the principal village; let us, therefore, change the name to Oakhurst, and instead of the points of the compass, to distinguish the different hamlets, let us call them Upper and Lower, High and Nether, Far and Near Oakhurst, and would not most people declare this an improvement?
The very fact of our motley origin as colonists should provide some good materials for naming new towns and villages. Not by weak and absurd repetitions of all the European capitals in the shanties of American backwoods, but by adopting those terminations peculiar to each nation which will bear an English pronunciation. Such may easily be found. Heim, and Hausen, and Dorf, and Feld, are German words, well suited to many places in Pennsylvania. Wyck, and Daal, and Dorp, are Dutch words, which will bear the same connection with proper names of Dutch origin. The Huguenots from France may employ hameau, and côte, and champ, and roche, and plaine in the same way. Some Swedish and Norwegian words of the same kind would be well placed among the honest Scandinavian colonists who have lately gone out upon the prairies of Wisconsin and Iowa. A fit selection from Scotch, Irish, and Welsh words of the same class may well be preserved among the descendants of emigrants from those countries. Now and then it would not be amiss if some of the smaller lakes and pools, which are now worse than nameless, were to become loch Jeanie, or loch Mary, loch Davie, or loch Willie. In short, if we would but think so, we have by far too many resources in this way, to be driven perpetually to the Classical Dictionary for assistance.
Thursday, 8th.—Cool and blustering day, with sunshine in the morning.
