“1653.—­The third of March, Mr. John Case of Chart next Sutton Clarke, being chosen by the parishioners of the said Chart, to be the Register of the said parish according to the Act touching marriages, births, and buryalls, was this day sworne before me, and I do allow and approve of him to be Register accordingly.  As witness my hand.

Richa.  Beale.”

“1660.—­Marye, the daughter of John Smith, Esq. was baptized on the thirteenth daye of Januarie, 1660, by John Case, Vicar.  The first that hath been baptized at the font since it was re-erected by the appoynm’t of the said Mr. Smith, being full sixteene yeers paste.  One Thomas Scoone, an elder, having, out of his blinde zeale, defaced and pulled it downe, w’t other ornaments belonging to the churche.”

E.R.J.H.

Chancery Lane, 7th March.

* * * * *

Bis dat qui cito dat.

Inquiry has been often made as to the origin of this proverb.  Alciatus is referred to generally as the authority whence it was derived.  I think, however, it may be traced to Publius Syrus, who lived about forty-four years before Christ.  It is equally probable, from the peculiar species of composition in which the thought, if not the exact words are found, that the proverb was derived from another and an earlier source.  The object of mimic exhibitions is to impress the mind by imitation.  Human life is burlesqued, personal defect heightened and ridiculed; character is never represented in degree, but in extremes.  The dialogue of satirical comedy assumes naturally the form of the apophthegm—­it is epigrammatic and compressed that it may be pungent and striking.  Hence, no species of writing is more allied to or more likely to pass into household words, and to become proverbs among a people of quick retentive powers, such as the Greeks were, to whom we are perhaps indebted for this.  I send you the extract from Alciatus; Emblemata, No. 162.  Antverpiae, 18mo. 1584.  Apud Christophorum Plantinum.

  “Tres Charites Veneri assistunt, dominamque sequuntur: 
    Hincque voluptates, atque alimenta parant;
  Laetitiam Euphrosyne, speciosum Aglaia nitorem;
    Suadela est Pithus, blandus et ore lepos. 
  Cur nudae? mentis quoniam candore venustas
    Constat, et eximia simplicitate plucet. 
  An quia nil referunt ingrati, atque arcula inanis
    Est Charitum? qui dat munera, nudus eget. 
  Addita cur nuper pedibus talaria? Bis dat
    Qui cito dat—­Minimi gratia tarda preti est. 
  Implicitis ulnis cur vertitur altera? gratus
    Fenerat:  huic remanent una abeunte duae. 
  Jupiter iis genitor, coeli de semine divas
    Omnibus acceptas edidit Eurynome.”

Now here we have the proverb clearly enough.

I subjoin the note upon the lines in which it appears.

“Bis dat qui cito dat,” in Mimis Publii.  “Beneficium inopi bis dat, qui dat celeriter.”  Proverb, Bis dat, &c.