(Vol. ix., p. 136.)
Mr. Thackeray's work, _The Newcomes_, would, if consulted by your
correspondent, furnish him with farther examples. For instance, Colonel
Newcome's Christian name is stated (pp. 27. 57.) to be Thomas: at p. 49. he
is designated Col. J. Newcome. The letter addressed to him (p. 27.) is
superscribed "Major Newcome," although at p. 25. he is styled "Colonel." At
p. 71. mention is made of "Mr. Shaloo, the great Irish patriot," who at
p. 74. becomes "Mr. Shaloony," and at p. 180. relapses into the dissyllabic
"Shaloo." Clive Newcome is represented (p. 184.) as admiring his youthful
mustachios, and Mr. Doyle has depicted him without whiskers: at p. 188.
Ethel, "after Mr. Clive's famous mustachios made their appearance, rallied
him," and "asked him if he was (were?) going into the army? She could not
understand how any but military men could wear mustachios." On this the
author remarks, three lines farther on: "If Clive had been in love with
her, no doubt he would have sacrificed even those beloved _whiskers_ for
the charmer."
At p. 111. the Rev. C. Honeyman is designated "A.M.," although previously
described a Master of Arts of Oxford, where the Masters are styled "M.A."
in contradistinction to the Masters of Arts in every other university.
Cambridge Masters frequently affix M.A. to their names, but I never heard
of an instance of an Oxonian signing the initials of his degree as A.M.
Apropos of Oxford, I recently met the following sentence at p. 3. of
_Verdant Green_:
"Although pronounced by Mrs. Toosypegs, his nurse, to be 'a perfect
progidye,' yet we are not aware that his _debut_ on the stage of life,
although thus applauded by such a _clacqueur_ as the indiscriminating
Toosypegs, was announced to the world at large by any other means than
the notices in the county papers."
If the author ever watched the hired applauders in a Parisian theatre, he
would have discerned among them _clacqueuses_ as well as _clacqueurs_.