"SWASHBUCKLING."
[To Tort Eynon or Tor .SrscraTos..]
SIR,—I thank you for so courteously accepting my criticism in your last issue of this false formation, and for the inter- esting analogies brought forward in your article. Although the French tete, as you note, is certainly from the Latin testa, an earthen vessel, it is more than doubtful whether "mug" in the sense of face is a parallel. This word has nothing to do with the name of the drinking-vessel so called, but has come to us from the Gypsies, who call the face mac (or anik'h, according to Paspati), which is near akin to Hindustani malt, the face, and more remotely to Sanskrit mukha, the face. But there are plenty of other analogues, such as Ger. Kopf, cousin to our "cup " (It. coppa), just as Icel. Kollr, bead, is another form of Hotta, pot. Indeed, Sansk. Karpara, Greek shutrion, It. coppa, our "pate" and " mazzard," all used for the bead, meant origin- ally a cup, bowl, or other vessel of contents. The same account is to be given of "skull," which is identical with the old Scottish skull (Icel. skit), a bowl.—I am, Sir, Ac.,
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