lege in such a transformation. Take Margaret, and
mutilate the pearl-like name into Maggie, and its purity like a halo
vanishes, and we have a very commonplace idea in its stead. If we must
have diminutives, commend us to the old style. Polly, Kitty, Letty,
Dolly, were names with some sense and work in them, and which we
pronounce like articulate sounds.

There is no greater injustice than the infliction of a whimsical or
unworld-like name on helpless infancy; for, as it is aptly said, "How
many are there who might have done exceedingly well in the world had
not their characters and spirits been totally _Nicodemused_ into
nothing!"

It is certainly a grave question if in the matter of Christian names
our regard for the dead past should blind our eyes to the future
comfort and success of our children. Why have we so many George
Washingtons? The name is a great burden for any boy. He will always
feel it. Inferiority to his namesake is inevitable. Besides, this
promiscuous use of great names degrades them; it is not a pleasant
thing to see a George Washington or a Benjamin Franklin in the police
news for petty larceny.

For the most part Old Testament names are defective in euphony, and
very inharmonious with English family names. The female names are
still less musical. Nothing can reconcile us to Naomi Brett, Hephzibah
Dickenson, or Dinah Winter. And to prove that the unpleasant effect
produced by such combinations does not result from the surnames
selected, let us substitute appellations unexceptionable, and the
result will be even worse,--Naomi Pelham, Hephzibah Howard, Dinah
Neville! A Hebrew Christian name requires, in most cases, a Hebrew
surname.

Some parents very wisely refuse for their children all names
susceptible of the _nicking_ process, thinking with Dr. Dove that "it
is not a good thing to be Tom'd or Bob'd, Jack'd or Jim'd, Sam'd or
Ben'd, Will'd or Bill'd, Joe'd or Jerry'd, as you go through the
world." Sobriquets are to be equally deprecated. We know a beautiful
woman who when a girl was remarkable for a wealth of rippling, curling
hair. Some one gave her the name of "Friz," and it still sticks to the
dignified matron. Wit, or would-be wit, delights to exercise itself
after this fashion, but a child's name is too precious a thing to be
ridiculed.

Fanciful names are neither always pretty nor prudent. Parents have
need of the gift of prophecy who call their children Grace, Faith,
Hope, Fortune, L