The history of the word _grace_ is curious. We are apt to confuse it
with the Latin _gracilis_ (slender), with which it has no connection,
and which only in later times acquired the sense of elegant, whereas it
originally meant lean, or wasted, and came from a kindred word to the
Greek γράω (grao), to consume.
_Grates_, on the contrary, were thanks, whence what was done _gratiis_,
or _gratis_, was for thanks and nothing else, according to our present
use of the word—whence our gratuitous. So again _gratus_ applied to him
who was thankful, and to what inspired thanks; and _gratia_ was favour,
or bounty, and was used to render the Greek χάρις; and thus have the
Greek Charities come down to us as Graces. Then, too, he was _gratiosus_
who possessed the free spirit of bounty and friendliness, exactly
expressed by our gracious; but, in Italy, it was degraded into mere
lively good-nature, till _un grazioso_ is little better than a buffoon;
and _gracieux_ in France means scarcely more than engaging.
_Gratia_ was used by early Latin writers for divine favour, whence the
theological meaning of grace. And from _grates_ (thanks) comes our
expression of “saying grace before meat.”
The English name of Grace is intended as the abstract theological term,
and was adopted with many others of like nature at the Reformation. Its
continuation after the dying away of most of its congeners is owing to
the Irish, who thought it resembled their native _Grainé_ (love), and
thereupon adopted it so plentifully that Grace or Gracie is generally to
be found wherever there is an Irish connection.
Spain likewise has Engracia in honour of a maiden cruelly tortured to
death at Zaragoza, in 304; and Italy, at least in Lamartine’s pretty
romance, knows Graziella.
Gratianus (favourable) rose among the later Romans, and belonged to the
father and to the son of the Emperor Valens, and it left the Italians
Graziano for the benefit of Nerissa’s merry husband.
_Pulcher_ (fair) turned into a name in late days, and came as Pulcheria
to that noble lady on whom alone the spirit of her grandfather
Theodosius in all his family descended. She was canonized, and Pulcheria
thus was a recognized Greek name; but it has been little followed except
in France, where Chérie is the favourite contraction.
_Spes_ (hope) is the only one of the Christian graces in Latin who has
formed any modern names; and these are the Italian Sperata (hoped for),
and Speranza (hope). Esperanza in Spain, and Espérance in France, have
been made Christian names.
_Delicia_ (delightful) is an English name used in numerous families, and
Languedoc has the corresponding Mesdelices, shortened into Médé, so that
Mademoiselle Mesdélices is apt to be called Misé Médé in her own
country. In Italy, Delizia is used.
_Dulcis_ (sweet, or mild) is explained by Spanish authors to have been
the origin of their names of Dulcia, Aldoncia, Aldonça, Adoncia, all
frequent among the Navarrese and Catalonian princesses from 900 to 1200,
so that it was most correct of Don Quixote to translate his Aldonça
Lorenço into the peerless Dulcinea del Toboso. Probably the Moorish
article was added by popular pronunciation in Spain, while Dulcia
lingered in the South of France, became Douce, and came to England as
Ducia in the time of the Conqueror, then turned into Dulce, and
by-and-by embellished into Dulcibella, and then by Henry VIII.’s time
fell into Dowsabel, a name borne by living women, as well as by the wife
of Dromio. Dousie Moor, widow, was buried in 1658, at Newcastle.[84]
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Footnote 83:
Arnold; Hanmer; _Irish Society_; Lower.
Footnote 84:
Facciolati; Butler; Bowles, _Don Quixote con Annotaciones_.