Volume 1

A glossary, or, Collection of words, phrases, names, and allusions to customs, proverbs, etc., which have been thought to require illustration, in the works of English authors, particularly Shakespeare, and his contemporaries / [Robert Nares].

  • Robert Nares
Date:
1882
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A glossary, or, Collection of words, phrases, names, and allusions to customs, proverbs, etc., which have been thought to require illustration, in the works of English authors, particularly Shakespeare, and his contemporaries / [Robert Nares]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    where the strange mistake of sup- posing it to have no sting is noticed. It is the apis lapidaria of Linnseus ; and among its genuine characters is this: “sting of the females and neu- ters pungent, and concealed within the abdomen.” Donovan, Insects, pi. 385. Dr. Shaw thus concludes his account of the apis lapidaria : It may not be improper to add, that the bees of this division in the genus, are popularly known by the title of humble-bees, and some authors inconversant in natural history, have most erroneously imagined them, in consequence of the above name, to be desti- tute of a sting. Naturalist’s Misc., plate 454. It is for the sake of this elucidation, and the reference to Chaucer, that this article is here introduced. HUMBLESSE, for humbleness. Fre- quently used by Spenser, who had it from Chaucer. fHUMMING. Strong, applied to malt- liquors. But if you chuse a little drink, A glass of wine or humming beer. The heart and spirit for to cheer. Baulk not the cause, but venture in. To take a glass ere you begin. Poor Robin, 1735. I, in return, present you with what is commonly called the compliments of the season, i. e.. That it may be your good luck to have good husbands, good wives, faithful servants, good masters and mistresses ; and every one of you good plenty of the roast beef of Old England, good plumb puddings, good humming strong beer, good tires, and good company to sit by them; and a thousand other valuable blessings, besides kickshaws, &c., during all this merry season of cold weather. Poor Rohm, 1764. fHUMMUMS. An eastern name for sweating-baths. The hummums (or sweatingplaces) are many, resplen- dent in the azure pargetting and tyling wherewith they are ceruleated. Herbert’s Travels, 1638. They were introduced into England soon after this date, and are mentioned not unfrequently in the writers of the 17tli cent. There were hummums of this description in Covent-garden, the site of which is now occupied by hotels wThicli retain the name. Av, and thee and I, if we do not reform, Sax, I’m aii'raid shall sweatin those everlasting hummums with him. Mountfort, Greenwich Park, 1691. Q. What’s your place of worship? A. The hummums. (g. And what’s your devotion there? A. To sweat for the relicts of an old clap, and cup for the sake of complexion. The Beaus Catechism, 1703. HUMOUR. The use, or rather the abuse, of this wTord, in the time of Shakespeare and Jonson, was exces- sive ; wdiat are properly called the manners, in real or fictitious character, being then denominated the humours. But it was applied on all occasions, with little either of judgment or wit; every coxcomb had it in his mouth, and every particularity which he could affect was termed his humour. Shake- speare has abundantly ridiculed it in the foolish character of Nym ; and Jonson has given it a serious attack in the induction to his play of Every Man out of his Humour, the very title of which, as well as that of Every Man in his Humour, bears witness to the popularity of the term. Jonson says that he introduces the subject To give these ignorant, well-spoken days Some taste of their abuse of this word humour. This, it is answered, cannot but be acceptable. Chiefly to sucli as have the happiness Daily to see how the poor innocent word Is rack’d and tortur’d. He then proceeds to a long and serious definition of the word, which, with a good deal of logical affectation, he rightly deduces from the original sense, moisture. To understand this definition, we must go back to the conjectural and fanciful philosophy that prevailed when the senses of many of our words were fixed. The disposition of every man was supposed to arise from four principal humours„ or fluids, in his body; and, conse- quently, that which was prevalent in any one, might be called his particular humour. Blood, phlegm, choler, and melancholy, were the four humours; the two latter being not so properly different fluids, as one fluid, bile, in two different states; common bile, yo\i], choler, and black bile, geXay- ^o\ia. From these fluids were sup- posed to arise the four principal tem- peraments, or mental humours; the sanguine, phlegmatic, choleric, and melancholic: the fluids themselves being more remotely referred to the four elements. Their connection is thus stated by Howell: And it must be so while the starrs poure different influxes upon us, but especially while the humors within us have a symbolization with tbe/wwr elements, who are in restlesse conflict among themselfs who shall have the mastery, as the humors do in us for a predominancy. Parly of Beasts, p. 80. See Elements. This doctrine was that of the schools.