Poltroon

( Poltron, Fr. ) a coward, a dastard, who has no courage to perform any thing noble. The etymology of poltron or poltroon, as it is usually pronounced, is curious. Both in ancient and modern times frequent instances have occurred of men, who had been forcibly enlisted, having rendered themselves unfit for service by cutting off their thumbs or fingers. When this happened among the Romans, they were called Pollice trunci. The French, (as they do in most of their words that are derived from the Latin) contract these two, and by an elision make poltron or poltroon, from whence we have adopted the term. Another, and in our opinion a more correct derivation, comes from the Italian Poltrone, which takes its derivation from Poltro, a colt; because of that animal’s readine to run away; or Poltro a bed, as pusillanimous people take a pleasure in lying in bed. This last word is derived from the high Dutch Polster, which signifies a bolster or cushion. This contemptible character is so little calculated for a military life, that the slightest imputation of cowardice is sufficient to render an individual unworthy of serving among real soldiers. Poltroon and coward stand, in fact, foremost in the black catalogue of military incapacities. Every young man, therefore, ought well to weigh, examine, and digest the nece ary qualifications for a profe ion, which, above all others, exacts a daring spirit, and an unqualified contempt of death.