A correspondence corner for not-so-famous lost words

Correspondence on not-so-famous lost words

Jacob Adler seeks a source for the assertion by Menasseh ben Israel in book 2, chapter 26, of Nishmat Hayyim [The Breath of Life], (Amsterdam, 1651), that if an elephant “kills a human being, he does not leave the body until he has cut branches and twigs from the trees of the forest and covered it up and buried it beneath them ”

“Italian and Spanish song texts” (September-October). “After a fair bit of searching,” Constantine Finehouse found the texts Ernest Bergel sought “on this pretty marvelous website: lieder.net.” The site traces the Italian song to an 1841 compilation, Canti popolari toscani, corsi, illirici, greci, raccolti ed illustrati da Niccolò Tommaseo (Venezia, G. Tasso), but provides only the texts, without further sourcing, for the two Spanish songs.

Send inquiries and answers to Chapter and Verse, Harvard Magazine, 7 Ware Street, Cambridge 02138, or via email to chapterandverse@harvardmag.com.

You might also like

Novelist Lev Grossman on Why Fantasy Isn’t About Escapism

The Magicians author discusses his influences, from Harvard to King Arthur to Tolkien.

For Campus Speech, Civility is a Cultural Practice

A former Harvard College dean reviews Princeton President Christopher Eisgruber’s book Terms of Respect.

Parks and Rec Comedy Writer Aisha Muharrar Gets Serious about Grief

With Loved One, the Harvard grad and Lampoon veteran makes her debut as a novelist.

Most popular

FAS Announces New Endowment for Ph.D. Candidates

A $50 million gift from alumni donors aims to protect research opportunities amid political uncertainty

Harvard Students, Alumni to Compete at the 2026 Olympics

Six Crimson athletes are headed to the XXV Winter Games in Milano Cortina 

Martin Nowak Sanctioned for Jeffrey Epstein Involvement

The Faculty of Arts and Sciences announces disciplinary actions.

Explore More From Current Issue

A stylized illustration of red coral branching from a gray base, resembling a fantastical entity.

This TikTok Artist Combines Monsters and Mental Heath

Ava Jinying Salzman’s artwork helps people process difficult feelings.

A football player kicking a ball while another teammate holds it on the field.

A Near-Perfect Football Season Ends in Disappointment

A loss to Villanova derails Harvard in the playoffs. 

Anne Neal Petri in a navy suit leans on a wooden chair against an exterior wall of Mount Vernon..

Mount Vernon, Historic Preservation, and American Politics

Anne Neal Petri promotes George Washington and historic literacy.