The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1852-07-31
WHOLE No STA

DEGRADATION OF WoRps. -Thus for
instance, is it with the word "prude,"
signilying, as now it does, a woman
with an ovcr-scrupulous a!iectation Of a
modesty which she does not really feel,
and brtraying the absence of the raali
ty by this over-preciSencss and niceness
about the shadow. This use of the word ,
must needs have been the result of
great corruption of manners in them
among whom it grew up. Goodness
must have gone srangtl Y out Of fashion, :
before things could have come to this.
For 'prude," which is a French word,
means virtuous or prudent; 'prud
homme' being man of. courage and
probity. But where morals are greatly
and almost universally relaxed, virtue is
often treated as hypocrisy, and thus, in
dissolute age, and one disbelleving the
existence of any inward purity, the
word "prude" came to designate one
who affected a virtue, even as none
We're esteemed to do anything more;,
and in this use fit, which, haveing once
acquired, it continues to retain, abides
an evidence of the corrupt worlds
dislike to and disbelief in the realities
of goodness. its willingness to treat them
as mere hypocrisieS and shows.
Thus "sillv," written "spcly' in our
earlier English, is beyond a doubt, that
German "selig' which means 'bIessrd."
We see the word IN its transition state
in our early poets, with whom 'siIly'
is SO often an allectionate epithet; APP
piled to sheep as expressive ofthe harm
lessness and innocpncy. With a still
higher departure from its original
meaning, an earl Y English poet applies
the word to the Lord Of glory hin II,
while yet an infant of days, styling him
"this harmless silly babe" But here
the same process went forward as with
tie words "simple' and "innocrnt."
And the same moral phenomenon re-
peats itself continually.
The French have their .'bonhommin"
with the same undertone Of contempt,
the Greeks also a well-known word. 1t
is TO the honor of the Latin, and is very
characteristic of the best side of Roman
life, that ''simplex' and simpIcitas' new
err acquired this abusive signilication.-
Trench on the Study Of Words.
A SHORT STORY WITH A MoRAL.-A
young Yankee had formed an attach
ment for a daughter OF rich old far
mer, and after agreeing with the bonnie
lassle, went to the old farmer 10, ask
consent; and, during the ceremony
which was an awkward one with Jona-
than-he whitfield away at stick. The
old man wached tle movement of the
knife, and at the same time continued
to talk on the prospects Of his future
son-in-law, as he supposed, until the
stick had dw!ndIed down to naught.
He then spoke as follows:--
"You have fine property; you have
steady habits; good enough looking;
but you can't have my daughter. Had
you made something, no matter what,
OF the stick you have whitfield away,
you could have had her; as it is, you
cannot, your property will go as the
stick dld, little by little, until all is gone,
and your family reduced to want.
have read your true character; YOU
have my answer"
A WIFE's PRAyER.-Lord, bless and
preserve that dear person whom thou
has chosen to be my husband; let his
life be long and blessed, comfortable
and holy; and let me also become a
great blessing and comfort unto him;
sharer in all his JOYS, refreshment in
all his sorrows, a meet helper for him
in all the accidents and chances of the
world; make me amiable forever in his
eyes, and very dear to him. Unite his
heart to me in the dearest union of love
and holiness, and mine to him in all
sweetness, charity, and compliance.
Keep me from all ungentleness, all dis
contentedness, and unreascnableness of
passion and humor; and make me hum
bic and obedient, useful and observant,
that we may delight in each other ac-
cording to Thy blessed word and Or
dinance, and both of us may rejoice in
Thee, having our portion in the love
and service of God forever,
[BasiI Montague.
ONLY TOO TRUE-He who has
most of heart knows most of sorrow.