34 



Big), Shakespear, Breakespeare, Wagstaff, Bickerstaff, Fortescue, 

 StrotJgbow, Beauharuais, Harness, &c. 



Names derived from moral or mental qualities, which also belong to 

 this class, have been common among all nations. Among the Greeks 

 we have Sophocles, Socrates, Eubulus, Thrasybulus, Sophroniscus, &c.; 

 among the Latins, Lepidus, Tacitus, Probus, Cato, Pius, Sevenis ; and 

 among ourselves, such names as Good, Best, Wise, Meek, Proud. 

 Many of the old Saxon names belonged to this class, such as Albert, 

 Alfred, Ethel-bert (Nobly-bright), Ethelred (Nobly-spoken), &g. 



This system of nicknames, for they are after all nothing more, con- 

 tinues to the present day in many parts of Lancashire, Yorkshire, and 

 Staftbrdshire. The parties owning them have indeed another name, 

 such as Smith, Jones, or Williams, but these are not for use ; they are, 

 as it were, stowed carefully away out of sight, and like their Sunday 

 clothes only brought out to figure on high days and holidays, christen- 

 ings and weddings. I'or every-day purposes they use some classical 

 nickname, translating the Roman Naso, Fronto, or Bibulus, by some 

 such elegant appellation as Nosey, Bullhead, or Soaker ; and these are 

 employed not by their neighbours only, but by their wives and children, 

 and even by themselves. The following illustrations of this practice 

 are quoted by Mr. Lower, from a correspondent of the Oentlemans 

 Magazine. " An apothecary in the collieries always entered the real 

 name of his patients in his books, i.e. when he could ascertain them. 

 But they stood there only for ornament ; for use he found it necessary 

 to append the nickname, which he did with true medical formality, as 

 for instance, 'Thomas Williams,' vulgo diet. ' Old Puff.'" Clergymen 

 have been known to send away a wedding party in despair, after many 

 vain attempts to elicit from the bride or bridegroom by way of a name, 

 some sound, which any known letter in the alphabet had the power of 

 representing on paper. 



We have however dwelt long enough on surnames derived from 

 physical peculiarities, and we now come to the seconc! great class, 

 namely, those wliich take their rise from trades and occupations. 



Names of this kind are common among all nations ; and from them 

 we may trace something of the character and pursuits of the people to 

 whom they belong. Among the Romans, for instance, a large propor- 

 tion of these surnames point to their fondness for agricultural occupa- 

 tions. Such are Agricola, Rusticus, Cicero (from cicer a vetch), Fabius 

 (from /«&« a bean). Lentulus (from lens pulse), Fiso [h'om jnsum a pea), 

 and Coepio (from ccepe an onion), all of whom were probably so called 

 because the first of their respective families were celebrated for the 



