Rensselaer Union, Volume 8, Number 40, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 June 1876 — WORDS AND SYMBOLS. [ARTICLE]

WORDS AND SYMBOLS.

I have here only made a nosegay of cnlled flowers, and have brought nothing of my owrn but the string which hinds them together.—Montaigne. It would almost seem as though words and symbols were as anxious to keep their age a secret as ladies are reputed to be, so youthful and jaunty do some of them appear, which really have the dnst of ages clinging to their forms, and could tell us, if we knew enough to make them impart their mystery, interesting stories of Greek or Roman customs, and curious tales of the long ago. It strikes us strangely to see a small character preserving its form, and surviving all the attacks of time, unchanged, while the generations which gave it being have passed away, their cities crumbled into dust, and their very nation become simply a remembrance. Yet the dollar-mark ($) is such an instance, the oldest symbol known to the human race in use, as a late writer in one of our magazines proves, for thousands of years. Long, long ago, before Britain was discovered, a Tyrian navigator, sailing in search of a new country and a new home, raised at Cadiz a temple to Hercules, and within it placed two pillars of gold and silver, their capitals engraved with curious characters which no one could read, but which were supposed to be the chains which bound the earth and sea together. These pillars became in time the arms of Cadiz, and upon Charles V. becoming Emperor of Germany, in the new coat of arms they became the supporters of the device. The Imperial mint was established at Seville, ana upon the standard dollar as the most prominent figure was placed the pillars with the scroll twined about them, the very device used at this day to represent the almighty dollar. Long before this time, liowever, the pillars were used by the inhabitants of Scandinavia as household gods, and it was their custom, upon emigrating to some unknown land, as they neared the shore to throw the pillars overboard, and where they landed was always the new home made. Farther back in the ages than this, even, was the first Jewish temple, and at the ‘entrance to this was placed, as we are told in 11. Rings, two pillars, which are supposed to have represented the pillars of cloud and fire. To those wko are acquainted with this history it is rather amusing to he told that the character is simply a combination of the letters U. S., intimating that our youthful America invented this, the most ancient of symbols, which was in use ages before Columbus was born. Equally mistaken is the idea tnat the symbol is a contraction of the Spanish word pesos, meaning dollars, or that the original way of writing the character was 8 8, from the dollar being a piece of eight reals. The English pound (£) owes the horizontal bars to the same symbol, for in the time of Henvy VIII., when the present pound was introduced, these pillars had come to be recognized as the established money symbol. The L came from the Latin libra, a balance, and signified a standard by which to weigh the precious metals.

The word dollar comes from the German, and means valley. Itseems that, in the early part of the sixteenth century, there lived in the little town of Joachimisthal, in Germany, a powerful noble family. From the year 1517 to 1526 the Counts of Schlick were accustomed to coin pieces of money weighing an ounce, which,from the town, were called Joachim-is-thaler, This being rather too much of a mouthful, the word was shortened to thaler, and gradually changed to dollar. The symbol of the' cross, which one naturally connects With the time of,our Savior, dates many centuries back of the Christian era, ana extehds so far in the .shadowy past that the time of its birth is lost in darkness. We find that it was an ornament among the Etruscans; that it was engraved among Assyrian hieroglyphics; used* m connection with Hindoo mythological figures, and even found in the Mexican antiquities of Central America. To the Greeks and Romans the cross was known also, not only in the common form, but in all the varieties that we have at present; so how, or where, or when it originated will probably never be known. I The exclamation “ Hurrah !” how often have we heard it shouted as the healthy, roystering school-boy rushed past, or the excited politician expressed his liking for one candidate or adothSß little dreaming of the far-off origin top woftf monly used. It seems it» really-derived from harri, which was introduced into Germany by the people who wandered into Europe from Central Asia, where it is in use to this day, as one of the names 3f the God Vishnu. When the Hindoos have anything difficult to accomplish they rry "Harri! HarrmmdTfie exclamation Is frequently heard upon the Ganges if a joat strikes upon a sand-bank, dr the current is strong and it is desirable for the joatment to use all their strength. It is used, in short, whenever the need of aid js felt, and would signify in our language, |‘ God help us.” l It is also said that the expression we tear so commonly used, “Dear me,” and vhich, when critically examined, seems o mean nothing atali, is from the Italian, f Dio Mio, My God.” | The word tumbler has a curious and ncient origin. In the old times, among he early Saxons, each one had his own I articular drinking horn or cup. Usually K was a horn beautifully carved, and Sometimes studded with precious gems, [■his drinking-horn was often disposed of Ey will, and was considered one of the ■lost important gifts to be bestowed, and K a farther instance of its value it may Be stated that before the custom of wit-

neasing by seal was introduced in the transfer of land, the drinking-horn was given as a proof of the contract. Mention is found of a Saxon family holding their estate from Canuto-sitnply by possession of his drinking-horn. The shape of the drinking born and glasses afterward was such that when filled they hail to be emptied at once, as the stem was pointed, and from their propensity to tumble over comes oar word tumbler. The word porcelain is from the Spanish, and means little pig! Think of our exquisite porcelain, dainty enough for Queen Titania herself to sup nectar and ambrosia from, and then of the disgusting hog rolling in mud and squealing far more lustily for “more” than ever poor Oliver Twist dared to. What can be the connection? It is in this wise: In 1518 the Portuguese effected at settlement at Macao and through them the finest specimens oi porcelain were brought into Europe. They had formerly applied the name porcelain to cowrie shells, which represented Oriental money, because of their resemblance to the pink backs of little pigs, and afterward, as the transparent and exquisite China ware resembled the Cowrio shell, it wag called by the same name. The word philopena comes from the German tongue, and the original word, vielliebehein, has quite a romantic story connected with it. It was the custom among the young people of Alsace and Lorraine (then as now under German rule) to betroth themselves by eating the halves of double almonds, and to greet one another, when next they met, as “well-be-loved." When these countries were united with France, they lost their own language to a great extent, and many words which they retained became corrupt, among others this old expression. It gradually changed until it became “pnilippo,” which, when properly pronounced, sounds like the o!d word, but with us it has become “philopena.” This old custom is kept up among these people to the present time, and instead of giving an ordinary present to the one who “catches” the other, nothing less satisfies them than an exchange of hearts. Quite a number of words m one language now in common use have come from the names of men who were celebrated lor certain qualities which these words now express to us. The word fudge is an instance, and according to D’lsraeli, is derived from the name of an old sea-captain whose imagination was sometimes too much for him to contend with. Mr. D’lsraeli quotes from a pamphlet entitled “ Remarks upon the Wary,” published in the eighteenth century, as follows: “ There was in one time one Captaing Fudge, who, upon his return from a voyage, how ill-fraught soever his ship was, always brought home the owners a good cargo of lies; so much so that now aboard ship, the sailors, when they hear a great lie told, cry out, “ You fudge it!” The word cant isderived from the name of a clergyman in Cromwell's time, who was conspicuous, even among the Roundheads, for his lon» prayers, nis frequent use of Scripture language, and the manner peculiar to the stern old Puritans. His name was used to the Cavaliers, and we hear it still in daily conversation to designate any whiny, hypocritical, religious conversation.

Duu is a word of similar origin, the name of a bailiff in the time of Henry •VII., so stern and severe that he neverfailed to collect a debt; so, when men grew weary of a man who never paid, they grew to exclaiming: “ I’ll have it, anyway; I’ll Dun him.” 1 have lately read of a conceited member of Congress, a Col. Buncombe, who was constantly upon his feet, making long, wordy speeches, containing nothing but his own glorification. On one occasion, when the worn-out members were leaving almost in a body, he exclaimed: “ You can all go, gentlemen. I can just as well finish what I have to say to myself. Ido not speak foryou,butfor Buncombe.” The word was adopted at once, and the expression, “it’s all for buncombe,” is heard every day. In the early ages of the Christian era lived an Arabian physician and chemist, a Dr. Geber, whose life was spent in endeavoring, by chemical processes, to turn the baser metals into gold. He was one of the very earliest writers on chemistry, but so obscure was his style of composition, that his name, Geber, has given us the word gibberish, expressing a collection of words with no meaning attached. But the little story wrapped up in the word dunce is quite a sad one, ana shows us quite convincingly that fame and honor, one century, may turn to contempt and disrespect the next. This word, so commonly used in anything but a complimentary manner, comes from the name of a man so celebrated for learning that he was termed the “subtle doctor,” and so full of genius that thegigh dying at the early age of thirty, he was known far and wide on account of the knowledge he possessed. His name was Duns Scotus, and he was OHOTff Ihe"ffcinuus''schoolmen edu-~ cated at the Cathedral schools founded by the brilliant Charlemagne. Bnt alas for famo! In after years, at the revival of learning, the works of the once famous schoolmen fell into disrepute, and men began to look with contempt upon the followers of Duns Scotus. They began to say sarcastically •“ He is a Duns man,” and finally, "He is a dunce.” ff is enough to make a man turn in his grave; but as this thing has been going on a thousand years or so, it is to be hoped poor Duns Scotus has become used to it by this time.

It is quite a curious study to trace the lineage of some words now considered very inelegant, but we find, if we carry our investigation far enough into the shadowy past, which is, however, illuminated by as brilliant lights in the realms ot Srose and poetry ag any we can produce 1 the present day, that these despised words were then in high favor, and used by the best writers. Such a word is “ bully,” used by Shakspeare, Scott, and even Irving, The use of “jolly,” in the sense of extremely, is centuries old, and we tind this expression in a theological work published in London in 1656: “ All was jolly quiet at Ephesus Wore St. Paul went thither.” We also find Katherine saying to Petrucio: Ti* like you’ll prove a Jolly surly groom. In Otway’s “ Venice Preserved,” considered by Goldsmith the finest tragedy in the language after those Shakspeare produced, we find what would now be considered an unpardonable expression, viz.: “ Pump me not for politics.” Dreadful to say, Pope and Dryden both speak familiarly of taking a mack , and such words as rile , click, aplurq*, rich, etc., were used by the very best writers. To speak of absquatulating,' and of honing in the sense of stealing, were also considered quite proper. Words, in the course of time, change their signification very materially. Wretch formerly was a word of endearment. Villain meant only a bondman in the feudal times; the goaaip was the sponsor in baptism, and idiot was a person in private life, distinguished from those who held

office. Knave meant a servant; and in an early version of the New Testament we find “ Paul, a knave of Jesus Christ." Bacon, in his “ Pathway Unto Prayer/* says: “Let us pray for the preservation of the King’s most excellent Majesty, and for the prosperous success of his entirely beloved son, Edward, our Prince, that most angelic imp.” Gascoigne, in an old hymn, has these words: O Israel, O household of the Lord I O Abraham’s brats, o word of blessed seed, O blessed flock that love the Lord Indeed!’’ And so one could easily continue ad infinitum, for as another has beautifully said, “ Words possess an endless, indefinable, tantalizing charm. They paint humanity, its thoughts, longings, aspirations, struggles, failures—paint them upon a canvas of breath, in the colors of life.” —Maria T. Woodbridge, in Cincinnati Times.