Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1857-01-28
E.on the National Mtelligencer.

fremont HOUSE, BosToN. JANUARY 8, 1857.
Messrs. Gales d .Sedtoa In my letter dated
on Christmas day, and kindly inserted in your
columns, made some off hand remarks tor the
purpose of recommending the use of the word
sswoman" instead of ''lady." There is certainly
nothing to which Shakspeare'S maxim more 1ui-
ly applies, that "a rose by any other name would
smell as sweet" but confess to strong pre-
ference OF the now questionable term over the
more elegant one so frequently substituted lor
it.
In stating my objections to the latter, oo-
served that il was not found in the Bible nor In
any Greek or Roman book; and this remark has
NOT only procured for Inc the honor of several
private communications, but has been the sub
iect of commeut-iocoSe and serious, IN many
respectable Journals. May ask the accustom-
ed courtesy of the Intelligencer for the insertion
of collective reply?
As was writing letter currente calamO, and
not delivering pathological lecture, | did not
enter at length or with technical precision into
the subject but what meant to say and what
did say was, that the word to which l object
ed was not found in any Greek or Roman book
nor in the Bible. 1t is sufficiently apparent, from
my connecting the Bible with Greek and Latin
books, that spoke of originals, not translatons.
II, therefore, some diligent critic should find the
word "lady" in an English version of Cicero or
Plutarch, (Which might easily be done,) it would
not conflict with my statement. Nor is that
statement affected by the discovery made by
several of my correspondents and newspapers
censors, 10y the help of q concordanceO that
the same word occurs in three books in the Old
Testament and one of the New in our English
version of the Scriptures
But here a new wonder occurs. What could
Benton mean by saying that the English word
"ady'' was not found in any Latin, Greek, or
Hebrew bookl Was he guilty ofthe monstrous
plGtitude Gas some of my sagacious commenta-
tors intimate) of asserting that the English Ian
guage is not Latin, Greek, nor Hebrew; or did
he mean something rational, coherent, and bear
ing on the subject
/ hope | shall not be again accused of ''ego-
tism" if think the latter little more probable.
meant to urge that it furnished presumption
against the necessity of using lady instead OF
woman" in ordinary parance, that no word
corresponding to the former existed in the lan-
guages of the great nations from which we de-
rive the records of our religion and so much OF
our intellectual culture. If the most civilized
nations of antiquity on all occasions spoke OF the
female sex in words corresponding with Two
man." it seemed to me at least probable that we
had no need of any other
And here the occurrence of the words lady
and 'ladies" in three books of the Old Tesla.
ment and one of the New, in the English trans
lation of the Bible, Gin all six times, while "wo-
man" and women" 1 .fnd By the concordance,
occur not far from two hundred and fifty times, }
confirms my view of the subject; for in every
one of those five or six cases, as | learn from q
friend acquainted with the originals, the Hebrew
and Greek words really imply station, authority,
and sometimes sovereign power-and in
no one of them simply woman"
In fact the word "ady'' in English (whatever
its etymology, which is matter of dispute) is
certainly the feminine of "lord." 1t originally
implied-and when used in our admirable trans
lation of the Bible it PROFESSIONALLY implies
rank, dignity, and station. As the mind will
ingly transfers to eminent moral worth the APP
peatives of eminent station, the term may still
be properly applied to those admirable women
| in every rank of life who derive their patent
of nobility from Heaven" 1t also has its APP
propria,e place in the metaphorical language of
rhetoric, poetry, pleasantly, and satire, ofwhich
last quoted two striking examples in my form
er communication to the Intelligencer. But
remain of the opinion that, for every purpose OF
cvility, respect, or affection, in public address
or private intercourse, woman" is by far the
simpler, kindlierand more expressive term; and,
therefore, "young acomen" for the single and
''matrons" for the married (mater, mothers are
my usual terms of address for those whom we
cannot honor too much-nor enough.
And now, gentlemen, though IMAM that is
born of qcoman is of few days and full Of trou-
ble," think shall not trouble you again on
this subject. Respectfully,
THOMAS II. BENTON.