Published by Good Press, 2019

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      EAN 4057664648792

Table of Contents

       INTRODUCTION.

       THE COUNTRIES OF THE WORLD.

       THE MONTHS, AND DAYS OF THE WEEK.

       CREEDS, SECTS, AND DENOMINATIONS.

       TAVERN SIGNS.

       ROYAL SURNAMES.

       NATIONAL NICKNAMES.

       BIRDS.

       RELIGIOUS ORDERS.

       PAPER AND PRINTING.

       POLITICAL NICKNAMES.

       FLOWERS.

       THE BIBLE.

       WINES.

       LITERARY SOBRIQUETS.

       THE COUNTIES OF ENGLAND AND WALES.

       CARRIAGES.

       DANCES.

       PIGMENTS AND DYES.

       LONDON DISTRICTS AND SUBURBS.

       BATTLES.

       NOTABLE DAYS AND FESTIVALS.

       TEXTILES, EMBROIDERIES, AND LACE.

       LITERARY PSEUDONYMS.

       COUNTERFEIT PRESENTMENTS.

       LONDON INNS AND GARDENS.

       SOBRIQUETS AND NICKNAMES.

       THE INNS OF COURT.

       RACES.

       LONDON CHURCHES AND BUILDINGS.

       CLASS NAMES AND NICKNAMES.

       MALT LIQUORS.

       DIAMONDS AND PRECIOUS STONES.

       NAVAL AND MILITARY SOBRIQUETS.

       MONEY.

       SPIRITS.

       LONDON STREETS AND SQUARES.

       INDEX.

       Catalogue of Select Books in Belles Lettres, History, Biography, Theology, Travel, Miscellaneous, and Books for Children.

INTRODUCTION.

       Table of Contents

      Not the least difficult matter in connection with the present work has been the choice of a title. The one finally determined upon is far from satisfactory, because it scarcely suggests the scope of the subject treated. True enough, the single word Nomenclature offered itself as a suitable title; but this is really a French word, derived, of course, from the Latin, and although it has been admitted into our vocabulary simply owing to the lack of an English equivalent, its use is properly restricted to the classification of technical terms in relation to a particular branch of science. In a scientific sense, then, the word Nomenclature finds a ready acceptance; but for the classification of the names of persons, of places, and of things, it is altogether too pedantic. A young friend of the author the other day, on being informed, in answer to his inquiry, that this work would probably be entitled “The Curiosities of Nomenclature,” promptly asked whether it might not be as well to explain, first of all, what the word Nomenclature meant. Now, the author does not believe for one moment that any intelligent person who took up this volume would be at a loss to judge of its contents from the title, that is, supposing the word Nomenclature appeared on the page; nevertheless, his young friend’s suggestion reminded him that a book intended not for the scientific and learned, but for general reference, should bear a title easily comprehended by all classes of the community. The title originally chosen has, therefore, been rejected in favour of one less pretentious and more matter-of-fact: if it is not sufficiently expressive, the fault must be attributed to the poverty of the English language.

      Of all the “Ologies,” Philology, or the science of language, is the most seductive; and that branch of it known as Etymology, which traces the derivation and combination of the words of a language from its primary roots, possesses an interest—one might almost say a fascination—for all, when once the attention has been arrested by it. This fact is proved by the popularity