Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1840-06-19
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ron THE BURLINGTON FREE PRESS.


FOR THE BURLINGTON FEE PRESS
Ma. Error Your correspondent I'D" has gwen
to your readers his opinion of the derlvauoh umu
meaning of the word 'Phlopcne, as he spcllslt' WIN
Won allow ne n corner to express my dissent from his
Judgment upon this reconcile subject! lcanho' DC.
levc, sir, that either YOU or ycur readers VIII cohslocr
it an unimportant matter iot no one, cspccially no
lord of creation cGn be blind 10 the terrible cohSe-
qucnccs Of adopting tie Interpretation gwen 10 ''
word bv o. just suppose, sir, that 'onic mcKloss
wight shall have gore through this mysterious ccre-
mony in due form, with some ungentlc dame, IN utter
ignorance Of the perhaps fatal consequence of his act.
Bear in m.nd that this is an aye when every lady has
some wise saws and modern maxims, abou, the
.ripl,ts of woman thai, it has been recently dis
covered that u quaAium M, of what men call filthy
lucre' is the best possible remedy for a broken heart,
when applied externally that the advocates for strict
construction, and for literal Interpretation are bccoin-
ing numerous aud above all, bear i'll mind that this
il LEAF yEAr, and then say whether the wight alorc-
enid would have reason TO be surprised, If IN conse-
oience of his unguardci n,casurn he should some
day receive from the hands of n LEGAL nlilccr, a modest
request to answer to the charge Of breach of promise
to the tune of sundry thousands! He has said lac
cording to ID in So many Words almost love
thee - and what liberal. what patriotic, what gallant
Jury Of noble, high minded and intelligent gentlemen,
would not say at once that this was fully tantamount,
or even paramount-ycs, cafdmOUnt to an offer Of his
heart aud hand ! am half tempted, Mr.. Editor, TO
write out q special plea on this SUBJECT, according to
the most approved sty lie of modern counscllors at law,
the field for splendid cloGucnce is 50 very inviting but
| must forcgo i, and return to Dts derivation. lie
must sec that this Interpretation would place every
gentleman completely Il; the mercy Of the fair ones;
for INV own part [ should stand in constant fear
of pressing Suiis rom divers quarters. The only
objection that | have TO Dis view of the case, after this
great fundamental one, is thai he has made the word
n monGrel compound half Greek, and half LATIN: but
rs | intend 10 do the came myself, ! shall not press
this point.
The history of the custom is involved in much OBJ
security. | believe, however, that Ia prac;ice Of eating
Philippines, (as | shall give my reason for spelling iU
took its rise durin. the clivalrous times Of the middle
ages. l Should not hazard this conjecture without
authority and if - will look into the writings of
q. .Aurcl. Mezcntius, who lived, unless | mistake, no
later than the eleventh century, under q curious chap
Ter entitled "de omnibus rchus ct q~libusdum alis," he
may find the following expression, which, to my mind,
is conclusive; "pcrindc ac 81 PHILIPPINES nuces CIT
JerunD edcre ycllcnt.' "Nucibus rclictis'' was a COM
mon form of expression, s~ignifying thai we have ccas-
ed to be children at least, thus Persius used il, and
Albertus Mognus, if | rccoicct rightly, has this re-
narkable exprcssion--' PhiiipiniS nuci5uS dcscriis,'
10 signify that those Of whom he had been speaking
had become sworn enemies. These citations would
obviously imply that, at the first introduction of the
custom, it was merely intended us an expression of
friendship. The maine l suppose to have been derived
from the name Of the fruit, which was at that time
exclusively used. and which, las Pc'rus Rogater gives
us to understand, Tom. !, cap. II. 3 was found only
in the Philippine islands. The modorns, however, are
by no means so fustidious. So much Cor this.
Another solution that | would propose, is this: that
we consider il n compound of the Greek ThiloS and the
Latin pGna, and write it PhilopGna; implying no
more than the very appropriate assurance that the gift
bearing this name was a very cheerful and even agree
able forfeit. For this, however, | have found but one
authority, and that of no great weight, since the con-
text does not fully explain the meaning. Ii is simply
the phrase "ut haborent caram (Graeco Ihiios) pe.
man, in a treatise entitled "de n~ostris moribus, OIL.
Pctrovius Fronto, whom commentators do not place
earlier than the thirteenth century.
Thus much for classical authorities. As to my own
practice in the matter, | am sure that | never meant ID
tell all to whom | have given the 'othcr half Of Q
double almond, that | almost loved them. | AWAY,
intended it as a mere common place expression OF
fricndslip-oxccp once, to he sure, and then ] took
care that my meaning should be signifed by The usual
sign And now to conclude a la ~ here GOES 70,
some verses, (Which lack reason and regularity even
more than rhyme) about the philopuna l gave
TO DOROTHY.
Dc You remember, Dorothy dear,
The night when we We're walking
Beneath the stars so bright and clear,
When you did all the takingl
The dark pines stood around,
And the breeze, with soul like sounl,r
Whispered love in breathings clear,
While the night kept still to hear.
Remember youl
You thought me i'll, for I was sad,
Yet happy IN my sadness;
For your sweet words could make me clad,
Though driven by love To madness.
Tears bedlmmcd your mild blue eyes,
While wandering on beneath those skies;
o.! Were we not a goodly sight
10 the high, cold moon that nightl
Remember youl
took n ring from off my finger,
And sought to place it upon thine,
My sklless hand full long would lingor,
Thy heart throbs answering unto mine,
Here my forfeit thus | said,
Most gladly, dearest, is it pad:
Trembling then, | whispered low,
Loved one, my heart goes with il too
Remember you?
And this last gih, though poor and slight,
on took with tears and kisses sweet;
Iy bounding heart Went forth that night,
And that's the last We seen of il.
GU promised to guard it with care and love,
And that away II never should rove.
The listening wind our story caught,
And told it 10 the dark pines then
Awhile in whispers soft it brcathed,