A WORD A DAY.

Southland Times, Issue 21834, 11 October 1932, Page 8

A WORD A DAY.

SALMAGUNDI. The word salmagundi is referred to in Blounts “Glossographia,” published in 1674 as follows: "Salmagundi (Ital.) a dish of meat made of cold Turkey and other ingredients.” Randle Cotgrave in his “Dictionarie,” dated 1611, says of the French word salmigondin, “a Hachee; or meat made ordinarily of cold flesh, cut m little peeces, and stewed or boyled on a chafingdish, with crummes of bread, wine, veriuyce, vinegar, sliced nutmeg and orange pills.” Marriott in his Royal English Dictionary of 1780 derives the word from the French selon mon gout, “according to my taste,” and says that it is a mixture of chopped meat, pickled herring, etc.” The modem dish is made of chopped meat, anchovies, eggs, onions, etc., with oil, vinegar and pepper (New Standard Dictionary). The word is derived from the Italian salame, salt meat, and condito, seasoned, but came into English through the French salmigondis. The word has frequently been used figuratively, and designates any mixture of various ingredients; an olla podrida; a medley, a potpourri. According to Larousse the French define the term as “a stew of several kinds of meat warmed-up; by extension, a number of things piled up indiscriminately,” and “a name given derisively to members of a club who met at the hotel Salm.” According to the inimitable Rabelais Salmigondi or Salmygondin, ‘which occurs in the “Pilgrimage to the Shrine of the Holy Bottle,” was a Lordship of Dipsody given by Pantagruel to Panurge. This lordship was worth'67 milion pounds sterling or 333,000,000 dollars per annum in certain rent, and an annual revenue from locusts and periwinkles varying from 125,000 dollars to 60 millions in a good year, when the exports of locusts and periwinkles were flourishing (see Rabelais Pantagruel 11, 32- in 2). In 1806’ Washington Irving and his brother William, in association with James K. Paulding, projected a periodical, modelled on Addison’s “Spectator, which they called “Salmagundi.” The first number appeared in January 1807, and the editors continued for a year, during which time there were issued twenty numbers in which the follies and frailties of the day were goodnaturedly satirized. At the close of the year “Salmagundi” was discontinued because the publisher refused to remunerate the editors. The name of the Salmagundi Club, New York, is, we believe, derived from Washington Irving’s periodical. It is an association of professional men of various walks of life, but artists predominate.

“It seems that the British Empire holds a position of peculiar influence in the world, and that it has a unique opportunity for leadership in the direction of securing international . understanding and goodwill. The history _of our race shows that we have a singular aptitude for entering into the minds of people of every kind, and reconciling divergent interests and points of view. I welcome every opportunity of furthering the cause of peace, in which, for many years, I have been keenly interested,” said the Rev. Dr J. HL .Rushbrooke, general secretary of the Baptist World Alliance, on his arrival ini Christchurch last Friday.