* Bavoli, (i.e.) drivelers.-J. EVELYN.
CHOROGRAPHIA: LOCAL INFLUENCES. 11
He is my old acquaintance, and I desired him to tell me freely if the
Irish Boyes had as good witte as the English; because some of our
severe witts have ridiculed the Irish understanding. He protested to
me that he could not find but they had as good witts as the English;
but generally speaking he found they had better memories. Dr. James
Usher, Lord Primate of Ireland, had a great memorie: Dr Hayle (Dr. of
the Chaire at Oxford) had a prodigious memorie: Sir Lleonell Jenkins
told me, from him, that he had read over all the Greeke fathers three
times, and never noted them but with his naile. Mr. .... Congreve, an
excellent dramatique poet. Mr. Jo. Dodwell hath also a great memorie,
and Mr. .... Tolet hathe a girle at Dublin, mathematique, who at
eleven yeares old would solve questions in Algebra to admiration. Mr.
Tolet told me he began to instruct her at seven yeares of age. See the
Journall of the R. Society de hoc.
___________________________________
As to singing voyces wee have great diversity in severall counties of
this nation; and any one may observe that generally in the rich vales
they sing clearer than on the hills, where they labour hard and
breathe a sharp ayre. This difference is manifest between the vale of
North Wilts and the South. So in Somersettshire they generally sing
well in the churches, their pipes are smoother.
Pages:
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45