NAMES. 
493 
the principal village ; let us, therefore, change the name to Oak- 
hurst, and instead of the points of the compass, to distinguish the 
different hamlets, let us call them Upper and Lower, High and 
Nether, Far and Near Oakhurst, and would not most people de- 
clare this an improvement ? 
The very fact of our motley origin as colonists should provide 
some good materials for naming new towns and villages. Not by 
weak and absurd repetitions of all the European capitals in the 
shanties of American backwoods, but by adopting those termina- 
tions peculiar to each nation which will bear an English pronun- 
ciation. Such may easily be found. Heim, and Hansen, and 
Dorf, and Feld, are German words, well suited to many places in 
Pennsylvania. Wyck, and Daal, and Dorjp, are Dutch words, 
which will bear the same connection with proper names of Dutch 
origin. The Huguenots from France may employ hameau, and 
c6te, and champ, and roche, and plaine in the same way. Some 
Swedish and Norwegian words of the same kind would be well 
placed among the honest Scandinavian colonists who have lately 
gone out upon the prairies of Wisconsin and Iowa. A fit selec- 
tion from Scotch, Irish, and Welsh words of the same class may 
well be preserved among the descendants of emigrants from those 
countries. Now and then it would not be amiss if some of the 
smaller lakes and pools, which are now worse than nameless, were 
to become loch Jeanie, or loch Mary, loch Davie, or loch Willie. 
In short, if we would but think so, we have by far too many re- 
sources in this way, to be driven perpetually to the Classical Dic- 
tionary for assistance. 
Thursday, 8th. — Cool and blustering day, with sunshine in the 
morning. 
