i
Wyonis. Anno MDCXXXII." Sm. 8vo. pp. xvi. 570. 198.

It is an answer to Sir Humphrey Lynd's _Via Tuta_ and _Via Devia_. In
Wood's _Ath. Oxon._, edit. Bliss, fol. ii. col. 602, two answers to the
_Via Tuta_ are mentioned; but this is not noticed. From the author
stating in the preface, "I confesse, Sir Humfrey, I am Tom Teltruth, who
cannot flatter or dissemble," I suppose the initials T.T. to be
fictitious.

John I. Dredge.

_Morganatic Marriages.--Morganatique._--What is the derivation of this
word, and what its _actual signification_?

In the _Dictionnaire de l'Academie Francaise_ (ed. 4to., 1835), the word
does not appear. In Boister's _Dictionnaire Universel_ (Bruxelles, 1835)
it is thus given:--

"Morganatique, _adj. 2 g._, nocturne, mysterieux, entrainee par
seduction; (mariage) mariage secret des princes d'Allemagne avec
une personne d'un rang inferieur."

And the same definition is given by Landais (Paris, 4to., 1842), but
this does not give the derivation or literal signification of the word
"_morganatic_." It is not in Johnson's _Dictionary_; but in Smart's
_Dictionary Epitomized_ (Longman and Co., 1840) it is thus given:--

"Morganatic, _a._, applied to the marriage in which a gift in
the morning is to stand in lieu of dowry, or of all right of
inheritance, that might otherwise fall to the issue."

This, however, is inconsistent with the definition of _nocturne_,
_mysterieux_, for the gift in lieu of dowry would have nothing of
mystery in it.

Will some of your correspondents afford, if they can, any reasonable
explanation which justifies the application of the word to inferior or
left-handed marriages?

G.

[Will our correspondent accept the following as a satisfactory
reply?]

_Morganatic Marriage_ (Vol. ii, p. 72.).--The fairy Morgana was married
to a mortal. Is not this a sufficient explanation of the term morganatic
being applied to marriages where the parties are of unequal rank?

S.S.

_Gospel of Distaffs._--Can any reader say where a copy of the _Gospel of
Distaffs_ may be accessible? It was printed by Wynkyn de Worde, and Sir
E. Brydges, who describes it, says a complete copy was in Mr. Heber's
library. A few leaves are found in Bagford's Collection, Harleian MS.
5919., which only raises the desire to see the whole. Dibdin's _Ames'
Typography_, vol. ii. p. 232., has an account of it.

W. Bell.

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