The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1886-01-05
Curious Words and Letters.


1t is curious to observe what strange
connection certain letter of the alphabet
has sometimes with the career of person.
Students of biography Will be able to re
call many examples; space can only be
found here for few of the most promi-
nent among them.
Charles i was married in Canterbury
Cathedral; he was continually at variance
with the House of Commons, and finally
got embroiled in Civil war; his greatest
enemies were Coke and Oliver Cromwell.
Charles was made prisoner in Carisbrook
Castle, and was condemned TO death by
the Commissioners appointed by the House
of Commons.
Arthur Wellesley showed his great abii
ties in war; he was created first Duke of
Wellington; he fought and won the glor-
mos battle of Waterloo; and finally breath
cd his last at Walmer Castle.
Princess Charlotte, daughter of George
" and his consort Queen Caroline, was
married to Prince Leopold of Sake Coburg
at Carlton House Her town residence
was Camelford House, and her country
seat Claremont. The owner of the first,
Lord Camelford, was killed in duel, and
died by his own hand. The Princess was
attended, during her last illness, by a
woman named Croft
Napoleon Bonaparte was educated at
Brienne; he received his first wound from
Bayonet thrust, and he married Jose
phine, the widow of the Vicomte Beau
harnais After the battle of Waterloo he
was taken, as a prisoner, to st, Helena on
board the Bellerophon While the dis
tinguished exile was waiting for the com
pletion of the preparations at Lcngwood
for his reception, he lived at the "Briars, y
house belonging to Mr.. Balcombe
While we are speaking of the great Napo-
leon, we may notice the curious coinci-
dence that if the letters be struck
out of the words Revolution FRANCHISE, y
the remaining letters, properly placed
will spell the words ''Un corse lie finiran
The letter A must be particularly fraught
with unpleasant forebodings to the British
Chancellor of the Exchequer. Heavy calls
have been made on the national finances
on account of the Abyssinian war, an Ash
antee war, Russian advance into Arme
MIA, an Afghan war, the Boer rising in
South Africa, and the rebellion of Arab
in Egypt. We may also add to this list
the American Alabama claim.
ALTERATION, the dictionaries tell us, is
'the beginning of two or more consecutive
words with the same letter. 4 couple o.
hundred years ago this ALTERATION was q
practice frequently madeuse of by authors
1t was supposed to convey grateful sound
to the ear, and was therefore oftea EN-
ployed for book titles as a means of at
/ t,.,a IA r. h.
most amusing, mostly chosen from Puritan
literatme:-"Some Fine Baskets, Baked IN
the Oven of Charity, Carefully Conserved
| for the Chickens of the Church, the Spar
rows of the Spirit, and the Sweet Swallows
of Salvation;" "Seven Sobs of a Sorrow
full Soul for Sin; or, The Seven Peniten
tial Psalms of the Princely Prophet
| David "A Delicate Diet for DaintiC
Drunkards; !" "A Plante of Pleasure and 6
Grove of Graces;' and, lastly, the political
pamphlet entitled The Staggering State
of Scots Statesmen, by Sir John Scot Of
Scotstarvet"
A curious piece of alliterative poetry is
preserved in Johnson's Dictionary. 1t j:
| by the pen of the celebrated DR. Wallis
and has for its subject the manufacture o.
Irvine. One day the doctor was talking
with French gentleman, who claimed
many superorities for his language ovel
that of his friend, and by way of example
of one of the points of discussion produced
the following verse;
| Quand cordieT, oordant seut oordeF une oorde,
| ponr "a eorde. eoTdeI, trois eorde il aeoorde;
Mails 81 I'M dcs coTdnns de Ia cordc discordc,
lie Gordon disoordant faii disorder la oorde.
DR.. Wallis determined not only not TO b,
| beaten but to sllrDass him He Therefor,