THE LONDON DIRECTORY.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 4872, 2 November 1876, Page 3

THE LONDON DIRECTORY.

The Geneva Continent says “ One of the; most curious aspects of the commercial department of the London Directory is its relation to surnames. It - contains probably about one hundred and fifty thousand names; being those of persons who are at the head of manufacturing, commercial, or professional establishments, including the several partners in established firms. There could hardly be found a better repertory than this of average English names London is the great centre toward which country people bend their thoughts when they have dreams of bettering their condition ; and thus we have among us an admixture of all. The Census Commissioners have ascertained that considerably more than one million of the present inhabitants of the metropolis were born away from London, and these country people bring to us a fair admixture of the surnames of Yorkshire and Devonshire, of Suffolk and Cheshire, of every county, and almost every town. Very instructive it is to see how many of these names mean something beyond the mere names el persons, and how general it is that vigorous old Danish and Anglo-Saxon names have this double quality. There are : the names of trades which have become surnames, such as Smith, Baker, Chandler, Coope ; names of occupations, now rarely denoted by those words, such as Chapman, Webster, Fletcher ; names of trees, of flowers, of fraits, of herbs, of quadrupeds, of birds, of fishes ; names of counties, towns, and villages; names of rivers, forests, and heaths; names of clans and feudal houses; Christian names, with the addition of s, on, or son, such as Edwards, Jameson, Williamson. But perhaps the most curious and interesting of all surnames are those which refer to personal characteristics. We have been at some pains to ascertain what the Directory could teach in this matter. Look at our friends and relations, we find the names of 'Babb (an additional letter, here and there must be expected), Babs, > Child, Boys, Ladd,. Mann,

Brothers, Lover, Friend, Neighbor, Maiden, Bride, Husband, Spouse, Fathers, , Uncles, Cousins, and Widow. , In.the loveable little creatures wo have Fairbairn, Fairchild, Goodchild, Fairey, Doll, Darling, and Angel. If we ask what pur friends are made of, corporeally speaking, we find the origin of the surnames Bone, Blood, Skin, Hair, Fat; and, organically considered Head, Pate, Skull, Brain, Temple, Cheek, Beard, Whisker, Tongue, Tooth, Gum, Neck, Side, Back, Arms, Hands, Nail, Legg, Shanks, Calf, Shin, Foot, Sole, Heel, and Toe—almost enough for a complete human being. Then, speaking of the height of those around us, we have Long, Longman, High, Low, Short, Shorter, and Tall; and ;ol their size or build, Thin, Light, Lightbody, Slight, Slimm, Flatt, Little, Littlejohn, Small, Smallbone, Smallman, Round, Square, Bigg, Stumpe, Thicke, Large, and Heaviside. If our friends please us, personally, or morally, we have plenty of acceptable names to give them —Nice, Pretty, Neat, ■ Sweet, Gentle, Softly, Good, Allgood, True, Goodenough, Faithful, Thoroughgood, Best, Patient, Perfect, Meek, Hale, Quick, Sharp, Hardy,. Bold,'Strong, Eager, Smart, Pleasant, Merry and Mo-rymau. It they are unwelcome. to us, the Directory supplies us with the epithets, Coward, Moody, Slow, Slowman, Hurry, Hasty, Rough, Bragg, .Blunt, Sly, Lawless, Savage, Stiff, Dull, Sad, Cross, Silly and Gabey. Setting aside such antagonistic couplets as Rich and Poor, Body and Soul, Heaven aud Earthly, Young and Old, Summer and Winter, Noon and Eve, we may follow our friends to their daily meals, and trace how; their breakfast materials are denoted for them in the surnames, Bread, Cakebread, Roll, Bunn, Lunn, (with or without salt), Butter, Egg, Bacon, Ham, Tongue, Herring, Coffee, and Cream. Then for dinner they may . select among the names, Bull, Bullock, Cow, Meats, Chine, Calf, Veal, Hog, Pigg, Sheepshanks, Swiney, Tripe, Trotter, Mutton, Lamb, Lambshead, Deer, Rabbitt, Hare, Goosey, Goslin, Gander, Capon, Duck, Drake, Fowls, Chicken, Pigeon, Pheasant, Grouse, Lark, Partridge, and a very large variety of fish. Some of these good things may be stuffed with Sage and Onion ; they may have as accompaniments Bice, Salt, Pepper, Mustard, Ginger, Curry, Mace and Spice ; they may be followed by Pye, Jelly, Cheese, Orange, Lemon, Mellon, Pears, Plum, Nutt and Figg; and may be washed down with Porter, Beer, Stout, Mead, Perry, Claret, Cape, Mountain, and Hollands. Unwelcome, but inevitable, comes the last scene of all— Pale, Weakly, Band, Ilhnan, Dye, Death, Deadman, Goldman, Hammer, Nail, Black, Coffin, Hearse, Church, Parson, Clerk, Service, Churchyard, Sexton, Shovell, Grave, Tombes, and Monument.”