THE ART OF NAMING.
[TO TEE EDITOR ON THE " BPEOTATOlt."] Sin,—Your article in the Spectator of July 21st on " The Art of Naming" is interesting, and calls attention to a matter which deserves more thought than is usually given to it. Why not give boys for the middle name that of their mother's family, and girls but one name, allowing them to keep their father's when they marry ? Any one who has had experience in genealogieal research knows how difficult and exasperating it is to identify a number of Johns, Georges, and Williams of the same family. If two names are bestowed, such as John Edward, or William Henry, one will be used, and the other is for ordinary purposes most always superfluous. I suggest this simply as a means of identification, which is the main object in view in most oases, knowing, of course, that there must be many exceptions to such a rule.—I am, Sir, &c., New York, August 2nd. RICHARD THURSTON CLARKE.,
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