Notes and Queries, Number 82, May 24, 1851 / A Medium of Inter-communication for Literary Men, Artists, Antiquaries, Genealogists, etc.

Minor Queries Answered.

"Many a Word."—Your correspondent's observations are perfectly correct: we daily use quotations we know not where to find. Perhaps some of your friends may be able to reply whence

"Many a word, at random spoke

Will rend a heart that's well-nigh broke."

S. P.

[The lines will be found in Walter Scott's Lord of the Isles, Canto V. St. 18.

"O! many a shaft, at random sent

Finds mark the archer little meant!

And many a word, at random spoken

May soothe or wound a heart's that broken!"]

Roman Catholic Church (Vol. iii., p. 168.).—Many thanks for your reference to the Almanach du ClergÉ de France; but as I have failed to obtain the requisite information through my booksellers, might I beg the additional favour of knowing what is the cost of the book, and where it can be procured?

E. H. A.

[The Almanach to which our correspondent refers is or was published by Gaume frÈres À Paris, and sold also by Grand, rue du Petit-Bourbon, 6, in the same city. Its price, judging from the size of the book, is about a couple of francs.]

Tick (Vol. iii., p. 357.).—Mr. De la Pryme's suggestion as to the origin of the expression "going tick" is ingenious; nevertheless I take it to be clear that "tick" is merely an abbreviation of ticket. (See Nares's Glossary, and Halliwell's Dictionary of Archaic and Provincial Words, under "Ticket.") In addition to the passages cited by them from Decker, Cotgrave, Stephens, and Shirley, I may refer to the Act 16 Car. II. c.7. s.3., which relates to gambling and betting "upon ticket or credit."

C. H. Cooper.

Cambridge, May 3. 1851.

[In the Mirrour for Magistrates, p 421., we read:—

"Of tickle credit ne had bin the mischiefe."

"Tickle credit," says Pegge, "means easy credit, alluding to the credulity of Theseus."—Anonymiana, cent. ii. 44. Mr. Jon Bee, in his Sportsman's Slang Dictionary, gives the following definition:—

"Tick", credit in small quantities; usually scored up with chalk (called ink ironically), which being done with a sound resembling 'tick, tick, tick,' gives the appellation 'going to tick,' 'tick it up,' 'my tick is out,' 'no more tick!'"]

Hylles' Arithmetic.—Having seen it mentioned in the public papers that a copy of the first edition of Cocker's Arithmetic (considered unique) was lately sold at an exceedingly high price by Messrs. Puttick and Simpson, I am induced to send you a copy of the title-page of an arithmetical work in my possession which seems a curiosity in its way; but whether unique or not, my slender bibliographical knowledge does not enable me to determine. It is as follows:

"The Arte of Vulgar Arithmeticke, both in Integers and Fractions, devided into two Bookes, whereof the first is called Nomodidactus Numerorum, and the second Portus Proportionum, with certeine Demonstrations, reduced into so plaine and perfect Method, as the like hath not hetherto beene published in English. Wherevnto is added a third Booke, entituled Musa Mercatorum: comprehending all the most necessarie and profitable Rules vsed in the trade of Merchandise. In all which three Bookes, the Rules, Precepts, and Maxims are onely composed in meeter for the better retaining of them in memorie, but also the operations, examples, demonstrations, and questions, are in most easie wise expounded and explaned, in the forme of a dialogue, for the reader's more cleere vnderstanding. A knowledge pleasant for Gentlemen, commendable for Capteines and Soldiers, profitable for Merchants, and generally necessarie for all estates and degrees. Newly collected, digested, and in some part deuised by a welwiller to the Mathematicals."
"Ecclesiasticus, cap. 19.
"Learning unto fooles is as fetters on their feete and manicles vpon their right hand; but to the wise it is a Iewell of golde, and like a Bracelet vpon his right arme.
"Boetius. I. Arith. cap. 2.
"Omnia quÆcunque a primÆua natura constructa sunt, Numerorum videntur racione formata. Hoc enim fuit principale in animo conditoris exemplar. Imprinted at London by Gabriel Simson, dwelling in Fleete Lane, 1600."

The volume (which is a small quarto of 270 folios) is dedicated "To the Right Honorable sir Thomas Sackuill, Knight, Baron of Buckhurst, Lord Treasurer of England," &c. &c., by Thomas Hylles.

Perhaps one or other of your correspondents will kindly inform me whether this volume is a rarity, and also oblige me with some information regarding Thomas Hylles, its author.

Sn. Davie, Jun.

[Professor De Morgan, in his "Arithmetical Books from the Invention of printing to the present Time," describes Hylles' work "as a big book, heavy with mercantile lore;" and the author as being, "in spite of all his trifling, a man of learning." A list of the author's other works will be found in Watt's Bibliotheca Britannica, and Lowndes's Bibliographer's Manual of English Literature, under the word Hills (Thomas). See also Ames's Typographical Antiquities.]

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