Some Incidental Writings by de Morgan

Extract

While gathering the materials for something in the nature of a ‘Companion’ to De Morgan’s “Budget of Paradoxes,” I came across a considerable number of his notes, short papers, and other contributions to the famous English periodical known as “Notes and Queries.” The first number appeared on Nov. 3, 1849, and from that date “N. & Q.” has been a household word among those who are afflicted with the insatiable desire to penetrate into the bye-ways of Literature, Genealogy, Heraldry, Antiquarian Lore, the Science of History and the History of Science—all formed grist for those who came to that mill. By the kind permission of the Editor of this invaluable publication, I have been permitted to reproduce from its columns what is presented to the reader in the following pages. The early numbers of “N. & Q.” are exceedingly scarce, and a complete set is hardly to be obtained by those who live at a distance from the great libraries.