[GAKONG] PLACE-NOMENCLATURE OF NEW BRUNSWICK 179 



but these alone wouid lack strength, whicli the consonants suppj}'. In 

 our language we prefer a fair bahmce of the two, and run neither so far 

 to the one as do the Italians, nor to the other as the Germans. Thus 

 America, Canada, MetapecUa, Yosemite, are to us musical, though we are 

 not averse to more consonants and greater strength, as in Oreyon, Labra- 

 dor, Restigouche, especially when they are sonorous. But strong gutterals 

 and nasals are not so pleasing, especially when repeated, as Horitj Kong, 

 Pokiok, Skager Rack. The history of place-names shows that they 

 alwaj's tend, in time, to become, if not more melodious, at least more 

 simple and easy to pronounce, as will later be shown. If sounds difficult 

 to pronounce in succession come accidentally together, alterations for 

 greater ease follow by processes well understood by students of philology. 



Dignity. — This consists in freedom from incongruous associations, 

 together with such a series of sounds as conveys to the mind somewhat 

 the same impression that the place itself does. The very association of 

 sound with object, which makes names possible at all, carries drawbacks 

 with its advantages ; objects are numberless, while distinct sounds and 

 easy combinations are few, so that we must use the same sound for 

 different objects, and many are so alike as to be easily confounded, on 

 which depends the existence of puns. Hence, in place-names, the sounds 

 often suggest other and distinct ideas, and when these are, by contrast, 

 incongruous or absurd, the name, as a whole, is spoiled and lacks dignity. 

 Our best names contain 'no such suggestions, but it is otherwise with 

 Bagdad, Skowhegan, Pugivash, and many names of the new west. Con- 

 nected with dignity is the charm of the unftimiliar, to be spoken of again. 

 It is because they are usually unlike common words that aboriginal 

 names are often so good. Again, though sound and object have no 

 necessary connection except association, it is nevertheless true that certain 

 sounds, or combinations, do of themselves convey distinct impressions — 

 some of calm strength ; others of ruggedness ; others of prettiness ; 

 others of amusement ; and when these sounds or names are applied to 

 places which themselves convey the corresponding impressions, those 

 names have dignity. Thus, through their sounds alone, Monadnock and 

 Katahdin are dignified names for mountains ; Niagara for a great water- 

 fall, and Minnehaha for a smaller one ; Amazon for a great river, Mira- 

 michi for a smaller ; while Kalamazoo or Timbuctoo, no matter to what 

 applied, make everybody smile. How important the mere sound is in 

 conveying impressions every poet and novelist knows well ; and Milton, 

 as often quoted, has mai'shalled splendidly some of the grandest of them 

 in " Paradise Lost." 



The length of place-names has something to do with their dignity. 

 Those we recognize as best have oftenest three syllables, frequently four ; 

 sometimes two and rarely one ; and, in general, the most pleasing names 

 are somewhat longer than those less pleasant. The reason for this is no 



