Notes and Events.

Manawatu Herald, 3 November 1894, Page 3

Notes and Events.

« In July's Idler appears some notes on a substitute for swearing. In it is mentioned that when the late Duke of Wellington received his morning mail, he was in the habit of marking on some of the communications the three letters. " E B D." His secretary in some roundabout way had come to understand that the letters meant " He be d — ." 'It became interesting to know how 'the secretary translated the terse phrase into lawful English. His reply took this form: — Sir. Field Marshall. The Duke of Welrington has given your communication his most earnest consideration, and begs leave to express his regret that it is impossible for him to comply with your request." This sounds pleasant, lv the colony the reply is, " the question will be kept steadily in view " though we are unable to imagine what sort of initials are used to indicate the Minister's real viewof the application, more especially as our most choleric Minister bursts out in Gaelic. Dr Pereival says " If you can do anything to make it felt that the habit of swearing and using coarse expressions is a low and vulgar habit, and altogether unbefitting a gentleman, you will do a very good service, and I wish you all success in the 'attempt." The Captain of H.M.S. training ship "St. Vincent " points out that the great majority of people mean no more by so-called swearing than the cultured, classes do by the use of the words " intense '' "impossible," and other jargon ; and the sin con* sists in the violence done to other people's feelings whe hear them, and the general, lowering of tone engendered by the habitual use of any strong expressions. . The hfiad master of Berkhamated School thinks swearing is variously motived. Amongst the grandfathers of the present upper olapsefl custom was the main thing. He relates an anecdote : — My grandfather was once travelling by coach into Somersetshire and found his fellow travellers conversational in this fashion. After a while he emphasised his own remarks by harmless equivalents of a ridiculous kind : " Bread and cheese and onjons!" "Salt and vinegar, sir 1" '♦ By my grandmother's watch key !" At last some of his inventions broke up all talk with laughter, and he then protested that his style of emphasising facts or opinions or prophecies was quite as sensible and much more humorous than theirs. They took the hint ; and for many leagues contented themselves with " yay " and " nay."