his late Royal Highness, Edward, Duke of York, who entrusted the

preservation of his life and the recovery of his health (says the Doctor) to his sole direction for above a month; and that in direct opposition to the advice of the Physicians and Surgeons of the Royal Household. "The late Sir John Fielding was intimately acquainted with Dr. Dominiceti; and, having experienced the good effects of his Chelsea Baths, wrote a Vindication of

PERCEIVING, in your Obituary Dr. Dominiceti's Practice of removing va

for December, 1828, " Mary the widow of the Hon. Bartholomew Dominiceti, M. D." I presume the article refers to the widow of the Hon. Modomonte Dominiceti, the son of Dr. Bartholomew Dominiceti, of whom Mr. Faulkner, in his work now publishing, entitled, An Historical and Topographical Account of Chelsea and its environs," makes the following mention:

[ocr errors]

"DR. DOMINICETI'S BATHS.-The dwelling house now in the tenure of the Rev. Weeden Butler, was once inhabited by one Dominiceti, an Italian physician, or rather charlatan, of very considerable notoriety and talents. At this house he established medicinal baths for the cure of all diseases; and it was fitted up with pipes, &c. for the accommodation of numerous patients, who might choose to reside with him while they were under his care. In the year 1765, it is described as a large, pleasant, and convenient house in Cheynè Walk, which contains four spacious and lofty parlours, two dining rooms, and thirteen bed chambers, to accommodate infirm ladies and gentlemen of rank.

"On the east side of the garden, and directly communicating with the house, was erected an elegant brick and wooden building, one hundred feet long, and sixteen feet wide, in which were the baths and fumigatory stoves, adjoining to which were four sweating bed-chambers, to be directed to any degree of heat, and the water of the bath and the vapourous effluvia of the stove, impregnated with the properties of such herbs and plants as might be supposed most efficacious to the case.

"In March 1755, Dr. Dominiceti opened his baths at Bristol, being then the first of the kind in Europe; and in May 1764, he

rious afflicting diseases by medicated baths, stoves, fumigations, and frictions, founded on facts.'

[ocr errors]

"Sir John says, Dr. Dominiceti has most happily situated himself at Chelsea, as the Thames and the gardener's grounds are his great Apothecary's shop, the one furnishing him with water, the other with herbs; but, what is superior to all reasoning, experience has found, beyond a doubt, that no scorbutic habit, chronic disease, or other distemper arising from obstructed perspiration, can long stand against the Doctor's operations, mild, safe, and agreeable as they are. But whosoever would wish to be thoroughly satisfied what kind of diseases have yielded to this process, I shall refer them to the Doctor's books, where they will find the names of many respectable persons, who, from principles of gratitude, would wish to communicate this remedy to others. The Doctor has not received a guniuea from the public which he has not laid out, with another of his own, to improve his plan for the benefit of the community. Every man is at liberty to contradict these facts, if he can; if not, let him follow the advice of Horace: Si quid novisti rectius istis, candidus imperti; si non, his utere mecum.'

were

"This famous quack resided for several years in Chelsea; and frequent puff advertisements appeared in the newspapers relative to these surprising baths; but it does not appear that any considerable cures ever effected by his almost magical delusions. The Doctor used to boast that no dead man, woman, or child, was ever sent out of his doors: the fact was, that those patients who died under his care, were sent out of his garden-gate, at the back of his house. He became bankrupt in Chelsea in

* Medical Anecdotes of the last Thirty Years, by B. Dominiceti, London, 1781,

P. 13.

1829.] Dominiceti Family.- Dedication to Lord Liverpool.

1782, and at length disappeared, overwhelmed with debt.

"Of his advertisements, published during his residence in Chelsea, which display curious specimens of his false modesty and real assurance, some specimens are here selected; sometimes they gave an account of a concert given here; sometimes a letter from the Doctor himself, and sometimes from an anonymous correspondent totally unacquainted with him. One of the latter description laments, that the late Duke of York was not in England when he was taken ill, being convinced, that had he been in the most distant part of the kingdom, he would have ordered himself to be carried to the medicinal baths, by which means, in all probability, his invaluable life would have been preserved."

I trust, Mr. Urban, your intelligent readers will agree with me in opinion

that the above statement is both interesting and entertaining in no common degree: interesting, inasmuch as it relates to the character and conduct of a man whose abilities must have been sterling; instructive to both young and old, inasmuch as it demonstrates, in an unambitious manner, the sure process by which talents the most splendid may be misapplied by vanity and conceit (like a two-edged sword in improvident hands) to the detriment of their possessors, however extraordinarily gifted by the bounty of Heaven. Of the family of this noted charlatan your readers may peruse, with some degree of good-natured ridicule, an official document, in proof of its claim to nobility. I transcribe it for amusement, and doubt not you will peruse it with pleasure.

Yours, &c.

JOHN EYRE.

"LOCUS ARMORUM FAMILIE DOMINICETI. "To all and singular to whom these presents shall come, we, the Kings, Heralds, and Pursuivants of the corporation of the College of Arms, London, do hereby certify, that an imperial diploma, of the Emperor Ferdinand III. dated at Vienna, the 20th day of March, 1643; a decree of the Senate of the Republic of Venice, dated the 17th of November, 1778, confirming the said Imperial Diploma in all the dominions of the said Republic; a Pedigree, duly attested and supported by the necessary proofs, together with other authentic documents relative to the family of DOMINICETI, have been recorded under the usual forms, in our said College. By all which it appears, that the Emperor Ferdinand III. by the said Imperial Diploma, restored, ratified, and confirmed all the rights, privileges, and pre

7

eminences of antient Nobility of the sacred Roman Empire, and of the most august house of Austria, to Stephen Dominiceti, Francis his brother, and their lawful posterity, heirs, and descendants, both male and female, in infinitum, declared their family to have been noble for many years, augmented their armorial ensigns, and authorized them and their posterity of both sexes, for ever, to bear the arms above depicted; that Bartholomew Dominiceti, of Chelsea, in the county of Middlesex, Doctor of Physic, lineally descended from the said Stephen, is the present representative of that family, which has been established in Salo, in the dominion of the Republic of Venice, upwards of two hundred years, in the rank of NOBLES; and that the name of the said Dr. BARTHOLOMEW DOMINICETI, with those

of his sons, Dr. Rodomonte, Hector, and Cæsar, and his brothers Jerome and Francis, are, in pursuance of the decree of the Senate of Venice, inscribed in the Golden Book, where persons duly qualified with titles of Nobility are usually registered.

"In witness whereof, we have hereunto affixed the common seal of our said corporation, this 22d day of December, in the 21st year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord George III. by the grace of God, King of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, Defender of the faith, &c. and in the year of our Lord 1780.

(Signed)

(L. S.)

RALPH BIGLAND, Garter Principal King of Arms, and Registrar.

MR. URBAN, Jan. 8. Bishop Lowth on Isaiah Ixiv. YOMPARING, to-day, note of with Archbishop Laurence's Translation of his "Codex Ethiopicus, I accidentally opened the Dedication of the latter work, which follows the title-page, and I be gleave to transcribe, what at this moment appears to me of public interest,-the testimony of the learned writer (then far below the station he now so ably fills,) to the great character of the noble and most excellent Statesman, whose loss to the Country your present number records.

"Honoratissimo Illustrissimoque Domino Comiti de Liverpool, Ærarii viris cum selectioribus Præfecto, Regiæ Majestati ab intimis consiliis, quæ Deo adjuvante Europæ res collapsas restituerunt, atque Fidem ac Libertatem ex terris evolantes restinctis bellis revocârunt, &c. &c. Patriæ Propugnatori, Ecclesiæ Tutori, omniumque qui aut de Patriâ aut de Ecclesiâ bene mereri studeant fautori munifico, &c. &c. dat, dicat, consecrat Editor."

« AnteriorContinuar »