His madness means nothing more than drinking, as he has thought proper to let us know. He quotes Anacreon. Αφες με, τις θεός, σου. "I pray thee, by the Gods above, And let me sing, in wild delight, I will-I will be mad to night." MOORE. Note 89, page 46. It may not, I think, be amiss for me To leave the earth and take to the sea. Here commences a scene, suggested by the story, in Athenæus, of the drinkers who thought Р their room was a ship, and began tossing the furniture out of the window to lighten it. dramatic imitations of it are well known. Our Note 90, page 47. I'll embark, I will, For my gentle sport, And drink as I'm used, 'Till I settle in Port. There is an equivoque in the original upon the word Brindisi, the spirit of which I have endeavoured to keep. Brindisi is the modern name of Brundusium, and signifies also a toast. I have searched for its etymology in vain, in French and Italian dictionaries, in the Dictionary della Crusca, and among the Italians themselves. On turning, however, to the old dictionary of Florio, (Shakspeare's supposed Holofernes), I met with the following:-" Brindesi, Brindisi, Brindizata, Brins, Brinsi, Brinzi, Brinzata,-an inviting of one to drink, or drinking of healths, taken from the Dutch, Ich bring dis-I present this to you. An acquaintance of mine was much amused by a little boy, who accompanied his brother to an officer's mess. He was placed next the colonel, who, after due pattings of his head, and other encouragements to his modesty, asked him, if he would take a glass of wine with him, and what wine. "I'll take," said the little boy, in a high puerile voice, "a glass of madeira; after that, I'll stick to port." Note 91, page 48. Arianeeny, my beauty, my queeny, Shall sing me a little, and play to me too The reader, not acquainted with the original, must not suppose that I take a dithyrambic liberty here unwarranted by my author. The original is Arianuccia, vaghuccia, belluccia, These "mignardises of expressions" are much more common in Italian than any other language. "Our language," says Redi, in another place, "makes use not only of diminutives, but of the diminutives of diminutives, even unto the third and fourth generation." He is defending them against a French critic, and reckons them among the riches of a language. They have a good effect sometimes, especially on humourous occasions like the present, and in talking to children. A nurse will piccininino a little baby till there seems no end. But a tendency to this kind of talk is surely a greater mark of effeminacy than of strength. Diminutives began to abound in the Latin language during the decline of it. Coocooroocòo is the burden of a popular song, in which the singer imitates the voice and actions of a cock. Imitations of this kind are a very ancient game. There was the dance of the lion, the crane, and the owl, and a mixed dance imitative of various animals and their grins, called Morphasmus. See Julius Pollux, lib. iv. cap. 14. as referred to by our author. |