BOLO.
[To IRE EDITOR or THE SPECTATOR."] Si,,—Until Boloism was lately exposed, I had never met the name except in the case of Miss Bolo, whom Mr. Pickwick found such an awe-inspiring whist-partner at Bath. Where did Dickens find the name, and what is its origin? If I am right in thinking it a variant of Boleyn, it is derived from Boulogne.—I am, Sir, he., team Cicarage, Ashbourne. G. DALRYMPLE. (Tlie Bolo negroes are a well-known African tribe. But this is probably irrelevant. The literary association of whist and Boloism is unexpectedly happy. If popular etymology is correct, and - whist" means " hush!" may we not adapt a well-known song to the emergencies of these days in which we are all com- manded to search out the dark secrets of Boloism, and say to ourselves: " Whist, whist, whist! Here comes the Bolo man"? Schoolboys ought to be delighted at the re-emergence of their old friend Miss Bolo. For she is an old friend. It was she who, as a result of her agitation at the quality of Mr. Pickwick's play, retired home "in a flood of tears and a sedan chair," thus Pro- viding schoolboys with an example of the interesting classical figure known as "zeugma" which they always find it particu- larly easy to remember.—ED. Spectator.]
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