quoted, as Hannah, gracious; Jemima, handsome as the day; Dinah, judgment; Sarah, princess; and Zipporah, beauty.

When a Roman father had but one daughter, she received a name derived from the gens, as Tullia, the daughter of Cicero; Julia, the daughter of Cæsar. If there were two daughters in one family, they were distinguished as Major and Minor, as Cornelia Major, Cornelia Minor. If there were more than two, the ordinal numbers were used, as Secunda, Tertia, Quarta, Quinta, sometimes softened into Tertilla, Quartilla, Quintilla. Some wicked wit has affirmed that Lord John Russell, owing to his accurate business habits, sometimes, in fits of abstraction, alludes to his children as Schedule A, Schedule B, and

use of the dolphin. These editions of the Roman classics were prepared, in accordance with the wishes of Louis XIV, by learned scholars for the use of the heir apparent, who is styled the "Daupin" or dolphin. Mr. Lower informs us why that august personage is so named. It seems that many English and French surnames have been derived from the devices which decorated the banners and shields of knights in the days of chivalry. The armorial ensign is metonymically put for the bearer of it. One of the early Troubadours was called the knight of the dolphin because he bore that emblem on his shield. His estate, was called Daupliné. In the person of one of his successors the name Dauphin, Latin Delphinus, became the title to sovereign dignity. Many other illustri

ous

families derive their pedigree from beasts, birds, fishes, and even angels and saints, in the same way. The armorial bearings of noble knights were often copied on the signs of inns, or emblems were devised in imitation of heraldic signs. So "mine host" would naturally be distinguished from other landlords by his sign; thus John at the lion, bull, or angel, easily became John Lion, John Bull, or John Angel. In this way, the man and all his posterity became brutes or divinities by virtue of the chosen symbol of his vocation. In the days of Edward IV, a citizen in Cheapside was executed as a traitor for saying he would make his son heir to the crown, though he only meant his own inn, whose sign was a crown. The best authorities affirm that all the "Smiths" derive their surname from their trade.

"From whence comes Smith, all be he Knight or Squire,

But from the smith that forgeth in the fire."

Smith, from the Anglo-Saxon "smitan," to smite or strike, means one who smiteth with a hammer, and originally applied to a carpenter as well as to one who forges metals.

Many familiar names have been formed by simply appending the sign of the possessive case to the father's Christian name, as John his son, Abram his son, Peter his son, Nelly her son, Gilbert his son, in an abbreviated form, become John's or Jones, Abram's or Abrams, Nell's or Nelson, Gib's or Gibson. By a similar abridgement we get Sanders and Alley from Alexander; Benn and Benson from Benjamin; Ball and Bawson from Baldwin (Anglo-Saxon, "bald," bold, and "win," battle); Kitts and Kitson, from Christopher (from the Greek yptar and po); Cutts, Cuthbert, Anglo-Saxon "Cuth," known or distinguished, and "beorht," brightness; and Munn and Monson from Edmund.

Proper names are derived from almost every conceivable source. There is no sobriquet however vulgar, no calling however degraded, no condition however low, no deformity however repulsive, that does not furnish names to persons who thus innocently proclaim that their

"blood

Has crept through scoundrels ever since the flood."

If names were still as significant of attributes, qualities, and employments as when they were first imposed, men might be found for every possible demand. Does one desire a companion for a journey? We mention a Traveller, a Walker,

a

an Ambler, a Trotter, and a Ryder. If he, like Horace, is slow in his progress, he can choose a Hobler and a Hopper. If he is "fast" man, he may take a Jumper and a Skipper, or that merry trio, Trot, Gallop, and Canter. Does one need spiritual counsel? The whole retinue of ecclesiastics are at his service from a Pope to a Priest, from a Bishop to a Dean.

Is he in humor for a dance? Messrs.

Steptoe, Lightfoot, and Dancey will fill the "Scotch reel." Does he need a purveyor? A Butcher, a Blood, a Slaughter are ready for the work. Would he call a surgeon? Drs. Cutter, Cutting, Burns, and Smart are at hand. If he simply needs advice or a prescription,-Drs. Physic, Bolus, and Nurse may be called. If he is dead, and mourning friends need assistance, Messrs. Church, Coffin, Tombs, or Graves may instantly be summoned. Indeed, there is no service required by man, from the cradle to the grave, which is not literally represented in the names of men. Sometimes a man's name stands in striking contrast with his vocation in business. How very incongruous would be the association, if Messrs. Coffin and Death should be the managers of a fashionable " Assembly”!

66

Think of Craven and Coward in the imminent deadly breach," or Meek and Mercy officiating as hangmen, or Joy and Merry acting as undertakers. Horace Smith playfully alludes to the incongruity between the old names and the present uses of places about London. "Thus we apply the name of Whitehall to a black chapel, Cheapside is dear on both sides, the Serpentine river is a straight canal, Knightsbridge has no bridge, Moor

fields exhibit no more fields, the fields, the Green park was all last autumn completely brown, Green street was in no better plight, and both, according to Goldsmith's recommendation concerning the aged peas with which he was served, should be removed to Hammersmith, because that is the way to Turnham Green."

The study of names has a greater philological value than the study of common words. The names of persous and places are, in numerous instances, the only existing memorials of departed nations. The Greeks and Romans displaced or annihilated numerous nations and languages in southern and central Europe. The Pelasgi and the Etrusci are only known by their monuments and monumental inscriptions. They only live in the names which they gave to places and heroes. "Stat nominis umbra." We everywhere tread upon the ashes of buried nations. Soon nothing will be known of the red men who have occupied this whole continent but the names they have affixed to mountains, lakes, and rivers. Proper names, therefore, have a historical value. Every name is a legend or myth to tell us how men of bygone ages looked, thought, and acted.

Says Mr. Donaldson,-“ When we hear a stream called Wans-beckwater, and know that the three words of which the compound is made up

6

6

"In the Celtic dialect, for instance, Glynde means a vale, Comb (crom) a deep valley, and Caburn (caer-byrn) a fortified hill. All these occur in Sussex. In Latin, Castrum is a fortified station: this word corrupted by the Saxons to 'ceaster' or common termination of chester is a In Anglomany English words. Saxon, Ley' and Tun' mean field and an enclosure. In French, Malfosse stands for a dangerous ravine, and Beaulieu for a pleasant situation." Thus Alfriston is Aelfrick's enclosure, Clapham, Clappa's home, fortress, CanChichester, Cissa's terbury (Anglo-Saxon, Cant-waereburg), the chief town in Kent. Names terminating in ville (Latin, villa) are of French origin. Such examples might be multiplied indefinitely, but enough has been written to show that the study of proper names yields all that Horace ascribes to true poetry— pleasure and profit.

VOL. X.

No. 12.

note.

He

Mason Weare Tappan, son of Weare Tappan, Esquire, was born in Newport, New Hampshire, October 20, 1817. His boyhood and youth were passed in Bradford. received his education at the Hopkinton and Meriden academies, studied law with Hon. George W. Nesmith, and was admitted to the bar in 1841. He soon acquired an extensive practice, and by his power as an advocate became a man of He represented Bradford in the legislature in 1853, 1854, and 1855, during the second year receiving the nomination of his party for the speakership, and coming within two votes of an election. Forgetting past contentions, and moved by the prominent stand he had taken in the legislature, the Whigs, Free-Soilers, Independent Democrats, and Americans came to his support, nominated him, and elected him to the Thirty-Fourth Congress. He was twice reëlected. He served the state with distin

guished ability, and won the reputation of an able and fearless champion of the cause of the Union and the great principles of the Republican party. He was "active, enthusiastic, and always conciliatory, when conciliation is needed. With a heart forced by its very nature to hate falsehood, oppression, and wrong, he is just the man whom a free people should delight to honor, and in honoring whom they most honor themselves."

Mr. Tappan's course throughout, as a member of congress, was characterized by a conscientious regard for the right, and by the true spirit of independence. His eloquent speeches were not only a power in the house, but were used broadcast throughout the land to awaken patriotism.

During his term of office he served on the Judiciary Committee, and was chairman of the Committee on Claims.

At the breaking out of the War