In our own time, an almost unknown man has enriched the language
with a new verb. A Captain Boycott of Lough Mask House, Co. Mayo,
was a small Irish land-agent in 1880. The means that were adopted
to try and drive him out of the country are well known. Since that
time the expression to "boycott" a person, in the sense of
combining with others to refuse to have any dealings with him, has
become a recognised English term, and is just as widely used in
France as with us.
A less familiar term is a "Collins," for the usual letter of
thanks which a grateful visitor addresses to his recent host.
This, of course, is derived from the Rev. Mr. Collins of Jane
Austen's Pride and Prejudice, who prided himself on the dexterity
with which he worded these acknowledgments of favours received. As
another example, most bridge-players are but too familiar with the
name of a certain defunct Earl of Yarborough, who, whatever his
other good qualities may have been, scarcely seems to have been a
consistently good card-holder.
There must be quite a long list of similar words, and they would
make an interesting study.
Pages:
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312