be supposed, that his object was to have its
justness and probability commented upon; and it is quite time that
they should be so, since the derivation in question has of late become
quite a favourite authoritative dictum with etymology compilers.
Thus it may be found, in the very words and form adopted by your
correspondent, in Haydn's _Dictionary of Dates_, and in other
authorities of equal weight.

This sort of initial-letter derivation was probably brought into
fashion in England by the alleged origin of "Cabal," or, perhaps, by
the many guesses at the much disputed word "AEra." I shall take the
liberty of quoting a few sentences with reference to such etymologies,
_as a class_, which I find in an unpublished manuscript upon a kindred
subject.

"Besides, such a splitting up of a word of significant and
perfect meaning in itself is always a bad and suspicious mode
of derivation.

"It is generally an after-thought, suggested by some
fortuitous or fancied coincidence, that appropriateness of
which is by no means a sufficient proof of probability.

"Of this there can scarcely be a better example than the
English word 'news,' which, notwithstanding the felicity of
its supposed derivation from the four cardinal points, must,
nevertheless, so long as the corresponding words 'nova,'
'nouvelles,' &c. exist, be consigned to its more sober and
common-place origin in the adjective '_new_.'"

To this it must be added that the ancient orthography of the word
_newes_, completely upsets the derivation Mr. Gutch has brought before
your readers. Hone quotes from "one Burton, printed in 1614: 'if any
one read now-a-days, it is a play-book, or _a pamphlet_ of _newes_."

I had been in two minds whether or not to send this communication,
when the scale is completely turned by the apropos occurrence of a
corroboration of this latter objection in "NOTES AND QUERIES" of this
day. Mr. Rimbault mentions (at p. 277.), "a rare black letter volume
entitled _Newes from Scotland_, 1591."

Here is one more proof of the usefulness of your publication, that I
am thus enabled to strengthen the illustration of a totally different
subject by the incidental authority of a fellow correspondent.

A.E.B.

Leeds, March, 1850.

* * * * *

REPLIES TO MINOR QUERIES.

_Swot_ is, as the querist supposes, a military cant term, and
a sufficiently vulgar one too. It orig