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THE FOUR ROMAN NAMES.

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used to distinguish the various individuals of a family.

3. The Cognomen, or surname, which distinguished the several branches or families descended from the same stock.

4. The Agnomen, which somewhat resembled the cognomen; but in that it was frequently a title of honour, it partook more of personal cha

racter.

All these names were significative. The two first were for the most part simply descriptive of personal characteristics, such as Flavus and its derivative Flavius, signifying yellow-haired. The two last were usually honourable distinctions.

We may find an example of these four names in Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus, one of the most illustrious of the sons of Rome, were it not for the shadow cast upon his fame by the tragic story of the Carthaginian Princess Sophonisba.

In this instance the prænomen preceded the

nomen.

Publius was a name of good augury, signifying one honoured by the people.

Cornelius, the name of this distinguished race, was also a name of good augury. It might be said to have a threefold significance. If derived from the Latin cornu, a horn, it suggested cornucopia, signifying a horn of plenty, abundance; or as a cornet, a trumpet, it might

have seemed prophetic of the far sounding of If derived from the Greek (korone),

the name.

it signifies a rook, a bird of good omen.

Scipio signifies a staff. This was a name of honour won by a Cornelius, founder of the family of the Scipios, who had been as a staff daily to support and guide a blind father.

Africanus was a title of honour conferred by acclamation when the conquerors of the Carthaginians returned in triumph to Rome. In connection with the subject of names a noble answer of this hero is recorded in history.

The talent for remembering names has been called a royal gift,' but in republican Rome it was so necessary for the candidates for public favour to remember the names of their fellowcitizens that certain slaves called nomenclators were in constant attendance on the great men of the city. It was their duty to make themselves acquainted with the names of the citizens, and in a low voice repeat to their masters that of each individual as he drew near. Some men prided themselves on not requiring the services of a nomenclator. On Appius Claudius vaunting himself on this accomplishment, Scipio Africanus replied that his greater care had been to make his own name known to his countrymen, than to become acquainted with all theirs.'

Wonderful tales are told of the gift of remembering names. Cyrus and Mithridates are

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said to have known by name each soldier in their armies. Cynias, ambassador from Pyrrhus, saluted each member of the Roman senate by name. The Emperor Hadrian used to correct the mistakes of his nomenclator.

CHAPTER V.

Change of name-Various scenes and stories connected with such change-Abraham-The four Hebrew captives-The North American Indian brave-Caribs-Dacians-Greek emperors and their brides-Princesses marrying into foreign lands-Queen Dagmar of Denmark-Signification of Alexandra Old Danish ballad Brunechilde of France Eleanor of Austria-Popes-Literary men: their assumption of Greek and Latin names - Enforced changes of name — Ireland - Spain - Scotland.

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THE subject of Change of Name claims a chapter to itself. It might fill a volume. I may

only give it here a few pages.

It has been said, 'Notre nom propre c'est nousmêmes.'* It would seem to have been instinctively so felt, if we compare the capricious fancies which have occasionally led to a change of surname with the grave and earnest occasions on which alone, even before the days of Christianity, new personal names have been adopted.

The assumption of a new individual name has always supposed the assuming a new manner of life, or at least the entering into some new and important phase of life.

* Salverte.

†The ridiculous fancy lately sprung up in England of changing ugly surnames for those of prettier sound, without right or title to them, will surely soon die out again.

CHANGE OF NAME.

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But the Church of England has always considered Christian names inalienable; and in England, even before the Reformation, we read of severe penance being inflicted on a woman who had changed her son's baptismal name of Edward for that of Henry. We change our surnames or family names, but our individual, or font-names,' as they were once called, are ours unchangeably— ours by the grace of God. Let us seek to have them written by the finger of God—where none can blot them out-in the Book of Life.

Innumerable pictures rise before us as our minds rest on those words, Change of Name. We may but glance at a few of them.

We see the princely patriarch of old-who was called forth from his birth-place Ur (of the Chaldees), signifying Light-so that the light of his faith should penetrate the darkness of heathenism, and that from his chosen seed should arise a Light to lighten the whole world,' even the glorious Sun of Righteousness.' We see this chief of a great following-men servants and maid servants, with many herds, and with much silver and gold-bowed with his face upon the ground, for God talked with him.' From the High and Holy One Himself, the Father of the Faithful received the charge 'to walk before Him, and be perfect;' and in making His solemn covenant with him God changed his name from Ab-ram, the lofty father, to Ab-raham, the father of multitudes.

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