Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1851-01-01
FEMALE NAMES.

and signifies eraled. lis French form is Marie H's '"
hardly needsay, famous name in both sacred and roa
history. The name has, literally, been exalted IL ha
been linked with titles and power-wh and coo
nets and adorned ygoodness and beauty Mary has eve
been avorte name with the poes. Byron as he assured
US, felt an absolute passion for it. II is interviewer VIII
some of the sweetest verses. The peasant poet Burns
seems as much attached TO the author of Chde ar
DID, It is still the theme of bards and bardngs unoumber
ed. We might fill column or two here with songs son
nets and ballads, in the melody of whose verse Inc mos
musical syllables those which um the charming name
of Mary But where much presents itself, we can quote
nothing. We need quote nothing, for
"The very music Of the name has gone
Into our being"
Let the motto or the toast if you will be the single lint
of Bryan Wall Proctor:
"IIrre's health to thee, Mary"
Sarah is almost as Common name Mary, but it lacks
the preslige which its historical and poeica associations
throw around the latter. is also from the Hebrew, an'
signifies princess Inpoey il takes the form Of Sally
Saie and is found in many love song and ballad sally
is sometimes contracted to Sal, which is neither Poellca
nor eupbouious
"Laughing, sporting, pratiling Sallie,
Now tell me what shall be
The tin, Of sky, sunlight or starry,
To which rll liken thee
The sofies shades Of heavens own blue
Thuse lustrous eyes seem melting through"
Susan. another name of Hebrew origin, signifies lily
In poetry is usually seen in lis contracted 'rm o'
II is pre,,y name and is immortalized in Gays we'll
known ballad The Specification OF the name is very nap
PLY introduced in the closing line:
"Adieu she cried, and waved her lily hand"
Ralph Hoy,, in very graceful poem, entitled "My Sue
has the following lines:
"And how often have slrayed
With The lads along the lea
And with many pretty maid,
Yet ah nune of them fur me,
For if she whom lave best
In The groups could not be seen,
No cunenmenl IN my breast,
M delight upon lhe green;
But there was garden nlgh
With its bower just in view,
And sill craved my heart and eye
That sweet lily lhere-my Sue"
Mabel is probaby derived from ma bella, sgniyng my
fair though some suppose that 1t is contracted from ana
bills lovely or amiabIe 1t is guod name in either case
and worthy of being perpeuaed Mary Hewitt has bal
lad commencing,
'Arse, my maiden Mabel"
which is The only poem we now recOcct in which the
name occurs.
Ursula. name associated in mind with homeli-
ness of face and goodness of heart concealed under the veil
of num- is from The Latin and signifies nothing more ami
able than female bear! Who, knowing this, will give
the name 10 child
Blanche one of the sweetest borne by wo-
man. is from the French, and signifies white or fair Mary
Hewitt makes the orange flower lis floral lype
sAh Cousin Blanche let's see
WHATS the flower resembling thee
With those dove like eyes OF thine;
And thy fair hairs silken twne
With the low broad forehead, white
As marble, and as purely bright!
With thy mouth So calm and sweet,
And thy dainty hands and feet;
WHATS the flwer most like TO thee,
Blossom of the orange tree ~
Lucy, in its French from Lucie, signifies l,cid, and
comes from the Latin.
"Lucy is a golden GIRL"
saws Bryan Proctor and many will echo the line. Lucy is
favorile name with almost every Wordsworth has
made il one Of the
"Names welded into song"
And lovely indeed is the mGided bearing that sweet
name whom nature proposes mould, at will, to her
taste:
"She will be sporlive as the fawn
That wild with glee across the lawn
Or up the mountain springs;
And hers shall be the breathing balm,
And hers the silence and the calm
OF mute insensate things.
"The stars of midnight shall be dear
To her. and sue shall lean her ear
In many secret place,
Where rlvules dance their wayward round,
And beauty, born Of murmuring sound,
Shall pass into her face.
'sAnd vital feelings Of delight
Shall rear her form To stately height,
Her virgin bosom swell
Such thoughts to Lucy will give,
While she and Together live,
Here in this happy dell"
Southern Literary Gazctie.