Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1857-04-15
ORIGIN OF POPULAR PHRASES.

"HoBsoS's CnoIcE."-This expression is pro.
verbal both in Europe and America. The story
in its origin is thus stated :-Thomas Hobsol
! was 4 celebrated carrier in Cambridge, who II
his employment in that capacity added the pro-
fession of supplying the students at the Univer.
sity with horses. In doing this he made it an
unalterable rule that every horse should have
m equal portion OF time in which to rest as
let horse out of his turn, however desirous
the applicant might be of choosing for himself
Thus the saying, "IIobson's CHOICE Ibis o,
aone.''
"BANKRupT"-Fcw words have so remarka-
BILE history as the familiar word bankrupt.
The money changers Of Italy had, it is said,
benches, or stalls in the courts Of exchange, in
former times and at these they conducted their
ordinary business. When any of them fell back
in the world, or because insolvent, his bench
was broken, and the name broken-bench ben
cratic, was given to him. When the word was
adopted into English, it was nearer the italian
than it now is, being bankrout instead of bank
rupt.
ORIGIN OF THE EpIruET "TuRNcoAr."-The
opprobious term of I" turncoat" took its rise
from one of the first Dukes of Savoy, whose do
minions lying open to the incursions of the two
contending houses of Spain and France, he was
obliged to temporise and fall in with that power
that was most likely to distress him, according
to the success Of their arms against one another.
So, being frequently obliged to change sides, lie
humourously got 4 coat made that was blue on
one side and white on the other, and might be
indifIercntly worn either side out. While on
the Spanish interest he wore the blue side out,
and the white side was the badge Of the French.
From hence he was called the turncoat by way
Of distinguishing him from other princes Of the
same name.
4 SAUSTEREE-The words "sauntcr' and
saunterer" are singular records of medieval
practices and feelings Saunterer' derived
from " la sainterre," is one who visits the Holy
Land. At first deep and earnest conviction
drew men tllither, drew them to visit
"Those holy fields,
Over whose acres walked those blessed feet
Which, fourteen hundred years ago, were nailed
For our advantage to the bitter cross
BY degrees, however, the making Of this pill
grimage degencrated into mere worldly FASH
ion, and every idle person that liked strollng
about better than performing the duties of his
calling, assumed the Pilgrims staff, and pro-
claimed himself bound for the Holy Land: to
which very often he never in earnest set out.
And thus this word forfeited the more honoura-
biz eaniRsT s rEr pay onee have possessed aud
wasting his time, lettering here
and there, with no fixed purpose or aim.-
Trench, on lie Stvdy g Words.
observation-disclosures our industrious and
frugal foreEatherS, it was maxim that young
woman should never he married until s. had
spun for herself complete set of domestic
linen. From this custom it was that they were
called spinStcrs, an appcllation which they still
retain in all legal proceedings, although now-a-
DAYS it would be very difficult to find woman
entitled to the name.