title: Word Myths: Debunking Linguistic Urban Legends
author:  David Wilton 
description: <br>"Think "hot dog" was coined by a New York baseball vendor, or that a certain vulgarity originated as an acronym? Then you need to read this book, which shows that some of the best etymological stories are just tall tales."--<em>Chicago Tribune</em> (10 Best Books About Language, 2004)
zlib_text: ![](images/00001.jpg)
  
  * * *
  
  
    
    
  A Victim of Circumstances
  
  
    
    
  [I  
    
  ](A%20Victim%20of%20Circumstances_split_001.html#filepos1679)[II  
    
  ](A%20Victim%20of%20Circumstances_split_001.html#filepos23078)[III  
    
  ](A%20Victim%20of%20Circumstances_split_001.html#filepos43394)[IV
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  This page copyright © 2001 Blackmask Online.
  
  
  http://www.blackmask.com
  
  
  # A Victim of Circumstances
  
  
  ### George Gissing
  
  
  This page copyright © 2001 Blackmask Online.
  
  
  http://www.blackmask.com  
    
  
  * I
  
  
  * II
  
  
  * III
  
  
  * IV
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  ### I
  
  
  In the summer of 1869, an artist, whose wanderings had led him far
  
  
  into rural England, rambled one sunny morning about the town of
  
  
  Glastonbury. Like all but a very few Englishmen, he cared little for
  
  
  the ancient history of his land: Avalon was a myth that did not speak
  
  
  to his imagination, and the name of Dunstan echoed but faintly for him
  
  
  out of old school books. His delight was in the rare quaint beauty of
  
  
  the noiseless streets, in the ru