The Sun.
London, England, 1849-07-03 00:00:00

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A WORD ON SLANG.
(From Eliza Ccoles Journal.)
It is a mistake to suppose that slang is allied to " vul-
garity" only. Tilere is a manner of speaking in certain
and set idioms in most grades of life and society, which
a,niourits, at least with uninitiated ears, to a conventional
4.ang. We confess it is an ugly and unseemly word to em-
ploy; yet we contend that the prescribed and vernaculat•
jargon, current in the mouths of many who go about the
world in "silverslippers," comes as fully under this term
as the coarse and efLnsive expression of a Bill Sykes,
though its modification is in a more dulcet tone, and it
bears a " patent of nobility," conferred by the aristocracy
of civilization. Wo have danced many a long night
through in a fairy-filled ball-room, and listened to pre-
cisely the same legitimate fashion of address and conver-
sation—the subjects unvarying—the language methodized
into delicate, unruffled, rose-waterish sentences, and the
whole scenes acted to such an insipid, monotonous, un-
changing " libretto," that at the end of the season, we
were fully impressed with the idea, that to be perfectly
competent to the duty of " Almacks,".a genteel, and in-
sinuating " slang" must be acquired. Once gained, it
will serve in all places of the like dedicatiOn. There is
a ball-room slang, most assuredly, without which, no
votary to twinkling feet can hope to distinguish himself.
At concerts there can be no doubt as to the technical
" gradus" which is necessary to make us pass muster.
We thought we were somewhat acquainted with the
simple elements of harmony, and that we could gossip
easily with the shades of Handel and Mendehsohn; but,
Apollo, forgive us ! the last time we attended a " Grand
Festival," we stood aghast at our ignorance, and found we
were totally unqualified to sit on the benches of judg-
ment, that is, it the refined and elaborate "dictionary
words" of musical mysteries which rattled about us,
constitute an essential in criticism. The minute rarni-
fications of the divine science were handled as glibly
and discussed as lightly as plain " Oh dear, what' Catt '
the matter be," by a housemaid over her brobtn:
" Counter point," " instrumentation," " conseciitite'.
fifths," "minor thirds," "dissonances," " diatonies,"'.
" dominant harmony," and an interminable logioh. of
such serious and responsible difficulties, were lavishly
mentioned.

We confess we were afraid to speak; we were iti rep=
tures over many of the solos, and enthusiastic to 'slight'
insanity during the choruses; but as we knew not' how.
to make our pleasure audible, in acceptable phraseology;
we prudently remained silent, and felt half ashamed of
our inability to participate in the oral hieroglYphiC,s.
We had a shrewd idea that we could have as fully ex=
pressed our tasteful discrimination, and our intense ap-
prove), as our neighbours; but certainly not in their
peculiar way, so we betook ourselves to deep stud] in
the erudite and black letter lore of music, beginning'
with " Lasus of Hermione," and ending with " Cle-
mend." A t.d now we can venture to talk • mdst
learnedly of " breves " and " natural chords," with
chromatic fluency; yet we are secretly of opinion that it •
sounds very like a superior " slang.' " Tell it rot in -
Gath " though, or we shall never have another concert'
ticket sent us.
All the world must have observed the routine of cotir'
teous and superficial utterance attendant on "morning
calls," when healths are inquired after with strict gram-
matical solicitude, when running allusions to popular
subjects of gossiping interest are "got up" with dramatic
accuracy, as to text, and duly delivered in some half- '
dozen drawing-rooms, where compliment and scandal ate
administered according to " elite" authority, in words
and tones that have no variation from their first visit in
Woburn-place, to their latest lingering in Belgravia.
square. Genuine, simple, matter-of fact English, would
never carry people through the diplomatical embastiett
of " morninls calls." Oh, dear no ! be assured, gentle_
reader, that the tongue which acquits itself creditably in
such work must bo acquainted with a certain method of
speech, which is nothing more nor less than an elegant
and refined " slang"—a certain way and manner of
talking, spangled nothings—which would sadly per-
plex those foolish folks who have an obstinate knack of
saying only what they think and what they mean.
" Evening parties" are sustained on the same " deriva-
tives" and " elements" of language, erhaps rendered
occasionally a little more " mellifluous' in sound by the
" liquids" of negus and champagne.
Who will deny that there is a most distinct, and not
very euphonious, style of " slang " upon "'Change I'
Only put your head into " Capel-court, ' and if you do
not confess that the business there is earied_ on in more
abstract and exclusive terms than any ever employed by
" Paul Clifford," or " Gentleman George," we will con-
sent to give up cur shares in the " Californian Junction
Line." We sought to become enlightened in this living
Sanwa; we anxiously inquired into the natural his-
tory of the " bear," and endeavoured to gain a few
particulars of the physiology of the " bull," but in
vain; every interrogative was met by some masonic
" 'Changeism," which our simple brain could not
possibly interpret. We tried to learn something of
the " stag," but our most determined attempts were
frustrated by the opaque "transcendentalism' of our
city " Buffon." We have frequently seen one in the
distance with the " pack" at his heels; but we know not to
this hour, whether tears ever "course down his innocent
nose." We made a rash and alarming essay in putting
an inquiry to a sleek-looking gentleman, whom we have
heard designated as a "lame duck," touching the " whys"
and "wherefores" of his cognomen. The indignation
and displeasure he evinced, made us believe, for the mo-
ment, that, like Moses, we had broken all the Com-
snandmeuts at once, and we have never since men-
' tioned a word relative to any aquatic cripple within a
mile of Cornbill. We purchased the shares above men-
tioned, in the vague hope, that through them, we might
at least realise a
.trifle of intellectual endowment in the
Gresham classics. How dearly we have paid for our rash
pursuit of knowledge, we do not choose to tell. Be it
sufficient to reveal, that we religiously believe the
" whistle " alluded to so bitterly and philosophically by
the immortal Franklin, must have been a "railway " one,
and that we still consider the "parlance " of " scrip," and
" transfer," among the most veritable "slang" that ever
echoed in a commercial Babel.
Thera is a law " slang," which bewilders and confounds
most painfully, for we seldom come within reach of its
cabalistic breathings without knowing and feeling that
the same will he all set down in " costs," and that every
sentence of legal Hebrew formally chattered by ',flippant
cleik, or lynx-eyed principal, will be ultimately balanced
by round and sound " pocket-pieces." We once saw an
old countryman tall into a violent fit of alarm on being
told he was " subpoenaed" on au approaching trial. " No-
body shall subpeeny' me," cried he; " I'll have none of
your law tricks—l'd rather go to Americky to get out of
the way." It was explained that he was merely to bear
testimony as a witness. " Aye, aye," said the old fellow,
" that's all well enough I ain't no objection to going
speaking the truth, but I stand none of your subpeeny-
ing' bedevilments." Many a wiser citizen of the world
has had equal dread of the" unknown tongue" so preva-
lent among " blue bags" and " briefs;" and happy for
them if the imposing and astounding "slang," so pecu-
liar to parchment and pleadings, intimates no greater
infliction than a "subpeenying bedevilment."
There is a medical "slang," which has astonishing in-
fluence with hypochondriacal gentlemen and nervous old
ladies. If a physician were to tell such patients that
their stomachs and brains were oppressed by improper
food and beverage, and that they only needed simple
diet, mental employment, and bodily exerche, the unfor-
tunate disciple of Esculapius might starve in his plain-
spoken honesty ' • but let him discourse of an inflamma-
tion of the " pylorus," let him suspect congestion of the
" biliary ducts," accompanied by gastric fermentation,
and deranged graiglionic nerves, and that even the
" pleura" and " diaphragm" show symptoms which need
great attention; let him insinuate these important words,
with grave demeanour, and the dear old ladies and gen-
tlemen are satisfied most incomprehensibly; the talent of
the physician is pronounced " first rate," and they give
gold and take physic under the " bey presto" conjuration
of a few words of medical " slang."
'l
in fullest
perfection,h
oanpolitica"slangl
tion
"heard, perhaps,
Wastthere
e
ever a
hustings.
member " nominated who did not talk of " constitu-
ire is
constitu-
tional prerogatives," •• the great cause of reform," "devo-
tion to the people," " Z(11l for the national welfare," " alle-
giance to the Protestant Church," " noble and worthy
constituents," " proud position of a representative,"" un-
flinching in duty as a servant of the public," and a long
train of inflated idioms, recognised as belonging exclu-
sively to politic -,1 " speechifying." They tell recast kably
well, with the addition of open taverns; and perhaps the
hustings' "slang" may be set down as among the most
"corrupt" dialects ever listened to.
We could pursue the thread of our argument until it
became a large skein; but we think the needleful we have
given will show our readers that " slang" has its em-
bossed and gilt-edged encyclopedia, as well as its coarsely
printed hornbook. Enna. Coot.

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