WELL-KNOWN TERMS.

Mataura Ensign, 15 December 1911, Page 2

WELL-KNOWN TERMS.

HOW THEY ORIGINATED

Interesting information on some wellknown subjects is given in the 'Globe' (Sydney) as follows :

Almighty Dollar.

Hie originator of the term "almighty r l ' 'tr" seems to have been Washington 'i' i'g, tho noted American author, who n his "Creole Village" says: "The ! .uiujihfy dollar, that groat object of '•nu'rf.s-:-! devotion throughout the . I ik(, . < ,"11,3 to have no genuine de- | v <U,v, n these peculiar villages." Ohauvinism. The term "Chauvinism" is derived from Chauvin, who was the principal character in the French dramatist Scribe's "Soldat Laboureur," a veteran soldier of the time of tho First Empire, and it implies an unbounded admiration of Napoleon I. and a blind idolatry of all that pertained to him. The word now is often used to express a blind idolatry of country or of political party, but this was not its original, nor is it the correct, meaning. Clean Crime Sheet. At what is called a "maiden assize," or where there are no prisoners to bo tried, it has from time immemorial been tho custom in England of the High Sheriff to present tho judges with white gloves. The judges were not allowed in ancient times to wear gloves upon the bench, and the presentation therefore signified that they need not go to the bench but might wear the gloves instead. The Clerk of the Assize and the judge's officers have money given to tliem on. the same occasion, which is called "glovo money." Formerly, on the application i'or the reversal of an outlawry the defendant was obliged to appear personally ia court and present gloves to tho judges. The custom of presenting white gloves to the judges on a maiden circuit in the Commonwealth is a survival of this practice. P/ioncy " Sterling." Camden, the early English clironicler, says: "In tho time of Richard I. monio coined in tho east parts .if Gerinanie began to bo of especial request in England for tho puritie thereof, and was called easterling monio, as all the inhabitants of those parts were called Easterlings, and shortly after some of that countrie, skilful in mint matters and alloies, were sent for into this realme to bring the coins to perfection, which since, that timo was called of them sterling for easterling. Moreover, in the reign of Richard I. it was usual to stipulate that payment should bo made in 'munnie easterling.' " By some this origin is considered doubtful. According t<. another authority sterling was originally the name of the English penny, the standard coin, in which it was stipulated that payments should be made. Subsequently it was applied to the coinage of England in general. Others say it is starling (little star), in allusion to a star impressed on the coin. Others refer it to Stirling Castle, in Scotland, where money was coined in tho reign of I'x!ward I. " Bawbse." | I James I. of Scotland, who with many of his nobility was slain in the battle of Flodden Field, left a son of a year old as his heir. Tho effigy of this infant king was struck upon a copper coin of the valuo of a half-penny, about tho year 1514. This coin was called the baby, or "bawbee," in reference to the 1 youth of tho king whose likeness it bore. About Buttons. Tho first form of button was an ornament, not the useful thing that it i.< now. In other words, they were really studs, often jewelled or lacquered or curiously carved. The earliest forms ~i fastening clothes were brooches and strings, or, as they were afterwards called, points. This is quite clear from the fact that the earliest paintings, dating from the beginning of the 1-fth century, show buttons without buttonholes. * Even earlier than this tracts ■are to bo found of buttons on sleeves ,and also on shoes, in illuminations and on effigies, but these were merely

lon as ornaments. Buttons as we know them appear to have com© into uko about the reign of Edward 1., but it was not until the time of Elizabeth , that they became anything like comI mon. The earliest ones were made of | wood and bone, then came silver, gold, and gilt, and lastly the clotlwovered button. In France ami Austria porcelain buttons were first made, and meta? , buttons first in Birmingham. Some polished steel buttons with facets to imitate diamonds were sold in Birmingham early in the ISth century for tho enormous price „f HO guineas a grow. It is worthy of note that an Act of George 1., passed in 1721. forbade the manufacture oi cloth-covered buttons in order to encourage* the manufacture j of metal ones. | Tweeds. j Tile term "tweeds," which is used ] for a well-known kind of woollen cloth, ' is said to be a corruption of "twee!*." j Tho latter word was blotted or imperfectly written on an invoice and so gave rise to the now familiar name of these goods. "Tivecl" was read a* ''tweed ' by James Locke, of liondon, an early pioneer of the trade, and it was thought so appropriate from the goods being made on the hanks of th<» I weed that it was at once adopted and has been continued ever since. Tweed cloth is cloth woven diagonally. I In'srnatfsnal Meddling.

The most flagrant example of thin was the interference of Peter the Great, oi Russia and his successor* with the internal affairs of Poland. The* Russian policy aimed at the dissolution of Poland by fomenting party dissensions. Under tho unscrupulous Catherine IT. the long series of intrigue assumed its most active form. She incited tin* Republican party (<» insurrection. With atrocious hypocrisy she posed as the champion of religion* liberty. Hor officials secretly kidnapped tho chief leaders of the Catholics and deported them to Siberia. 8h» then compelled the Republicans to accept tile "protection" of Russia. Poland had now become so weak- un<f disorganised that she was able with th«* assistance of Prussia to effect the first partition of that unhappy country. Slip still continued her system of bribery nti'l intimidation, and succeeded in bringing about in a few years the second and third partitions of Poland. This case is certainly more flagrant than the interference of Louis XIV. of France in English politics in the rei_u;n* of Charles 11. and James 11.