The ornament of which Mr. R. thus speaks is indifferently called egg and tongue, egg and dart, as well as egg and arrow. It seems to me that the _egg_ is a complete misnomer, although common to all the designations; and I fancy that the idea of what is so called was originally derived from the full-length shield, and therefore that the ornament should be named the _shield and dart_, an association more reasonable than is suggested by any of the ordinary appellations. Can any of {350} your correspondents offer any confirmation of this? B. J. Liverpool, March 31. 1851. _Defoe's Project for purifying the English Language._--Among the many schemes propounded by De Foe, in his _Essay upon Projects_, published in 1696, there is one which still remains a theory, although eminently practicable, and well worthy of consideration. He conceived that there might be an academy or society formed for the purpose of correcting, purifying, and establishing the English language, such as had been founded in France under Cardinal Richelieu. "The work of this society," says Defoe, "should be to encourage polite learning, to polish and refine the English tongue, and advance the so much neglected faculty of correct language; also, to establish purity and propriety of style, and to purge it from all the irregular additions that ignorance and affectation have introduced; and all these innovations of speech, if I may call them such, which some dogmatic writers have the confidence to foster upon their native language, as if their authority were sufficient to make their own fancy legitimate." Never was such society more needed than in the present day, when you can scarcely take up a newspaper, or a periodical, a new poem, or any modern literary production, without finding some new-coined word, perplexing to the present reader, and a perfect stumbling-block in the way of any future editor. Some of these words are, I admit, a welcome addition to our common stock, but the greater part of them are mere abortions, having no analogy to any given root. A society similar to the one proposed by Defoe might soon be established in this country, if a few such efficient authorities as Dr. Kennedy would take the initiative in the movement. He who should first establish such a society, and bring it to a practicable bearing, would be conferring an inestimable boon on society. I trust that these hints may serve to arouse the attention of some of the many talented contributors to the "NOTES AND QUERIES," and in due season bring forth fruit. DAVID STEVENS. Godalming, April 19. 1851.