The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-05-23
From the Boston Epening Transcript.
NAMES.

| 1t is curious sometimes to notice the peculiar names
of persons with, and to trace then eFmology
Every body knows, we suppose, the origin Of the
name of the old Postmaster General. Return Iona
i than Meigs whose father having been once rejected
| in an offer of marriage by her who subsequently
his wife, he consequently babe her farewell, but he
fore he was out Of sight, she repented of her
and calling him. said return Jonathan the
Jonathan who subsequently, ftn, faf sHyye years the
responsible Office of Postmaster General of The ~;
ted States. Many names it is said originated fro
some accidental circumstances, having been given 10
toundlings, or to children deprived in early life Of
their father, and adopted by some kind friend For
instance Johnson is reported to have been given TO
child whose fathers name was John( Johns son )Smp
sno from Sans son williamson Williams son acs-
son, Jacks son; Thomson, Toms SON; wilson,
Wills son; Harrison, Hary's son; RICHARDSON,
Richards son Robertson Roberts son, &c. But
the oldest and most natural names seem to be those
derived from the complexion nature; as Brown
White, Long, Shot, Heavesides, and others Many
are taken from trades and empoyments as Walker
Smith, Wright, Taylor, Cook, Gardner Ouers
come from the place of birth, as West, North South
Another class are names of animals, utensils, veg
etabes as Swan, Dove, Herring Bacon, Bullock
Ash, Beach, Rose, Bloom, Scales, Hail. Chambers
Kitchen; others from officers, or digntares, as King,
Lord, Noble Knight, Steward Clark, Major
Brady, in his "critical analytical dissertation on The
Of PERSONS thinks that sirnames were i'm
duced into England by the Normans and are pote-
ror to armorial bearings also to Christian names.
Yet some forms of appeation must have preceded
even the introduction of Christianity though such
names were not probably hereditary. He appears
surprised to find so many colors, as White, Green,
Yellow and not one Red but probably this name has
been expanded into Reid and Read.
The following humorous paragraph is charact erie
tic of MIR. b. 8 manner ,
We have here Mr.. Light whose weight is only
one stone less than that of the memorable Lambert
a Miss Eve who is the tenderest and most innocent
lamb in the universe MIR. Plot who never thought
in his life. One of the farest ladies in the world is
Mrs. Backmore, and of the latest men Mr. Lean
Mr.. Wiseman is, without exception, the greatest fool
in the neighborhood in which he resides and Price
VIGOROUSLY the name of man of price or value
whatever.
This populous city has been known toafiord very
honest Parson He'll and MIR. Death is very ngenl-
apothecary and the polite world cannot so soon
have forgotten Mr. Handy who knotted all the ringes
of his own rufus. Laws is perhaps almost the only
man in the world who does not know that there are |
any laws in it. We never yet knew Mr.. Short who I
was much under six feet in height and the friends
Of the family swear that Mr.. Goodchild brok, the
hearts of his father and mother, and drove another of
his near relatives to desperation, by his wicked and
Indutiful behavior, while MIR. Thoroughbred turned /
out complete rogue and vagabond at fifteen years of
age and was transported at the expense of the gov
eminent at five and twenty. Mr.. Gotobed is never
10 happy as when he can sit up all night smoking and
thinking Mr. Hogg is particularly clearly and
leat in his person A. t4 fGit dtbe a scarcely su
ent physical power in either Of his arms to dance
lis own baby for five minutes. By the way we once
,new young gentleman by the name of Armstrong,
twin brother standing six feet two In his stock
ngs who possessed the strongest arm of any man we
yer saw, excepting the Belgian and American gi.
nts He is now, we believe, resident of CHICAGO
illinois.
Mr.. Playfair is notorious sha err Mrs Small i
eported to be the lustest woman in the three king
oms. And the "Smalls" are probably all "whop-
ers" Of their ages.l The only Hafpenny the world
at present acquainted with is not worth fartbing
lany years have not elapsed since Horace drew beer
t an alehouse in Wrapping Mrs. Fury is perhaps
he quietest woman in Europe; Mrs. Pirate. as Is
,ell known has always been deaf and dumb; Mr..
nightingale has worse voice than raven Mr..
.ightoot has lost one OF his legs and got the got in
ne other; and poor Miss Ogle was born stone
lind y