Arnold, Ger. a maintainer of honour Arthur, Brit. a strong man Augustus, or Augustin, Lat. venerable, grand Baldwin, Ger. a bold winner Bardulph, Ger. a famous helper Barnaby, Heb. a prophet's son Bartholomew, Heb. the son of him who made the waters to rise Basil, Gr. kindly Beaumont, French, a pretty mount Bede, Sax. prayer Beavis, Fr. fair to look upon Benjamin, Heb. the son of a right hand Bennet, Lat. blessed Bernard, Ger. bear's heart ture Boniface, Lat. a well-doer Brian, Fr. having a thundering voice Denis, Gr. belonging to the god of wine Dunstan, Sax. most high Erasmus, Gr. lovely, worthy to be loved Ernest, Gr. earnest, serious Esau, Heb. completed Ethelbad, Sax. nobly bold Ezekiel, Heb. the strength of God Felix, Lat. happy Ferdinand, Ger. pure peace Fortunatus, Lat. happy Francis, Ger. free Frederic, Ger. rich peace Gabriel, Heb. the strength of God George, Gr. a husbandman Gideon, Heb. a breaker Godard, Ger. a godly disposition Juno Hezekiah, Heb. cleaving to the Lord John, Heb. the grace of the Lord Jonathan, Heb. the gift of the Lord Joseph, Heb. addition Israel, Heb. prevailing with God Kenard, Sax. of a kind nature Kenelm, Sax. a defence of his kindred Lambert, Sax. a fair lamb Leopold, Ger. defending the people Lewis, Fr. the defender of the people Lionel, Lat. a little lion Lodowic, Sax. the defence of the people Lucius, Lat. shining Luke, Gr. a wood or grove Marmaduke, Ger. a mighty duke or lord Martin, Lat. martial Matthew, Heb. a gift or present Maurice, Lat. sprung of a Moor Meredith, Brit. the roaring of the sea Michael, Heb. who is like God? Noel, Fr. belonging to one's nativity Oliver, Lat. an olive Orlando, Ital. counsel for the land Percival, Fr. a place in France Quintin, Lat. belonging to five Ralph, contracted from Randolph, or Randal or Randulph, Sax. pure help Raymund, Ger. quiet peace Robert, Ger. famous in counsel Solomon, Heb. peaceable Sebastian, Gr. to be reverenced Simon, Heb. obedient Stephen, Gr. a crown or garland Thaddeus, Syriac, a breast Theobald, Sax. bold over the people Tristram, Lat. sorrowful Valentine, Lat. powerful Zebedee, Syr. having an inheritance Abigail, Heb. the father's joy Alethea, Gr. the truth Althea, Gr. hunting Alice, Alicia, Ger. noble Anna, Anne, Hannah, Heb. gracious Aureola, Lat. like gold Bridget, Irish, shining bright Diana, Gr. Jupiter's daughter Dulsabella, Lat. sweet and fair Eliza, Elizabeth, Heb. the oath of Emily, corrupted from Amelia Emma, Ger. a nurse Lucy, Lat. feminine of Lucius Magdalene or Maudlin, Syr. magnificent Margaret, Ger. a pearl Maud or Matilda, Gr. a lady of honour Melicent, Fr. sweet as honey Rebecca, Heb. fat or plump Rosamund, Sax. rose of peace Rosa, Lat. a rose Rosecleer, Eng. a fair rose Rosabella, Ital. a fair rose Ruth, Heb. trembling Sabina, Lat. sprung from the Sabines Salome, Heb. perfect Sapphira, Gr. like a sapphire stone Sarah, Heb. a princess Sibylla, Gr. the counsel of God Sophia, Gr. wisdom Soppronia, Gr. of a sound mind Temperance, Lat. moderation Theodosia, Gr. given by God Vida, Erse, feminine of David ANCIENT AND MODERN GAMES, FIELD SPORTS, AND OTHER AMUSEMENTS. PLAYING CARDS. Playing cards are said to have been invented in China in the reign of Leun-ho (1120), and were common in 1131. As early as 1463 there were card-makers in this country, the importation of playing cards having been prohibited by Act of Parliament in that year, as injurious to the interests of native manufacturers. Edward Darcy obtained a patent for the manufacture of them at the end of the reign of Queen Elizabeth, who, as well as her sister Mary, was partial to card-playing. The importation of them was prohibited after the 20th July 1615, during the reign of James I., as the art of making them was then brought to perfection in this country." The Company of Card-makers was first incorporated by letters patent of Charles I. in 1629. From the Restoration to the reign of Queen Anne, card-playing attained its full tide of popularity throughout England. Ombre was the favourite game for the ladies, and piquet for gentlemen; clergymen and country squires played whist, and the commoners played at all-fours, put, cribbage, and contraloo. At no other time, before or since, was card-playing so prevalent. The good old English landlord used to send a string of hogs' puddings and a pack of cards, as a Christmas gift, to every poor family in the parish. No person is allowed to manufacture playing cards in this country, except in the cities of London, Westminster, and in the city of Dublin in Ireland. Their manufacture is prohibited in Scotland. The duty is upwards of two hundred per cent. on the cost of manufacture, besides the duty on paper, which amounts to about 6d. on a dozen packs. The duty and export aces are printed at Somerset House on paper furnished by the cardmakers, who have also to pay £30 for every ace plate. An officer is sent round to the different card-makers with seals, one of which is affixed to each pack required for immediate sale: the amount of duty of 1s. per pack must be paid on the 1st of each month. GAME OF WHIST. Playing cards have been termed by the rigid moralist the Devil's Books! No doubt the misuse of them has been creative of much misery and mischief. As an amusement, however, they have cheered the captive, enlivened the sick-room, and have given life and buoyancy to the domestic circle. The Christmas holidays are plentifully supplied with round games for the diversion of the young, while the old grandmothers are deeply interested in the pegs of a cribbage-board by a chimney corner. All-fours belong to the grocer's back parlour; cassino to the drawingroom; while sober whist is the everyday and every other-body's amusement who understand, or even misunderstand it. This game is of Spanish origin, and was first introduced into this country at the marriage of Philip II. and Mary. The name carries with it its own derivation, being a game that requires a strict silence; for, as its requisite is a nice calculation, and an undisturbed memory, so the least talking or disturbance distracts the attention, and consequently produces bad play, and to those whose memories are the weakest, the loss of the game.-Hence it has been termed whist; i. e., be silent. POPE JOAN. The Pope Joan Board makes its appearance on Christmas Eve, and continues for some time after to amuse the domestic circle, old and young. But what the origin of the term is, few it is presumed know; it therefore is here given. Pope Joan was called John VIII. Platina saith, she was of English extraction, but born at Mentz; who, having disguised herself like a man, travelled with her paramour to Athens, where she made such progress in learning, that coming to Rome, she met with few that could equal her, so that on the death of Pope Leo IV. she was chosen to succeed him; but being got with child by one of her domestics, her travail came upon her between the Colossian Theatre and St. Clement's, as she was going to the Lateran church, and died upon the place, having sat two years, one month, and four days, and was buried there without any pomp. He owns, that for shame of this the popes decline going through this street to the Lateran; and that to avoid the like error, when any pope is placed in the Porphyry chair, his genitals are felt by the youngest deacon, through a hole made for that purpose; but he supposes the reason of that to be, to put him in mind that he is a man, and obnoxious to the necessities of nature; and he calls the seat, Sedes Stercoraria. That Papissa Joanna, however, is merely a fictitious character is now universally acknowledged. Gibbon rejects her history as fabulous; and she has been annihilated by two learned Protestants, Blondel and Bayle. Spanheim and L'Enfant attempted to save this poor engine of controversy; and even Mosheim condescends to cherish some doubts and suspicion of her existence. GAME OF CHESS. The etymology of the word Chess, is, like the origin of the game, somewhat uncertain; but its whole composition proves its Asiatic origin. In Sanscrit it is called schthrantsh, a word which |