Mistakes are frequently made in respect of foreign words which retain their original form, especially those which retain their Latin plurals, the feminine singular being often confused with the neuter plural.  For instance, there is the word animalcule (plural animalcules), also written animalculum (plural animalcula).  Now, the plural animalcula is often supposed to be the feminine singular, and a new plural is at once made—­animalcul.  This blunder is one constantly being made, while it is only occasionally we see a supposed plural p 12_stratae_ in geology from a supposed singular strata, and the supposed singular formulum from a supposed plural formula will probably turn up some day.

In connection with popular etymology, it seems proper to make a passing mention of the sailors’ perversion of the Bellerophon into the Billy Ruffian, the Hirondelle into the Iron Devil, and La Bonne Corvette into the Bonny Cravat.  Some of the supposed changes in public-house signs, such as Bull and Mouth from ``Boulogne mouth,’’ and Goat and Compasses from ``God encompasseth us,’’ are more than doubtful; but the Bacchanals has certainly changed into the Bag o’ nails, and the George Canning into the George and Cannon.  The words in the language that have been formed from a false analogy are so numerous and have so often been noted that we must not allow them to detain us here longer.

Imaginary persons have been brought into being owing to blundering misreading.  For instance, there are many saints in the Roman calendar whose individuality it would not be easy to prove.  All p 13know how St. Veronica came into being, and equally well known is the origin of St. Ursula and her eleven thousand virgins.  In this case, through the misreading of her name, the unfortunate virgin martyr Undecimilla has dropped out of the calendar.

Less known is the origin of Saint Xynoris, the martyr of Antioch, who is noticed in the Martyrologie Romaine of Baronius.  Her name was obtained by a misreading of Chrysostom, who, referring to two martyrs, uses the word gr xunwrs> (couple or pair).

In the City of London there is a church dedicated to St. Vedast, which is situated in Foster Lane, and is often described as St. Vedast, alias Foster.  This has puzzled many, and James Paterson, in his Pietas Londinensis (1714), hazarded the opinion that the church was dedicated to ``two conjunct saints.’’ He writes:  ``At the first it was called St. Foster’s in memory of some founder or ancient benefactor, but afterwards it was dedicated to St. Vedast, Bishop of Arras.’’ Newcourt makes a similar mistake in his Reper

torium, but Thomas Fuller knew the truth, and in his Church History refers to ``St. Vedastus, anglice St. Fosters.’’ This is the fact, and the name St. Fauster or Foster is nothing more than