This day two years, on presenting to the public, and to the Literary Men
of England the first number of NOTES AND QUERIES, as "a medium by which
much valuable information might become a sort of common property among
those who can appreciate and use it," we ventured to say, "We do not
anticipate any holding back by those whose 'Notes' are most worth
having, or any want of 'Queries' from those best able to answer them.
Whatever may be the case in other things, it is certain that those who
are best informed are generally the most ready to communicate knowledge
and to confess ignorance, to feel the value of such a work as we are
attempting, and to understand that, if it is to be well done, they might
help to do it. Some cheap and frequent means for the interchange of
thought is certainly wanted by those who are engaged in Literature, Art,
and Science; and we only hope to persuade the best men in all, that we
offer them the best medium of communication with each other."
How fully these anticipations have been realised, how all the "best men"
_have_ come forward, we acknowledge with feelings of gratitude and
pride. May we now hope that, in thus forming one fresh bond of union
among the lovers and professors of Literature in this country, we have
contributed towards a recognition of Literature as an honorable
profession, and hastened the time when the claims of Literature,
Science, and Art to some of those honorary distinctions hitherto
exclusively conferred upon the Naval, Military, or Civil Servants of the
Crown, will be admitted and acted upon. For as we hold with Chaucer:
"That he is gentil who doth gentil dedes;"
so we would have those men especially honoured, whose "gentil dedes" in
Literature, Science, and Art tend to elevate the minds, and thereby
promote the happiness of their fellow-men.
That gallant gentleman, Captain Sword, whose good services we readily
acknowledge, has hitherto monopolized all the honours which the
sovereign has thought proper to distribute. We would fain see good
Master Pen now take his fair share of them;[1] and the present moment,
when Peace has just celebrated her Jubilee in the presence of admiring
millions, is surely the fittest moment that could be selected for the
establishment of some Order (call it of Victoria, or Civil Merit, or
what you will) to honour those followers of the Arts of Peace to whose
genius, learning, and skill the great event of the year 1851 owes its
brilliant conception, its happy execution, its triumphant success.
[Footnote 1: We are glad to find that the views we have here
advocated, have the support of the leading journal of Europe. Vide
_The Times_ of Wednesday last.]
The reign of the Illustrious Lady who now fills with so much dignity the
Throne of these Realms, has happily been pre-eminently distinguished
(and long may it be so!) by all unexampled progress made in all the Arts
of Peace. Her Majesty has been pre-eminently a Patron of all such Arts.
How graceful then, on the part of Her Majesty, would be the immediate
institution of an Order of Civil Merit! How gratifying to those
accomplished and worthy men on whom Her Majesty might be pleased to
confer it!
Notes.