Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1858-03-20

For Ms Register.
The Foolish Fashion of Frenchifying

I
be considered beneath the dignity Of the
press. but ii indicates 10 so great degree
sicklv senlmenlaily Of taste, and is so
prevalent that it deserves criticism. Good
taste is more closely connected with good
morals than many appear to believe.
Whether our fair friends. who received
the taptismal name OF Maria or Julia,
good, substantial, womanly, English
names, choose to change them for the dl-
lued French ONES of Marie or Julie, may
appear of no great consequence. But 1t
indicates a sort of romantic namby'pam-
byism, whi,h is apt to slow itself 10 more
important ihiugs. But our lair friends
Iafe not content with his, but not only co
they dress up The more formal and aristo-
cratlc names in this French Ganseuse
sly .e. but they DO the same 10 tie more
/ home|y nlcknames OF the household, which
has much the same effect as dressing the
burly form Of an honest working woman
in the large skirts aud small bonnetsoi
The mOds. Under this regimen, not only
would the pretty, but decidedly English
Fanny be transmitted into the Fannie, OF
no nation or cline, but the neat diminu-
tvcs cf Sally and Caddy become Sallic
and CaddIr, - The utter confusion oi tie
object of lboir creation. Many, Polly
and Katy would become Mauie, Polio
and Katie, French indeed, in the lcrmIna-
non, bat in nothing else and tie sweet
IluIe English dmlnullve Of lizzy be-
comes Lizzie, Lucy becomes Lucie,
NeIy-ihink Of Dickens heroine being
trans formed into a Nellie This fashion
completely illustrates one OF the ends OF
nicknames, which are sort OF familiar,
idimnurve.toncd lhings, with an almost
universal lail Of the voice at the close, but
if Molly must be MoiIie, We prefer the
more elegant name Of Marie. We believe
that female influence has also in this in
stance made an impression on the sterner
sex, and that Georgy and Freddy are IN
imminent danger OF becoming Georelo
and Freddie, and perhaps Tommy and
Bobby, Tommie and Bobbe. Nay, may
not mans influence invade even the pro-
prieies Of animal nomenclature, aud Pus-
sy, Doggy and Puppy become ell 100.
Nor need We stop win the animate crea-
ton. Let US dub tie Milky way Of the
heavens Mike wsle at once.
Oar fair friends, he content with Tho
names vow received al lhe font. We are
not laklrg ground against nlck-names. but
II may he much more than questioned
how lar there is a right to use them as the
real name in marriage, or perhaps, even IN
formal matters. instead Of those given vs.
IN baptism. And not Only IN names but
IN everything, learn 80 love the go0d old.
heal,hy, robust, English habilr, trains Of
thought, taste and frerlng, Which your
o,oihers and graudmolhers loved. Tie
French are frequently rgnoranily decrIcd;
fine points and parts lhey have. but tthns-
planted plans are apt to be sick'y and, at
any rate, for all that concerns home We
should he thoroughly Anglo Saxon. And
Tor our own part We like neither these
lranspIanled foreign ending names, or ra-
ther cariratures Of The reOi French names,
which ~ lhelr own country may be pref
ty enough, nor do we think II necessary
TO have tie term lady" usurp the place
Of The broader one, which, after all, the
highest will probably be the last to be
ashamed o(-U0man.
Will not our young ladies' cease Univer-
sally at once and forever from Ibis foolish
and absurd custom Of couupnng their
names. There was some apology lot the
aiieclalIpn Of the Germans in the 10Th
renlnry who got rid Of their bsrbarous
names. by taking others outright or nanF-
lanng them into Greek process by which
Scbward,serat and WolGegang became
MeIanclhon, &c. And If any Of our
young ladies' are dissatisfied with Fanny
or Amy or Nanny and wish 10 escape
the let them take Matilda. Ellen, Car
oine. Vlrginia or Norh Carolina any
Ihlng ra'Ler than coropiing and spoiiiag
their own better national names BY sping
the French, and where could this desira-
bic reformation better begin than in Shep-
herds own! GOOD ENGLISH.
All papers friendly ~lil please copy.
Coop --The Clesvelsnd Register makes
the fuil,wing good hIl:
"Whelher Queen Victora's red petit
coats will become fsshion in Amesicais
vet TO besknown. IL IS certain, however.
that The attempts of some OF her u,sle
predecessors to introduce their red coats
into Ills country did no, succeed"
Rev. j. Rosenberg. Lutheran minister.
ii d at Chambersburg, Pa, on 4Ib inst.