MY LORD! This title has a Grecian origin. "My Lord" was a nickname for deformed men, and is from the Greek word lordus, i. e., crooked. During the feudal times the lower class, by way of humour, called a man that was half an idiot, or deformed, "My Lord," in ridicule of their superiors. This, we suspect, says a writer in the New Monthly Magazine, is a popular fallacy; for after a careful perusal of the most approved works that treat of Nobility, and of its origin, in these realms in particular, we are left very much in the dark as to the original patent in which this branch of it is recognised. Neither Camden, in his Etymologie and Original of Barons, nor Dugdale, in his Baronetage of England, nor Selden (a more exact and laborious inquirer than either), in his Titles of Honour, afford a glimpse of satisfaction upon the subject. There is an heraldic term, indeed, which seems to imply gentility, and the right to coat armour (but nothing further), in persons thus qualified. But the sinister bend is more properly interpreted, by the best writers on this science, of some irregularity of birth than of bodily conformation. Nobility is, either hereditary or by creation, commonly called patent. Of the former kind the title in question cannot be, seeing that the notion of it is limited to a personal distinction, which does not necessarily follow in the blood. Honours of this nature, as Mr. Anstis very well observes, descend moreover in a right line. It must be by patent then, if any thing. But who can show it? How comes it to be dormant? Under what king's reign is it pretended? Among the grounds of nobility cited by the learned Mr. Ashmole, after " Services in the Field or in the Council Chamber," he judiciously sets down, "Honours conferred by the sovereign out of mere benevolence, or as favouring one subject rather than another, for some likeness or conformity observed (or but supposed) in him to the royal nature;" and instances the graces showered upon Charles Brandon, who "in his goodly person being thought not a little to favour the port and bearing of the king's own majesty, was by that sovereign, Henry VIII., for some or one of these respects highly promoted and preferred." Here, if any where, we thought we had discovered a clue to our researches. But after a painful investigation of the rolls and records under the reign of Richard III., or Richard Crouchback, as he is more usually designated in the chronicles, from a traditionary stoop or gibbosity in that part, we do not find that that monarch conferred any such lordships, as are here pretended, upon any subject or subjects, on a simple plea of "conformity" in that respect to the "royal nature." The posture of affairs in those tumultuous times, preceding the battle of Bosworth, possibly left him at no leisure to attend to such niceties.-Further than his reign we have not extended our inquiries; the kings of England who preceded, or followed him, being generally described by historians to have been of straight and clean limbs, the "natural derivative (says Daniel) of high blood, if not its primitive recommendation to such ennoblement, as denoting strength and martial prowessthe qualities set most by in that fighting age." Another motive, which inclines us to scruple the validity of this claim, is the remarkable fact, that none of the persons in whom the right is supposed to be vested, do ever insist upon it themselves. There is no instance of any of them "sueing his patent," as the lawbooks call it; much less of his having actually stepped up into his proper seat, as, so qualified, we might expect that some of them would have had the spirit to do, in the House of Lords. On the contrary, it seems to be a distinction thrust upon them. "Their title of Lord (says one of their own body, speaking of the common people) I never much valued, and now I entirely despise and yet they will force it upon me as an honour which they have a right to bestow, and which I have none to refuse." Upon a dispassionate review of the subject, we are disposed to believe that there is no right to the peerage incident to mere bodily configuration; that the title in dispute is merely honorary, and depending upon the breath of the common people; which in these realms is so far from the power of conferring nobility, that the ablest constitutionalists have agreed in nothing more unanimously, than in the maxim that the King is the sole fountain of honour. GOWK AND CUCKOO. This is called "hunting the Gowk;" and the bearer of the fool's errand is called an "April Gowk." Brand says, that Gowk is properly a Cuckoo, and is used here metaphorically for a fool; this appears correct, for from the Saxon geac, a cuckoo, is derived geck, which means, one easily imposed on. Malvolio, who had been made a fool by a letter purporting to have been written by Olivia, inquires of her "Why have you suffer'd me to be Made the most notorious geck and gull Olivia affirms that the letter was not written by her, and exclaims to Malvolio "Alas, poor fool! how they have baffled thee!" Geck is likewise derivable from the Teutonic geck, jocus.† STALKING HORSE. This general term for some insignificant person or thing, thrust intentionally forward to conceal a more important object, had † Jamieson, in Nares' Glossary. * Ash. originally a more definite meaning. The Albanian sportsmen, Dr. Clark says, still use it, practising the old method of shooting with one, i. e., by carrying the picture of a horse or a cow, behind which they concealed themselves, and take their aim through a hole in the picture. Among us, the "Stalking-horse" was either a real horse (an old jade trained for the purpose), and walking up and down in the water, which way the sportsman pleased, or a piece of old canvass shaped like a horse grazing, stuffed, painted brown, and fixed to a staff, with a sharp iron at one end to stick in the ground; when the fowl became familiar with the horse, the sportsmen varied the device by using a stalking ox or cow, and stalking stags or deer, especially for fenny grounds, and even trees, shrubs, and bushes, all of painted canvass. BEARS AND BULLS. The word Bear, applied to a certain class on the Stock Exchange, signifies one who insures a real value upon an imaginary thing, and who is said to sell a Bear, which is the same thing as a promise among courtiers, or a vow between lovers. The party called a Bull is the opposite contracting party. It takes its origin merely from the circumstance, that the Bear, being a voracious animal, generally sacrifices the Bull when an opportunity presents itself. YORKSHIRE BITE. The misapplication of the original meaning of this term is very general. We always use it to convey a feeling of mistrust; or, a fear of coming in contact with one more adept in cunning than ourselves. It is true, Yorkshiremen are keen dealers; this, however, is no detraction; on the contrary, it is an evidence of industrious habits. The hospitality for which they are so famous, gave rise to the term Yorkshire bite. It is said that the fatted calf and flowing bowl greet the stranger at every step, and after the common salutation, the question "Will you bite?" or "Will you sup?" is sure to follow; and from this originated a term, used as a sarcasm, but which, in point of fact, derived as it is, ought to be used as a compliment. JOURNEYMAN. There is a general law or custom in Germany, that apprentices, after the expiration of their service, shall travel two years before prosecuting their trade as master-workmen. Hence the etymology of journeyman. VILLAIN. The epithet Villain, now a term of great reproach, is derived from will, or lordship; and which signified one who was a ser vant during life, and devisable as chattels, in the feudal times. In 1572, Queen Elizabeth ordered her bondmen to be set free at very easy rates. VICAR OF BRAY! Bray is a village in Berkshire. The vivacious Vicar hereof, says Fuller, living under Henry VIII., Edward VI., Queen Mary, and Queen Elizabeth, was first a Papist, then a Protestant, then a Papist, then a Protestant again. He had seen some martyrs burnt (two miles off) at Windsor, and found this fire too hot for his tender temper. This Vicar being taxed by one for being a turncoat and inconstant changeling," Not so," said he, “for I always kept my principle, which is this, to live and die the Vicar of Bray." BUGG-A-BO! Bugg-a-bo, or Buggan-bo, was originally no more than mothers frightening their children with the "bull-bo," which the little one, not rightly pronouncing, called Bugg-a-bo. It is properly bogle-bo,-bogle signifying a malevolent spirit; the Shropshire term, buggan-bo, meaning the same thing. If a horse takes fright, they say, he spies a buggan! COWARD. A feudal expression, implying Cow-herd, for which office a man void of courage was deemed only fit for. APRIL FOOL! It has been very often inquired, whence this custom was derived. The Editor believes it to be a custom of great antiquity. -The ancients had many rites and ceremonies in honour of their gods. The Romans kept their Saturnalia in honour of Saturn, beginning on the 17th December, which lasted during five days. Bocharius is of opinion they took their origin from Noah's drunkenness. These were times when all business ceased except cooking; when servants might command their masters, and slaves become unruly without fear of punishment. The Bacchanalia, or feasts in honour of Bacchus, lasted three days, and commenced after the vine harvests, and then drunkenness was the privilege of all. The Stultinaria were confined to one day, the 1st of April, when the idiots had their annual holiday, and when children were encouraged to make derision of them, and send them on needless errands, &c. Some writers are of opinion, that the Romans had much policy in allowing these feasts, or holidays. By the first (Saturnalia), they saw how servants and slaves would act had they power. By the second (Bacchanalia), they were able to discover the natural inclinations and vices of all that inebriated themselves. And the encouragement they gave to children, in the third instance (Stultinaria), to deride fools, would, they hoped, make them desirous to receive their education, lest they might, in time, become themselves objects of derision and contempt. WHIGS AND TORIES. In the year 1680, two parties were formed, called the Addressers and Abhorrers; out of which arose the after-party appellations of Whigs and Tories. The Whigs were directed by the Earl of Shaftesbury, and the Tories by Sir Roger L'Estrange and others. Another writer gives the following derivation:-"Whig and Tory, the epoch of 1680. The first was a name of reproach, given by the court party to their antagonists, for resembling the principles of the whigs, or fanatical conventiclers in Scotland; and the other was given by the country party to that of the court, comparing them to the Tories, or Popish robbers in Ireland. They formerly were called Whigs from Whiggamors, a name given to the Scots in the South-west, who, for want of corn in that quarter, used annually to repair to Leith, to buy stores that came from the North, and all that drove were called Whiggamors or Whiggs, from the term Whiggam, which they used in driving their horses. In the year 1638, the Presbyterian ministers incited an insurrection against the court, and marched with the people to Edinburgh; this was called 'the Whiggamors' Inroad,' and after this, all who opposed administration were called Whigs; hence the term was adopted in England." Malone says, that the term Tory is derived from an Irish word toree, give me (your money). The character of the Tories is thus noticed by Glanville, in one of his sermons, long before the political distinction existed. "Let such men quit all pretences to civility and breeding: they are ruder than Toryes and wild Americans." Tory hunting was almost viewed in the light of a pastime. An old rhyme, in allusion to this sport, is still orally current in the south of Ireland, and a decided favourite in the nursery collection: "Ho! Master Teague, what is your story? "I hunted him in, and I hunted him out, Three times through the bog, about and about; When out of a bush I saw his head, So I fired my gun, and I shot him dead." CAMARILL. The party thus termed in Spain, take their name from a small room in the king's apartments, formerly destined as a sitting |