the Syracusans, where it went by the name of _petalism_, from the leaf (Gr. _petalon_) on which the name of the offender was written. With the caprice of language, this word has entirely passed away, while the Athenian custom gives us a word expressive of social exclusion. It has been said that there is hardly an institution of ancient times which has not some memorial in our language. The sacrifices of Greeks and Romans are commemorated in the word _immolate_, from the habit of throwing meal (Latin _mola_) upon the head of the victim. The word _contemplate_ was probably used originally of the augurs who frequented the temples of the gods, _temple_ meaning originally “a place cut off,” and hence “reserved,” Our word _funeral_ is borrowed from a Latin word of similar signification, which in its turn is connected with _fumus_, smoke, thus giving us an allusion to the ancient habit of burning the bodies of the dead. Another word connected with the rites accorded to the dead—that is, _dirge_—is of Christian origin. It is a contraction of the first word of the antiphon in the office for the dead, taken from the eighth verse of the fifth Psalm: “Dirge, Dominus meus,” etc. (“Lead or direct me, O Lord,” etc.). From a Roman law-term of Greek origin we have the word _paraphernalia_, signifying strictly those articles of personal property, besides her jointure, which were at the disposal of a woman after the death of her husband. From a detail of Roman military life we trace the derivation of the word _subsidy_, originally applied only to assistance in arms, but generalised to signify help of any kind, especially pecuniary aid. _Salary_ meant originally “salt-money,” or money given to the soldiers for salt. With the inconsistency frequently found in language, the name survived after money had taken the place of such rations. Strictly speaking, the word _stipend_ is liable to the same etymological objection, since the meaning of the word is a certain quantity of small coins estimated by weight. The derivation of the word _tragedy_ has been a fruitful field of controversy. It is undoubtedly the case that this class of drama was originally of anything but a mournful and pathetic character, and was a remnant of the winter festival in honor of the god Dionysus. The word is coined from the Greek _tragos_, a goat; but various reasons have been assigned for this connection. Some assert that a goat was the prize awarded to the best extempore poem in honor of the god; others, that the first actors were dressed like satyrs, in goat-skins. A more likely explanation is that a goat was sacrificed at the singing of the song.