Your interesting correspondent MR. BREEN challenges the world to produce
"six good anagrams." It may help him in his search for them to be
referred to two curious papers on the subject in the _Bengal Moofussul
Miscellany_, reprinted in London in 1837. Or, as perhaps he may not have
the book within reach, he may not be displeased at my extracting a few
of the best of them. The first is a compliment paid to one of the
Ptolemies: [Greek: Ptolemaios], [Greek: apo melitos]. Lycophron, in a
similar vein, calls [Greek: Arsinoe], [Greek: ion Heras]. Out of
_William Noy_, Charles I.'s Ship-Money Attorney-General, we have, _I
moyl in law_. _Loraine_ produces _alerion_, which is assigned as the
reason for that house bearing eaglets in their arms. _Sir Edmundbury
Godfrey_ gives, _I fynd murder'd by rogues_. The tale about Lady Eleanor
Davies, lately referred to by one of your contributors, occurs in the
first of these papers; as does another of somewhat later date, which
really deserves to be preserved among your "Notes."
"When young Stanislaus, afterwards king of Poland, returned home
from his travels, all the illustrious family of Leczinki assembled
at Lissa to congratulate him on his arrival. Festivals, shows, and
rejoicings of every kind took place: but the most ingenious
compliment that graced the occasion, was the one paid by the
College of Lissa. There appeared on the stage thirteen dancers,
dressed as youthful warriors; each held in his hand a shield, on
which was engraved in characters of gold, one of the thirteen
letters which compose the two words 'Domus Lescinia.' They then
commenced their dance, and so arranged it, that at each turn their
row of bucklers formed different anagrams. At the first pause they
presented them in the natural order:
Domus Lescinia
At the second Ades Incolumis
At the third Omnis es lucida
At the fourth Mane Sidus Loci
At the fifth Sis Columna Dei
At the last I, scande Solium."
I fear I have already asked for too much of your space, yet must I beg
the least bit more for an anagram which, unless the sacredness of the
subject be accounted a drawback, may well claim a foremost place among
the "six." It is found in Pilate's question to our Lord, _Quid est
veritas?_ which contains its own best answer: _Est Vir qui adest._