Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-08-24
NO. 200.
ODD CHANGES or MEANING:

The meaning Of tho word wrstchr il
not generally understood. 1t was origin.
ally, and is now in some parts of England.
used as term Of the softest and fOndsst
tenderness. This is not the only instance
in which words In their present general
acceptation bear very opposite meaning
10 what they did In Shaks peare's time.
The word "wench" formerly was not used
IN the low and Vulgar acceptation that 1t il
at present. "Damsel" was the appellstiou
OF young ladies Of qualify, and Dame"
title of distinction. "knaye" once signf-
He'd servant; and in an early translation
Of the New Testament, instead of a. Paul.
the servant" We read Paul, the knave."
wallet" was formerly used in the same
sense as valet On the other hand. The
word ''companion," instead of being the
honorable synonym of associate, occurs in
the play OF "Otnello" with the same con-
nptuous meaning which we now afiix, In
its abusive sense, to the word fellow :"
tor Emile, perceiving that some secret
villain had aspersed the character Of the
virtuous Desdemona, thus Indignantly
exclaims:
80 Heaven! that such companions thou'dst
unfold,
And put in every honest hand . whip,
To lash the rascal naked through the world
William" formerly meant Q bondman.
In feudal law. according to Blackstone, the
term was applied to those who held lands
and tenements in villenage-a tenure by
base services.
"Pedant" formerly meant schoolmas-
ter. Shakespeare says in his Twelfth
Night:
IA pedant that keeps school in the church"
Bacon. in his Pathway unto Prayer"
thus uses the word limp" Let 10 pray
for the preservation OF tho Kings moet
excellent Majesty, and for the prosperous
success Of his entirely beloved son Edward
our Prince, that most angelic imp"
1t Is somewhat noticeable TACT that the
changes in the Specification of words have
generally been to their deterioration that
Is, words that heretofore had no sinister
meaning have acquired it. The word
cunning" for example, formerly meant
nothing sinister or underhanded; and in
IhrOpe's confession, in 'Fox's Book Of
Martyrs" is the sentence. IL believe that
all these three persons lin the Godhead1
are even in power. and in cunning, and in
might, full of grace and OF all goodness"
"Demure" is another OF this class. 1t was
used by earlier writer's without the insinu-
alton which is now almost latent in It, that
the external show of modesty and sobriety
rest on no corresponding realities. "Ex-
plode" formerly meant to drive of the
stage with loud clappings OF the hands.
but gradually became exaggerated into its
present Specification. ''FacetiOus," too.
originally meant urbane, but now has 90
degenerated rs to have acquired the sense
OF butfoonery; and Mr.. Trench sees indi.
cations that it will ere long acquire the
sense OF indecent buffoopery.
''Flippeiy" now means trumpery and
odds and ends OF cheap finery; but once 1t
meant old clothes Of value. and not worth
less, as the term at present implies. The
word gossip" formerly meant only .
sponsor In baptism. Sponsors were sup
posed to become acquainted At the bapls-
NAL font, and by their sponsorial ACT to
establish an indefinite affinity toward each
other and the child. Thus the word was
applied to all who were familiar and inti-
mate. and finally obtained the meaning
which is now predominant In it.
"Homely" once meant secret and famil-
lar. though in the time OF Milton it had
acquired the same sense As NJ present.
Incense" once meant to kindle not only
anger, but good passions as we'll; Fuller
uses it in the sense OF ITO incite.n
"Indolence" originally signiied free
uou itoiu paSeon vi PAN, Out now Implies
II condition Oi languiu non-exertiOu. I'm
solent" was once only "unusual."
''Obsequious" impiles an unmanly read
mess to tall in with the will OF another;
but in the original obsequium, or ia the
English word as employed two centuries
ago, >.here was nothing OF this; it rather
meant obedience and mildness. Shake
speare, speaking OF deceased person,
says:
"How many holy aud obsequious tear,
H.th dear religious love stolen from mIne eye,
As interest OF the dead"
Property" and "Propriety" were once
synony nymous, both referring to material
things, as the French word "proprtete"
does now. Foreigners do not often ea.ch
the distinction at present made In English
between the tw words. and we know
French gentleman who recently, meeting
with some pecuniary reverses, astonished
his friends by telling them that he had
lost all his "proprieiy."
A poet is person who writes poetry;
and. according to the good old custom. q
proser was person who wrote prose. and
simply the anlithesis OF poet. The word
has now a sadly different Specification;
and it would not be considered very re-
spectacle to term Addison. Irving, Ban
croft. or Everett "prosers."