As the first step to considerations of this kind must be made from a large induction of words, I think, with your correspondent, that the pages of "N. & Q." might be made useful in supplying "links of connexion" to supply a groundwork for future comparison. I shall conclude by suggesting one or two "links" that I do not remember to have seen elsewhere.
1. Is the root of felix to be found in the Irish fail, fate; the contraction of the dipththong ai or ê being analogous to that of amaïmus into amêmus?
2. Is it not probable that Avernus, if not corrupted from ἄορνος, is related to iffrin, the Irish inferi? This derivation is at any rate more probable than that of Grotefend, who connects the word with Ἀχέρων.
3. Were the Galli, priests of Cybele, so called as being connected with fire-worship? and is the name at all connected with the Celtic gal, a flame? The word Gallus, a Gaul, is of course the same as the Irish gal, a stranger.
T. H. T.
GEOMETRICAL CURIOSITY.
(Vol. viii., p. 468.)
Mr. Ingleby's question might easily be the foundation of a geometrical paper; but as this would not be a desirable contribution, I will endeavour to keep clear of technicalities, in pointing out how the process described may give something near to a circle, or may not.
When a paper figure, bent over a straight line in it, has the two parts perfectly fitting on each other, the figure is symmetrical about that straight line, which may be called an axis of symmetry. Thus every diameter of a circle is an axis of symmetry: every regular oval has two axes of symmetry at right angles to each other: every regular polygon of an odd number of sides has an axis joining each corner to the middle of the opposite sides: every regular polygon of an even number of sides has axes joining opposite corners, and axes joining the middles of opposite sides.