Letters to his mother, Ann Borrow

Letters to his mother, Ann Borrow - and Other Correspondents

I have been in some difficulties. I was selling so many Testaments that the Priests became alarmed, and prevailed on the government to p. 6put a stop to my selling any more. They were likewise talking of prosecuting me as a Witch, but they have thought better of it. Many thanks for your interesting and kind letter, in which you do me the honour to ask my opinion respecting the pedigree of your island goblin, le feu follet Belenger; that opinion I cheerfully give, with a promise that it is only an opinion; in hunting for the etymons of these fairy names we can scarcely expect to arrive at any thing like certainty. I suppose you are aware that the name of Bilenger, or Billinger, is of occasional though by no means frequent occurrence both in England p. 8and France. You have heard of Billings-gate, and of Billing-ham, the unfortunate assassin of poor Percival. Likewise of Billing-ton, all modifications of the same root: Belingart, Bilings-home or Billing-ston. But what is Billinger? Clearly that which is connected some way or other with Billing. You will find ger, or something like it, in most European tonguesBoulanger, horologer, talker walker, baker, brewer, beggar. In Welsh it is of frequent occurrence in the shape of ur or gwrhinur (an elder), herwr (a prowler); in Russian the ger, gwr, ur, er, appears in the shape of ik or kSapojgnik, a shoemaker, Chinobuik, a man possessed of rank. The root of all these, as well as of or in Senator, victor, etc., is the same as ker or kir; which means, Lord, master, maker, doer, possessor of something or connected with something. ......Buy Now (To Read More)

Product details

Ebook Number: 28784
Author: Borrow, George
Release Date: May 13, 2009
Format: eBook
Language: English

Contributors

Editor: Wise, Thomas James, 1859-1937