Hugo Schuchardt Archiv

Hôtel Central, Biarritz, 21 May 1896.

Dear D^r H. Schuchardt,

El Basco of Bilbao in its number of yesterday morning has published my letter suggesting that 500 pesetas should be raised in honour of Whitsunday towards publishing a facsimile edition of Micoletas Basque Grammar (Bilbao 1653) which exists in manuscript at the British Museum. I have had a correspondence about it for 16 months with M^r G. F. Barwick, sublibrarian there, who knows Castilian. I am informed that M ^r. L. B. Fleming, Norwood Villa, Hanwell, England, has consented to publish 50 copies by photolithography for twenty pounds. I have his letter in my pocket. They say the manuscript is eminently worthy and capable of photographic multiplication. A small cheap printed edition might then be brought out in Bilbao for practical handling and use. I wrote a few days ago to M^r le Comte H. de Charencey, asking him also to celebrate next Sunday by making an effort to raise the necessary sum among the rich savants at Paris. M^r A. D'Abbadie coud do it by a stroke of his pen! And Micoleta was one of those Catholic priests whom he respects so much! I am busy writing out the Basque part of my Concordance to S^t. Luke from the Belloc sur Arran copy of Leiçarraga. Utter slavery & fearful sacrifice of time! No encouragement on any side. I have still the other gospels, The Acts & appendices before me. I had today a letter from Prof^rClaudio Giacomino of Milano thanking me for my appendix to the proverbs of 1596, of which he recognises the utility. Can you persuade M^r. Van Eys to send me a list of the persons who have received copies of his edition? If he will not pay me for the appendix intended to be attached to each copy, at least let me make one more sacrifice and distribute the leaflet in the right quarters. The note on oramsolventibus in C. Fiervilles edition of Quintilian (Paris 1890) reminded me of Basque ora, oratu, as in the Proverbs of Pamplona.

E. S. Dodgson.

Latin ora-re¹ might be of the same origin as the ancients prayer by grasping and clasping² the knees. Be you my oracle to solve this knotty question!