_By and bye_ (Vol. iii., p. 73.).--Your correspondent S. S., in support of
his opinion that _by the bye_ means "by the way," suggests that _good bye_
may mean "bon voyage." I must say the commonly received notion, that it is
a contraction of "God be wi' ye," appears to me in every way preferable. I
think that in the writers of the Elizabethan age, every intermediate
variety of form (such as "God b' w' ye," &c.) may be found; but I cannot at
this moment lay my hand on any instance.
In an ingenious and amusing article in a late Number of the _Quarterly_,
the character of different nations is shown to be indicated by their
different forms of greeting, and surely the same may be said of their forms
of taking leave. The English pride themselves, and with justice, on being a
peculiarly religious people: now, applying the above test,--as the
Frenchman has his _adieu_, the Italian his _addio_, the Portuguese his
_addios_, and the Spaniard his "vaya usted con _Dios_,"--it is to be
presumed {194} that the Englishman, also, on parting from his friend, will
commit him to the care of Providence. On the other hand, it must be
admitted that the Germans, who, as well as the English, are supposed to
entertain a deeper sense of religion than many other nations, content
themselves with a mere "lebe-wohl." I should be obliged if some one of your
readers will favour me with the forms of taking leave used by other
nations, in order that I may be enabled to see whether the above test will
hold good on a more extensive application.