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the Tudors, an immense body of useful words relating to law, medicine, theology, and science, has been incorporated from the classical languages into our English tongue; and of these it may be said, that it is probably, on the whole, more difficult to understand the connexion between the original import and modern application of words so derived, than of any other.

The books are exceedingly numerous in which the original of words is traced, and yet few attempts have been made satisfactorily to account for such connexion, without some idea, however, of which, the mere knowledge of a word's root is of little value.

In the following pages such attempt will be made on a limited scale-limited, not because such attempt does not fall within the province of grammar, which has for its object the illustrating of the manner in which men make use of words as signs of ideas; but because the field opened up for investigation in this department is so extensive, as to preclude the possibility of entering fully thereinto in a work professedly devoted to researches in syntactical grammar.

CLASSICAL AND OTHER ROOTS.

[NOTE.-One derivative will be taken up and discussed in such manner, that the explanation given will apply to all words of the same family.]

Academia, the name of a grove near Athens, where Plato taught. Academy, academic, academician.

The word academy would literally signify a body of learned men attached to the Platonic philosophy, which inculcates the eternity and infinitude of matter, and that there is an intelligent Cause, the Author of spiritual being, and of the material world. From this original signification, the word in question,-by a figure of speech common to all cultivated languages, called synecdoche, by which a part is put for the whole, and the whole for a part,—is used to signify a school whereof learned men of any denomination are members; and hence again, more generally, a school for the instruction of youth.

NOTE. The explanation here given of this word is

rather diffuse, as a kind of specimen of the manner in which words, if traced at all, should be traced, by successive steps, backwards to their original.

Edes, a house-edifice, edify. The postfix fy, from fio to be made, signifies to make; hence edify signifies to build a house literally. The secondary meaning of imparting knowledge may be thus accounted for. Knowledge is slowly acquired by successive steps, similar to those whereby a house is built; hence the metaphorical expression, "To be built up in knowledge or doctrine." Or it may be accounted for from the well-established fact, that the first symptoms of civilization which exhibit themselves amongst a barbarous people, are the disposition to build and inhabit permanent places of abode. And thus a word which literally signifies to build a house, secondarily implies to impart knowledge.*

Equus, equal-equality, equalise, equanimity, equihbrium, equivocate, equinox, &c. &c. Equilibrium is a philosophical word: of two things which exactly counterbalance each other, it is said that they are in a state of equilibrium; hence, metaphorically, it is said of a man in an unquiet state of mind, that he has lost his equilibrium ; and especially if he be in anger, that passion disturbing his equanimity more than any other.

Alpha, the name of the first letter in the Greek alphabet; beta is the name of the second: these words combined give us the English word alphabet, which, by the figure synecdoche, before explained, is the name for the whole number of letters collectively in the English language.

Angello, to announce-evangelist; the prefix ev from ev (Greek) signifies well: hence this word implies a messenger of good tidings. From a consideration of the comparative importance of the tidings announced to man in the Gospels, this name is applied exclusively to those who wrote them.

Annus, a year-annual-biennial. The latter, which is an ordinary word, is given to instance two things necessary to be attended to in fixing the application of words derived from other languages: first, their root; and, secondly,

* The English word instruct, literally to build upon, (i, e., a foundation,) is constructed on a similar principle.

their usage. Attention merely to the root, in this word, so far from enlightening us, may lead us astray. Bis= twice, and annus a year: hence it may be argued biennial applies to an occurrence which happens twice in one year. This is not the fact; it applies to an occurrence happening once in two years.

Aristos noblest, or best; aristocracy. This word would probably belong to feudal times, when titles were conferred as a reward for military services, the ultimate root of the word being Ares, the Greek name for the god of war.

Baculus a staff; bachelor. A tracer of the parentage of words is not bound in every instance, neither is it possible to state the exact idea which supplies the connection between the primary and secondary meaning; it is enough if a reasonable account thereof be given. In the case of the word in question, the following theory is sufficient for every practical purpose:-" From the riddle of the celebrated Sphinx, (see "Lempriere's Classical Dictionary,") we are entitled to conclude, that it was not customary, in very ancient times, for young men to carry sticks. We know, moreover, that the Latins and Greeks were fond of calling things by names, implying properties in the things called, the reverse of what they really possessed. The figure they used for this purpose was called Antiphrasis, by which a man who carries not a stick, may be called a bachelor, as though he did carry such an

article."*

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Cancelli cross-bars of lattice work in iron, &c., used outside windows to keep out robbers. Cancel, chancellor. Cancel means to cross out or erase writing by drawing the pen over it (literally), so as to make marks similar in direction to the cancelli; and a chancellor is an individual invested with such authority as enables him to erase, i. e. to annul, the decisions of inferiors.

* This word, however, is more probably derived from the Latin word Baccalaureus, the name applied originally in colleges to a person who graduated in Arts; and from the similarity of wooing the Muses and a mistress, an unmarried man is called a bachelor. Baccalaureus itself is compounded of baccaa berry, and laurus — a laurel; the successful candidate for a Bachelor's degree having been formerly crowned with a garland of laurel, and other trees, with their berries.

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Candidus white; Candidatus = clothed in whitecandidate. Persons canvassing for political offices at Rome used to wear white robes, symbolical of their purity and honesty; hence we call such persons, and all others seeking positions of any kind, candidates, though the aforesaid custom is not literally observed.

Centrum = the middle point; eccentric, eccentricity. This latter means literally deviation from a central point; and it is applied to express the habit of a man in mind or act who is not governed therein by the law or force of opinion which regulates the acts of the generality of men.

Cera wax; sincere, insincere, insincerity, &c. &c. We call a man sincere who means what he says, and says what he thinks. This is evidently a compound of sine= without, i. e. not having, and the word in question. The Romans applied the word sincerus, made up of these parts, to pure honey when separated from the wax-that is, to honey without mixture or alloy.

Classici those Roman citizens who belonged to the highest class; classic, classics, &c. &c. The latter word, we apply to authors of the highest eminence in any country, and who have written on any subject of human knowledge; and hence pre-eminently to those who wrote in the Latin and Greek languages.

Cleros a lot, a portion; clergy, clerk, clerical. These words are derived from the idea that the ministers of religion were anciently regarded as "The Lord's inheritance;" or because an inheritance was specially set apart for their support.

Cliens one of the poorer Roman citizens, who put himself under the protection of his patron, who extended to him protection in lieu of personal service. Client =one who employs a patron in the shape of a lawyer, to protect his interests, in lieu of money, instead of personal service. Dorsum the back, indorse; or endorse. To endorse a bill is to write our signature on its back, whereby we render ourselves liable for the amount thereof; hence to endorse a man's opinions, is used metaphorically to express the act whereby a man takes up all the opinions of a teacher, and professes his willingness to abide by whatever consequences may be demonstrated as resulting therefrom.

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Fanum a temple; profane. In heathen mythology, profani was applied as a name to uninitiated persons, who were not allowed to be present at the sacred services, especially those of Ceres and Bacchus, but were obliged to remain outside the precincts of the temple (pro fano); hence profanewicked, unworthy of taking a part in the services of religion: and hence the verb to profane derives its signification.

Gordium a city of Asia Minor, wherein was a chariot whose beam was connected therewith by a knot of which it was prophesied that whosoever would untie it should acquire the dominion of Asia Minor. Alexander the Great, when he visited it, cut it with his sword, alleging that it mattered not in what manner it was untied; hence the expression, "To cut the Gordian knot," to solve a difficulty.

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Grus: a crane; congruity, congruous, incongruity; the latter word, from in=not, con together with, i. e. according to, and the word in question, means a disagreement, or disproportion of parts (see "Dictionary"); that is, literally, a departure from the perfect imitation of the triangle by cranes in their flight in flocks. (See "Natural History of the Crane.")

Kome a village; comic, comedy, comedian.

Comedy, literally, would signify that original species of acting for which subjects were supplied from the lives of rustics, or clowns of the country or village, whose uncouth manners contrasted strongly with those of citizens, and redounded much, when represented on the stage, to the amusement of the latter.

Kuon a dog; Cynic, i. e., having the qualities of a surly, barking dog. The Cynic philosophers prided themselves on finding fault with men and manners, with the world generally; and hence were regarded as misanthropes.

Laconia that district in Peloponnesus of which Sparta or Lacedæmon was the capital; Laconic. The Lacedæ monians were remarkable for expressions, the characteristic of which was that they conveyed much in few words. Of such expressions was the reply of Leonidas to the King of Persia, who demanded by a herald the surrender, on the

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