M6 CANADIAN ENGLISH. 



payments of a fixed sum as subscription. When applied to a present, 

 public or private, I apprehend such an application of the tezm has 

 its origin in mere pomposity. The language stands in need of no 

 such expression so long as we have our old Saxon gift. 



In England, when one man accommodates another with the use of 

 money for a time, he lends it. The sum is called a loan, but he who 

 provides it is said to lend or to have lent. Here, however, it is becoming 

 usual to speak of having loaned to another. Webster says that to loan is 

 rarely used in England, and I may say that I never heard it there. 

 What advantage then does it possess over the more familiar form of 

 the verb that it should supersede it here ? Surely the phrase 

 "money to lend," is sufficiently intelligible. To talk of loaning 

 money, would suggest to an unsophisticated Englishman, the idea of 

 some unknown process at the mint. 



Again, let a clergyman study his sermon, a professor his lecture, a 

 member of Parliament his speech, or a merchant the state of the 

 markets and the rate of exchange : an educated or uneducated Eng- 

 lishman would probably say, " the man is master of his subject," and 

 than this, more need not and cannot be said. In the States and 

 Canada, however, a new phrase is current. A member of our 

 Assembly makes a luminious speech, say about that great institution 

 of modern civilization, the gallows, — and writers forthwith remark, 

 that '• he is posted- up on it." A Professor of Anatomy gives a 

 lecture on some abtruse branch of his department of medical educa- 

 tion, and his admiring pupils exclaim that " he is well posted-up on 

 his subject." A metaphysician once more grapples with the old prob- 

 lem how many angels can stand on the point of a needle, and he, too 

 is posted-up on it," A clergyman is posted-up in theology, a black- 

 smith in iron, a milliner in crinoline, a mother in nursery govern- 

 ment, and an undertaker in the art of " performing" funerals, and 

 coffining his customers. But, while ledgers may and should be " post- 

 ed," it has not hitherto been the English practise to treat men so, 

 unless they be black-legs. 



A man in England possesses notable capacity, and people style him 

 capable, or able, or great. In Canada he is designated first-class. To 

 3peak of sl first-class carriage, or a. first-class prize, or even afirst-class 

 prize ox, may be right enough, but why apply phrases with such poor 

 associations to men of splendid intellect ? Is it not enough that a man 

 be greats' Will he seem any greater when indissolubly associated 

 with a railway van ? The originators of such expressions no doubt 

 thought so, but if the victim of such a nick- name be what it is sup- 

 posed to imply, he will not thank his admirers for the compliment. 



