There are several words in the English Language which were originally Terms of Art, but came in process of time to be applied metaphorically to the common purposes of discourse. Thus lodgings are sometimes called quarters; a word which, in its restricted sense, signifies the lodgings of soldiers; ill habits, like diseases, are said to be remedied; men hope, as if indicted for an offence, that ladies will acquit them of inattention, and so forth. When, as in the instances cited, the word or phrase can be traced back either to one of the Learned Professions, or to any source savouring of gentility, it is esteemed a proper one, and there is no objection to its use.

Now we have divers other words, of which many have but recently come into vogue, which, though by no means improper or immoral, are absolutely unutterable in any polite assembly. It is not, at first, very easy to see what can be the objection to their use; but derivation explains it for us in the most satisfactory manner. The truth is, that the expressions in question take their origin from various trades and occupations, in which they have, for the most part, a literal meaning; and we now perceive what horrible suspicions respecting one’s birth, habits, and education, their figurative employment would be likely to excite. To make the matter indisputably clear, we will explain our position by a few examples.

WORDS AND PHRASES. WHAT DERIVED FROM.
Bone (to steal), Butchers.
Chisel (to cheat), Carpenters.
Clout (to beat), Scullions.
To cut it fat, Cooks.
To come it strong, Publicans.
To draw it mild, Ditto.
To drop off the hooks, Butchers.
To miss your tip, Footmen.
To be done, Cooks.
To be done brown, Ditto.
To collar (to seize), Thieves or policemen.
To be walked off, Ditto.
A sell, Jews.
A shine, Shoe-boys.
A wipe (a handkerchief), Blackguards in general, from its use.
A mawley (a hand), Prizefighters.
To welt (to beat), Cobblers.
To leather (ditto), Ditto.
To strap (ditto), Ditto.
To hide (ditto), Curriers.
Spicy (showy), Grocers.
To hang out (to dwell), Publicans.
A drag (carriage), Stage-coachmen.
Swamped (ruined), Watermen.
To put one’s oar in (to interfere), Watermen.
Get on with your barrow, Dogs’-meat-men.
Kidderminster (for carpet), Upholsterers.
Mahogany (for table), Ditto.
Dodge (trick), Pickpockets.

(N.B. All those are obliged to have recourse to the dodge, who are in the habit of outrunning the constable.) But, to proceed with our Etymology:

To bung up an eye, Brewers.
To chalk down, Publicans.
A close shaver (a miser), Barbers.
To be off your feed, Ostlers.
Hold hard (stop), Omnibus-men.

Numerous examples, similar to the foregoing, will, no doubt, present themselves, in addition, to the mind of the enlightened student. We have not, however, quite done yet with our remarks on this division of our subject. The intrinsic vulgarity of all modes of speech which may be traced to mean or disreputable persons, will, of course, not be questioned. But—and as we have got hold of a nice bone, we may as well get all the marrow we can out of it—the principle which is now under consideration has a much wider range than is apparent at first sight.

Now we will suppose a red-hot lover addressing the goddess of his idolatry—by the way, how strange it is, that these goddesses should be always having their temples on fire, that a Queen of Hearts should ever be seated on a burning throne!—but to return to the lover: he was to say something. Well, then, let A. B. be the lover. He expresses himself thus:—

“Mary, my earthly hopes are centred in you. You need not doubt me; my heart is true as the dial to the sun. Words cannot express how much I love you. Nor is my affection an ordinary feeling: it is a more exalted and a more enduring sentiment than that which usually bears its name. I have done. I am not eloquent: I can say no more, than that I deeply and sincerely love you.”

This, perhaps, will be regarded by connoisseurs as tolerably pathetic, and for the kind of thing not very ridiculous. Now, let A. S. S. be the lover; and let us have his version of the same story:—