Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1881-01-27
prn,,,.r Narnas

Before the reign of Elizabeth, English
names were few, simple, short and famil-
lar. III :: person had new name Of
some lengthit was very sure to be short
ened or nicked. In ordinary life few
names were heard but Tom. Dick. Har
~, Hal, Jack, Rob, Hob, Dob, Phip.
Nancy, and similar Authorizations. But
IN the year 1860 an event occurred which
N Q few years changed half the names
IN England. The Bible was published
ID the English language, and one copy
81 the same, if no more, was soon to be
found IN each parish, perhaps chained to
desk in the church. Before that time.
the English Bible was forbidden book,
and # family had copy, it was kept
most carefully hidden, and never read
except with great precautions. The
Bible was sometimes fastened under the
lid OF stool, and, if danger threatened,
the book was comes led by closing the
I'D. Sometimes the odious detective,
when he entered, would be invited to
take seat on that very stool.
Ii you wish to make book univer
sally desired, you have only to put the
ban of the law upon it In 1868, Eliza
beth became Queen of England, and
soon after this passionately loved and
iong-forbidden book was spread all over
the kingdom. People read it rs it had
never been read before, and has never
been read since. Peasants in remote
parishes may be said in the most lit
eral sense to have searched the scrip-
lures they ransacked them from Gene
sis to Revelations, and particularly the
chapters containing little more than lists
OF names. People in general regarded
every word md syllable even of the
English translation as the veritable lam
guage OF Jehovah. They soon began to
name their children from it. The old
English names rapidly went out Of fash
ION, and Blble names succeeded them.
Although the new fashion lasted little
more than two generations, some Of the
old names never returned. Hamlet. for
instance, was common in Shakspeare's
day. Amice, Avis, Colet, Sibyl. Dinah.
and many others are now scarcely known.
Even Barbara, with its nick name of
Bah, Dorothy and Dolly, Olive and
Olivia, Cecilia and Cicely, are no longer
the favorites they once were.
Some Of the old forgotten names were
no great loss. We read in an ancient
parish register Of a certain g Original
Bellamy, who had son named Origi-
nal, and his son was also named Ori9i-
nal. The discovery OF this entry led ID
that OF other Originals of the same cent
ury. There was John Darlington IA
1900 who gave his son and heir tile name
II Original.
Many parents, it appears, have given
their children something ridiculous ia
the way Of name. Mr.. Barasley cop
les from the London directory the fol-
lowing, all of which must have been
given with deliberate intent to fasten q /
joke upon the unfortunate children
Cannon Bali, Dunn Brown, Friend Bot
tie, River Jordan, Jolly Death and Sud
den Death. A /" AIr. Sudden Death ap-
peared as a witness in q London trial
about two years ago In this country
we have had odd names like the follow
ing America Sparrow and America G.
Iabb. certain Robert New ehristened
his two sons Nothing and Something.
We have had also Christmas Carol
Pepper Mixer, Opportunity Hopper
China Ware, Lemon Peel, Salt Coo
and Always Gentle.