The Hawaiian gazette., 1878-11-27
WEDNESDAY. NOV. p. ISIS.
Word Changes.

The meaning Of the word wretch Is one not
generally unde God. 1t was originally, and is
now in some pr's of England used as q term OF
the soflesl aud fondest tenderness This Is not
the only instance in which words in their present
general acceptution bear very opposite meaning
to what they did in Shakspeare's time. The
word ''wench" formerly was not Used IN the low
and vulgar acceptation that il is at present.
"DamseP was the appreciation of young ladies OF
quality and dame" q title of distinction.
"Knave" once sigufed q servant; and in
early translation Of the New Testament, instead
of Paul, the servant" we read. Paul. the
knave." "Varet' was used in the same sense
as valet. On the other hand, the word 'compuu-
ion." Instead of being the honorable synonym of
associate, occurs in the play OF "Othello" with
the same coniemptuous meaning which we now
afhx in its abusive sense. TO the word "teOw."
Tor Emilia. percegiug that some secret villain
has dispersed the character Of The yirluous Des
demona, thus Indignantly exclalms;
20 Heaveni that such companions thOu'dt unfold,
And put in every honest hand whip
To lash the naked through the world"
iva
VILLAIN formerly meant bondman. In the
feudaI law according to Blackstone, the term
was applied TO those who hold lands aud tene-
ments in yallenage tenure by base services.
Pendant" formerly meant schoolmaster.
Shakespeare says IN his Twelfth Night:
"A pendant that keeps school in the church."
-. iii, p
Bacon, in his Pathway unto Prayer" thus
uses the word imp Let Us pray for the
preservation of the kings most excellent maes-
ty. and for the prosperous success of his entirely
beloved son Edward our prince, the most angelic
imp"
II is a somewhat noticeable fact that the
changes 10 the Specification of words have gen.
orally been to their deterioration that is. words
that heretofore had no sinister meaning have &c.
guired it. The word cunning" for example
formerly meant nothing sinister or underhanded;
and IN Thropes confession, in "FoX's book O
Martyrs" is the sentence, L believe that all
these three persons Gn the Godheadl are even
IN power, and the cunning and in might, full o
grace and of all goodness" "Demure" is another
Of this class. 1t was used by the earlier writel
without the insnuaiion, which is now almost
latent with 1t, that the external shows OF modesty
and sobriety rest on no corresponding realities
Explode" formerly meant To drive of the stage
with loud clapping of the hands, but gradually
became exaggerated into its present Specification
"Facetious," too, originally meant uroane, but
! now has so degeneraled as to have required th,
sense OF bufoonery; aud Mr.. Trench sees indi
cations that it will ere long acquire the sense o
| indecent bufooDery.
'Fhppery," now means trumpery and odd
and ends OF cheap fnery but once it meant OLE
! clothes Of value, and not worthless, rs the tern
| at present implies. The word gossip" formerly
meant only a sponsor in baptism. Sponsor
were supposed TO become acquainted at the bap
tisma font and by their spOusoral act to eslab
llsn an indefinite affinity towards each other an
the child. Thus the word was applied to all VIII
We're familiar aud intimate, and finally obtane'
the meaning which is now predominant 10 it.
"Homely" once meant secret und familiar
though in the time Of Milton it had acquired tn
same sense as at present.
"lncense' once meant to kindle not only an
ger, but good passion as well +; Fuller uses it i
the sense of ITO incile"
'lndolence' originally signifed freedom fror
passion or pain, but now implies condIto
of languia nonexertion. "InsUence" was ono
only unusual"
"Obsequious' implies an unmany readiness I
fall in with the will of another hut in the orig
nal obsequium, in the English word as Ell
pluyed two centuries ago there was nothing
this; it rather meant obedience and mildneS,
Shakespeare, speaking of u deceased person. say.
chow many holy and obsequious tear
Hath dear religious love stolen from mine eye,
| AS interest of the dead"
property" and "Propriety" were once syr
onymous, both referring To material things as tn
French word ''prOpriete" does now Foreign
ers DO not often catch the distinction at preseI
made IN English between two words, and "
know French gentleman who recently, meetin
with some pecuniary reverses, astonished hl
friends by telling them that he had lost all hi
"propriety.'
poet is person who writes poetry; an
according to the good old custom, proser WI
person who wrote prose, and simply the ant
thesis of poet. The word has now a sadly differ
ent Specification and it would not be considere
very respectable to term Addison, Irving. Bal
croft or Everett "prosers."- dome Journal