I
give, I should be glad of information respecting the best that exist.

It is scarcely necessary to add, that my standard of excellence would
admit only those which bore the character of "immortal verse," rejecting
such as had been saved merely by the music to which they had been
"married."

SAMUEL HICKSON.

Dec. 14. 1850.

_Baron Muenchausen._--Who was the author of this renowned hero's
adventures? The _Conversations-Lexicon_ (art. _Muenchausen_) states that
the stories are to be found under the title of "Mendacia Ridicula," in
vol. iii. of _Deliciae Academicae_, by J.P. Lange (Heilbronn, 1665); and
that "at a later period they appeared in England, where a reviewer
supposed them to be a satire on the ministry." I remember to have read
when a boy (I think in _The Percy Anecdotes_), that the book was written
by an Englishman who was styled "M----," and was described as having
been long a prisoner in the Bastille.

Since writing thus far I have seen the note by J.S. (Vol. ii., pp.
262-3.) on Muenchausen's story of the horn. The idea of sounds frozen in
the air, and thawed by returning warmth, was no invention of "Castilian,
in his _Aulicus_" (_i.e._ Castiglione, author of _Il Cortegiano_); for,
besides that, it is found in his contemporary Rabelais (liv. iv. cc.
55-6), I believe it may be traced to one of the later Greek writers,
from whom Bishop Taylor, in one of his sermons, borrows it as an
illustration.

J.C.R.

_"Sing Tantararara Rogues all," &c._--The above is the chorus of many
satirical songs written to expose the malpractices of peculators, &c.
Can any of your readers point out who was the author of the _original
song_, and where it is to be found?

A SUBSCRIBER.

_Meaning of "Cauking."_--An old dame told me the other day, in Cheshire,
that her servant was a {520} good one, and among other good qualities
"she never went _cauking_ into the neighbours' houses." Unde derivatur
"cauking?"

CHAS. PASLAM.

* * * * *

REPLIES.

THE WISE MEN OF GOTHAM.

(Vol. ii., p. 476.)

The proverb, "As wise as the men of Gotham." is given in Fuller's
_Worthies_ (ed. 1662, pp. 315, 316.). Ray, in his note upon this,
observes

"It passeth for the _Periphrasis_ of a fool, and an hundred
fopperies are feigned and fathered on the townsfolk of _Gotham_, a
village in this county [Nottinghamshire]. Here two things may be
observed:

"1. Men in all ages hav