COUNTRY LIFE
Just Devon
It is an old claim that Devon rhymes with heaven, most appropriately ; and Devonshire people are beginning to protest against the growing habit of adding a syllable to their true name. Devonshire is a new location, little more pardonable than Kent-shire. The county was called from a people so a learned Devonian argues—not from a place ; and the home of the Damnonii is not more a shire than the home of the Cambrii. The plea is sound ; but the application of " shire " and county is not altogether simple. In most cases shire is added where the name of the capital is the root of the shire ; but there are exceptions.: Durham is one. In regard to Devon the first culprit is said by one of the Protestants to have been William III, whose instruction in appointing a Duke was misread. He wrote Derbyshire and was thought to have written Devonshire. There is no more reason for pursuing the king's error than for adopting President Harding's ignorant innovation " normalcy." Let us all say Devon and Briton, not Devonshire and Britisher.
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