Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1861-11-08
N THE KTYMOLOGY OF AEU1inUG

The London H5l-ome Gust thus describes
/ that popular Understanding:
A great many regardless theories have been
rentiliated from time TO time about the origin OF
this very familiar term. The most popular ot
these Is that which ascribes il 20 a corruption OF
The word Hamburg. 10 wh city, during some
continental campaign, 50 many cdRaras were
fabricated relative 70 the fortunes Of the rival
forces. that's az length 81 is said il became custom
aTv. when expressing mCredulity ST any state
mrnf, to reInark, That is from Hamburg, - or,
4" That Is Hamburg. But 81 non 2 reT0 frbeB
f%Forat0, as the Italians say; j! not correct, this
derivation Is very well invented, "a phrase which
may likewise be- applied 90 the hypothesis adj
Ianced by Scotland for its origin. There was,
as The story goes, in aud lang syHe,' a family
called Bogne. or Boag, in hummelshine,, a
| daughter OF which married a son of Hume,
whose Representatives are still in existence. In
time, in default of male issue, the BOgne estate
reverted 10 one Geordie Hume, who was
popularity called Hume OF the Bogne, or
q Aum o the Bug, the name of Bogne being
thus pronounced in that district Of Scotland
then called The MeaTns.' This worthy SO
successfully rivaIled Baron Munchausen in his
relations @. the marvellous, that at le~ngth~any
extraordinary averment in the locality was
treated as inst a hum OF the Sug, alerEarl
contracted to humbug
Ii is well known that the coinage issued by
James ii. from ,be Dublin mint was composed
Of such WORTHLESS. materials thar William III,
shortly after the battle Of Boyne, ordered the
craUns and halt crowns to be legally recognized
merely as pence and hal-pence. This base
metal was known 10 the Irish as aim bog, pro
n0unced 00m bag, and in the course OF trade
such phrases as that's a piece OF aim bog. etc,
were frequent, and are thought by many 20 have
suggested humbUg- Lest irelands claim TO
the paternity of the word should be disputed,
one enthusiastic etYmologist has traced it to q
monster humbug, a famous Partisan maITe dc
danSs, who HoUTished 10 Capel street, Dublin, iu
the wear III and whose advertisement aP-
peaTeG in al the journals Of the period
After all, Notwithstanding the praiSombiaHee
Of some Of the preceding hypothesis, the true
source OF the word is simple enough. Former
Is, at public places, to hHm was a peculiar mod
Of expressing appreciation and applause. We
find the following notice Of the habit in Harm
sons state Trials Of the Reign of Charles II.
1860" Here The spectators lummed-) Lord
Chief Boron =" Gentlemen. his humniug is not
all becoming the gravity OF this court. IL is
more fitting for a stage play Than Tor g court OF
Justice"
johnson also. in his Life Of Sprat," lhus
aIludes to IT.: There prevailed IN those day,
an indecent custom, when the preacher touched
any iayoritr topic in q manner that delighted
his audience, the appreciation was expressed by
q loud INN, continued IN proportion 10 their
zeal or pleasure. When Barnes preached part
OF his congregation hummrd so loudly and so
long that he sat down 70 enjoy It, and rubbed
his face with his handkerchief When SprsJ
preached he likewise was hOnOred with the Ike
animatiug hum but be stretched oUt his hand
10 the congregation and cried, Peace, peace; /
----- --- 800. 10 fTh. 4-arl r4a- h4aaE on
tended TO imply c%aioling, f4ttCTy, etc, a. APP
pear, by the following distrch from Brookes
Beauty by ancient tradition ye 6ad.
Has delightfully."- humned the whole race o. mankind
In Crosses dictionary ofthe Vulgar Tongue,
to hum means 10 deceive, in which sense il IS
also employed by Peter Pindar:
Full many lape from bayouet and drum,
He threatened. hut behold twas al a Aum-
The word bug is Of Celtic origin, and sig
niies some terrific Speclre or goblin. Frequent
Instances Of lis use by some OF the most distu1-
ruished authors might bee adduced Ia his "D.-
tense of the Apologize Jewel writes Yet
were they bur fools and madde menuei 10 think
thar so mighty g prince could Joe feared with
bagges and raIFles. Thus. too, shakespeare, 'n
the Tanning OF the Shrew,
Tu,bi u-h fear boys vHh hugs
Bug is the root Of the Scotch bugie, and is prob
ably identical with the Icelandic puki (>pirins
paiHy.3 Two other familiar expressions have.
also. h connection with the word
-A4 siIv children dare NOT bend their eye
Whore -hey are told strange h~ugbesre- haunt ihe place
FtuafRN. GODFREY oT Bou1iIo>.
aJockv. my loye. nay, don't you cry
Take yau abroad indeed, mott
FOR al Ih- ~bng5bD-- To Brighten Eri
Lr0Yu:t ms CHAT.
To humbug IS, consequently. literally TO de-
reiyr with imaginary spirits or appearances;