The Washington times., 1901-11-17
QUEER TITLES FOR BOOKS
Some Names Chosen by Authors
in Days Long Gone By.
eggs of Charity" "Biskets for
Chickens OF the Church, Among
the striking Ones of the Puri-
tan PeriOJ-Latter Day CaDtiops

| ''bSSs OF thhrity,' 'Biskcts for
| Chickens of the Church, Anouu
the Striking Ones of the Puri-
tan Period-Lntter Day Captions
The title of a book or an article is
regarded probably by every author as
| exercising. in some degree, an influence
on its sale. Hence considerable inge-
nuity is expended upon those publica-
tons which periodically appeal to the
notice and appreciation, of the public.
The palmy days for book titles, irdg-
| ing by the specimens preserved in the
| modern library, was the Puritan period
of New England. Those religious ell
thuiasts were won't to improve them
selves by a treatise styled EGGS of
Charity, Layed by the Chickens of the
Covenant, and Boiled in the Water OF
| Divine Love-Take Ye and Eat" The
| fancy Of the time seems to have been
especially pleased with this device, for
another work. 1868. was styled Some
! Fine Biskets; Baked in the oven of
! Charity, Carefully Conserved for the
! Chickens of the Church, the Sparrows
| of the Spirit, and the Sweet Swallows
| of Salvation" A third remarkable
| work boasted of being "A Reaping
| Hook Well Tempered for the Ears of
| the Coming Crop; or Biscuits Baked In
the Oven of Charity, Carefully Con-
served for the Chickens of the Church.
! Sparrows of the Spirit and Doves of
the Soul"
There were also Crumbs of Comfort
| for the Chickens of the Covenant" and
more comforting still, Hooks and Eyes
| for Believers Breeches." and "Hlgh-
Heeled Shoes for Dwarfs in Holiness" T"
A treatise was entitled "Salvation's
Vantage Ground; or, A Louplng Stand
| for Heavy Believers" Poverty strick-
en- Puritans were offered "A Sixpenny
Worth of Divine Spirit" while the
wealthier were attracted to "A Bank
of Faith and the ailing to the Shop
Of the Spiritual Apothecary." A poem
was entitled, Tobacco Battered. and
the Pipes Shattered About Their Ears
that Idly Idolize SO Loathsome Vani-
ty, by Volley of Holy Shot Thunder
ed From Mount Helicon." Spiritual
Milk for Boston Babes In Either Eng
land Drawn out Of the Breasts of Both
Testaments for Their Souls Nourish-
ment But May Be of Like Use to any
Children. By John Cotton, B. D., Late
Teacher to the Church of Boston in
New England, Cambridge" Il another
choice effusion, popular among the Pur-
itans.
As contrasting with these specimens
OF notable bad taste, 1t is interesting
to observe that standard authors have
selected very simple titles for their
works, as witness such productions as
"Othello,' Don Quixote.' Robinson
Crusoe," Rob Roy "Zanoni." and
David Copperfield." Among curious
titles was that OF pamphlet against
the Duke Of Orange. who was deform-
ed, viz; THE Deformity of St. Cured,
a Sermon Preached at ST. Michaefs,
Crooked Lane, Before the Prince of
Orange by the Rev. ]. Crookshanks.
Sold by Mathew Denton, at the Crook
ed Billet. Near Cripplegate. and by all
booksellers. Text: Every Crooked
Path Shall be Made Straight
Some books published in the seven
teenth century have unpronouneeahie
titles, as, for instances, q work called
''Panzoologicominer complete
history of animals and minerals. con-
tanning the summs OF all authors Galenf-
cal ard Chymicall, with the anatomie
of man." etc. A tragedy of the same
period was entitled: "crononhotontho-
logos: The Most Tragics Tragedy that
Ever was Tragedized by any Company
of Tragedians." The first two lines of
this work read: 80
AldeboroDtiphoscophos
Where left you Crononhotonthelososf
Sir Walter Scott was won't TO say that
in giving his novels the name of the
principal character contained therein.
he gave no foretaste OF the style OF the
story, but left all to the imagination
of the reader. This rule of Seott's
seems to have come In vogue with those
writers in this country, whos further
initiate the great romantic author in
writing in dialect, often. perhaps. with
out the groundwork Of creative genius
and knowledge of men and manners
which excused this trait In their dis
tinguished preceptor.
A very large number of novels have
been published under such pleasing
catch words as Patronage, Discipline.
and Discretion" while the Lord of the
Isles and Lady OF the Manor have
marshaled g host OF followers. Dick
ems, who in his early years was content
with 'Pickwick Papers," or Bar rnaby
Rudge,' afterward selected such titles
as The Haunted Man. Hard Times"
Great Expectations" and our Mutual
Friend" Bulwer began his long career
with the conservative title of Pelham;
or, the Adventures of a Gentleman"
but, altering to greater confidence and |
originality, took afterward the catch |
ing titles of My Novel" What VIII |
He Do With It?" which have provoked |
You Forgive Her. and Put Yourself !
in His Place" In a similar manner. !
Victor Hugo named an early work |
The Hunchback of Notre Dame" and |
his later ones, les Miserables" and |
The Man Who laughs Kit North's |
euphonism of the Lights and Shadows |
of Scottish Life" has also been fire. |
quently initiated. In modern German |
literature. some remarkable titles have |
been INDUCED in, such as Debit and I
Through Night to Light" Auerbach |
has treated lofty topics in "on the |
Heights