The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1855-03-03

BES. GgAHA",
(ommittce on finance.
From an article in Putnam for January.
Our Given Names.
Various are the tastes in the selection OF
name for child--yarous are the motives
that influence the decision. Sometimes a
rich friend or relation is TO be couciliated
and therefore some barbarous designation is
affixed to a child that is a thorn in his side as
long as he lives, and after all the unfortunate
may miss the expected legacy. Sometimes
the name Of some distinguished man is Sc
lected, to which the life Ofthe new wearer is
no lustrc; thus we see George Washington
and John Wesley occasionally figuring in
the police courts, us the names Of people al.
rested for riot or petty larceny. 4 classl-
cal taste inspires others who are not always
very particular III the names, provided they
smack Of the anccnts owing to which 1t
happens that there is boy now living in
Philadelphia who has been chrstcned-if
we may thus use the word-after Commo.
dus, one Of the most Infamous Of the Roman
Empcrors.
The late Bishop Chase, Of Illinois, had
dislike TO having Greek and Roman names
imposed upon children, which he displayed
very pointedly on one occasion, when child
was brought to him to be baptized.
Name the child, said the bishop.
"Marcus Tullius Cicero" answered the
father
What
"Marcus Iulius Cicero"
"lut, tut, with your heather nonsense
Peter, bapdzc thee, and the child was Pc
ter, thcHceiorth and forever.
Others, again. set much store b. Scrip
ture names, many Of which to our ears are
anything but meodious-ior instance, Oba-
diah, jeremiah, and all the other iahs but
this fashion is not near so prevalent as
it was century or two ago. Some Of the
Bible names have much sweetness, such as
Beulah, Ruhamah, and Rhoda, but even
these are rarely used
The story is well known OF the man who,
having called four sons after Matthew, Mark,
Luke and John, wished to have the fifth
christencd Acts, because, as he said, he
'wished to compliment the apostles a bit -
but the sequel, as given by Mr.. Lower, in
the last edition of his valuable work on
English surnames, is not so familiar to us.
1t appears that the father had two other sons.
who were chistcncd Richard and Thomas
and that the story Of the name that had been
proposed for No. D, getting wind among his
associates, he was constantly annoyed with
having this disttch repeated, Of better metre
than rhyme -
Matthew, Marx, Luke and Tohn,
Acls ot 'POstles, lex aud Tom.
Some persons appear to have tried how
near they could come to the height of absur-
dity, in giving names tD their children
benjamin Stokely, the first white settler in
Mercer county, Pennsylvania, iwhose ac-
count thereof is in the fouth.volumc of the
Memoirs Of the Historical Society of Penn
| syvania,) gave most extraordinary names to
all his children; at present, but one Of them
| occurs to our mcmOry--Aurora Borcalis--
| by which he thought proper to designate one
! of his daughters. \ MIR. Stickncy, distant
| relative OF DR.. Franklin, numbered his chill
dren calling them One Stickney, Two Stick
ney, &c. We might mentioned here, the
case Of Mr.. New, who is said to have called
/ his first child Something, and the next Moth
ing; but the story is probably the creation Of
| the fertile Imagination of Mr.. Joseph Miller,
| or some Of his successors.
We will venture to add a few rules, which
are INC icsui's VI ouV TNHcCtlOH upon TINS
| subject.
/. The son should not be called after lis
father, or the daughter after the mother
The object Of giving first names is to dis
/ tinguish person from all others bearing the
same last name, particularly from those Of his
immediate family; but this latter is not at
tained when child bears the name Of its
parent. Confusion must always follow; not
| always to be avoided by the additions of SO.
nior and junior, or the designations, ls;, I'd,
&C., which are common in New England.
An eminent lawyer who adorned the Phil
adelpha bar forty or fifty years ago, had a
son with the first name OF himself, who was
studying law in his Office. One day letter
arrived without any addition Of junior, but
intended for The younger, which the elder
| gentleman opened and read 1t was from q
source not very crcditable to any one.
81 am ashamed of you," said the father
Indignantly, handing it to his son.
! al am ashamed of you, SIR" replied the
son, handing it back with bis finger pointed
at the direction.
One OF the sons Of the Benjamin Stokcly
of whom we have spoken above, was born
during his fathers absence from home. On
his return his wife told him that she had
called the child Benjamin, after him. "NonC
of that" cried he, 81 have no notion Of hear
ing people talking of old Ben Stokcly.'
This confusion is one objection to the
practice which we condemn another is thai
il a parent calls child after himself he is il
danger of becoming partial TO that child al
the expense of the others. This is feeling
which makes its way into the minds of ever
good men and good women. it seems tC
some that child bearing their name in full
is more fully their representative thar
others. As this is all wrong it is best t.
prevent the arising of such feelings, by Civ
ing no occasion for their existence.
@ The moro common last name is, th,
more uncommon should the first name be
We can pardon almost any prefix to Smith
Brown and Jones. AS one Of the learne,
fathers Of the bar lately observed in a dis
course, "Who shall declare the generation
Of the Smiths, aud especially of the Johl
Smiths" The very mention of John Smitl
in court house, police office, or other pub
lie place--and it is of frequent mention
thcrein--brings a broad &, into every one
face Immediately.
o. No name should be yvcn to chile
that will suggest ludcrous idea when writ
ten in full, or when the initial only is used
We always piticd Mr.. p Cox, and Mr.. T
Pots, both worthy men, but with thought
lcse god fathers.
Middle aged persons, in Pennsylyania, ca,