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Page 232, line 41. ate deity engaged in Page 232, line 43. Brontes, Steropes and volcanoes of Sicily, of Page 233, line 24.

Demiurgus. In Eastern mythology a subordinthe creation of the world.

Vulcanian three. The vulcanian Cyclops were
Pyracmon, whose workshops were beneath the
which Mongibello is one.
Strange bedfellows . . ."

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Trinculo. Misery acquaints a man with strange bedfellows. "The Tempest," Act II., Scene 2, lines 41, 42. Page 233, line 30. "Truly, fairest Lady The passage quoted by Lamb is from Skelton's translation of Don Quixote, Part II., Chapter LVIII. The first sentence runs: "Truly, fairest Lady, Acteon was not more astonished or in suspense when on the sodaine he saw Diana," and so forth.

Page 233, third line from foot. "Fine frenzies."

Theseus. The poet's eye, in a fine frenzy rolling,

Doth glance from heaven to earth, from earth to heaven.

"A Midsummer-Night's Dream," Act V., Scene 1, lines 12, 13.

Page 234, lines 7, 8. Goneril... Regan. In "King Lear." Page 234, line 26. "Guzman de Alfarache." The Picaresque romance by Mateo Aleman-Vida y Lechos del picaro Guzman de Alfarache, Part I., 1599; Part II., 1605. It was translated into English by James Mabbe in 1622 as The Rogue; or, The Life of Guzman de Alfarache. Lamb had a copy.

Page 235.

REJOICINGS UPON THE NEW YEAR'S COMING OF AGE. London Magazine, January, 1823.

This paper, being printed in the same number as that which announced Elia's death (see page 402), was signed "Elia's Ghost."

Lamb returned to this vein of fancy two years or so later when (in 1825) he contributed to his friend William Hone's Every-Day Book the petition of the Twenty-Ninth of February, a day of which Hone had taken no account, and of the Twelfth of August, which from being kept as the birthday of King George IV. during the time that he was Prince of Wales, was, on his accession to the throne, disregarded in favour of April 23, St. George's Day. For these letters see Vol. I. of this edition, pages 297 and 302. Page 235, line 17.

festivals.

The Vigils.

The Vigils are the days preceding

Tiffany suit. Tiffany (from Theophany) a very Twelfth Day or Epiphany.

Page 235, line 34. thin silk or gauze. Page 236, line 1. who made it; an astrologer.

Erra Pater. An old term for an almanac or one

Page 236, line 4. December. The longest Page 236, line 12. Page 236, line 19. VOL. II.-29

Twenty First of June... Twenty Second of and shortest days.

Dried ling. Dried fish, food for fasting.

Shrove Tuesday... Second of September.

It used to be a custom to throw sticks and stones at cocks on Shrove Tuesday. Lamb's pen seems to have slipped in the matter of September 2, for pheasants are not game until October 1, and September 1 is the date for partridges.

Page 236, line 25. Thirtieth of January. Charles I. was beheaded on January 30. Roundheads used to eat a calf's head on the anniversary of that day.

Page 236, line 32. Page 236, line 35. date of the Restoration, Page 236, line 37. tion of this quarrel. Page 237, line 7. Bi-geny. A pun on bigamy, meaning two births. Page 237, line 11. The same lady... Washing. I suspect Lamb to have confused Candlemas with Halloween. I can find no superstition connected with washing on Candlemas Day or Eve, whereas Halloween has several, not unconnected with one's future husband or wife.

Herodias' daughter. See Mark vi.

Twenty Ninth of May. Oak Apple Day. The
or Charles II.'s entry into London, 1660.
A notable dispute. See note above for explana-

Page 237, line 23. "New Brooms." A reference to new brooms sweeping clean.

Page 237, line 30.

Boutefeu. Incendiary.

Page 237, line 42. Greek Calends and Latter Lammas. Two phrases signifying never. The Greeks had no calends. Romans who liquefy a debt would postpone payment till the

did not propose to
Greek calends.
Page 238, line 3.
Page 238, line 10.

catch :

Page 238, line 16. those who borrow.

"Miserere." The fifty-first psalm.

"Which is the properest day...?" The old

Which is the properest day to drink?
Saturday? Sunday? Monday?

Every day in the week I think,
Why should I name but one day!

Forty Days before Easter.

Lent; referring to

Page 238, line 26. Ember Days. These are the Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays after the first Sunday in Lent, the Feast of Pentecost, Holy-rood Day (September 14) and St. Lucia's Day (December 15).

Page 238, line 27. Old Madam Septuagesima. So called from being the seventieth day from Easter, or thereabouts; the third Sunday before Lent; the ninth before Easter.

The Rogation Days are the

From Ariel's song

Page 238, line 30. Rogation Day. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday following Rogation Sunday, the fifth after Easter Day, which is the Day of Supplication. Page 239, line 3. "On the bat's back.

in "The Tempest." Lamb confesses, in at least two of his letters, to a precisely similar plight.

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