_Verses in Prose._--I consider the following _not_ to be an instance of casual versification by prose authors:
"Fides antiquitatis religione firmatur. Stato tempore in sylvam,
"'Auguriis patrum et priscâ formidine sacram,'
"omnes ejusdem sanguinis populi legationibus coëunt."
But I consider it to be a quotation from some lost Roman poet. It is too lofty and sonorous to be casual, though such quotations are unusual to the historian.
_Stops, when first introduced_ (Vol. v., pp. 1. 133., &c.).--In order to assist SIR HENRY ELLIS in his inquiry into the use of stops in the early days of typography, I examined some of the earlier specimens of printing which my library afforded, and made the following notes. P. T. had not found the semicolon earlier than 1636, with the exception of Gerard's _Herbal_, 1597. It is, however, probable that the communication of A. J. H. (p. 164.), by which it appears that the semicolon was used in 1585, may render my notes of no use. However, I send my contribution, such as it is.
In an edition of Latimer's _Sermons_, small 4to., black letter, judged to be the edition of 1584, the stop in question is not found. The note of interrogation is very curiously formed,--a colon surmounted by a comma, thus [,:] I might also observe that, to one of such limited knowledge as myself, the paging is singular,--only one numeral on each leaf.
In _Caroli Sigonii de Republica Hebræorum_, libri vij, Hanoviæ, 1608, no semicolon occurs. But in Purchas' _Pilgrimage_, 1613, all the four stops are used. So also in _The Spanish Mandevile of Myracles_, 1618.
_Rev. Nathaniel Spinckes_ (Vol. v., p. 273.).--Anne Spinckes married Anthony Cope, Esq., second son of Sir John Cope, fifth baronet, but had _no issue_.--See Debrett's _Baronetage_.
"'Twas they unsheath'd the ruthless blade, And Heaven shall ask the havock it has made."
AMICUS asks where this couplet is to be found. It appears to me that it has been derived from an imperfect translation of the last two lines of Martial's epigram, L. iv. Ep. 44., in which he describes the effects of a recent eruption of Vesuvius:
"Cuncta jacent flammis, et tristi mersa favillâ: Nec Superi vellent hoc licuisse sibi."
It is a _petit morçeau_ of heathen blasphemy, in supposing that the gods ought to repent of what they have done.