french letters...

[Stephen Tomaske]

In-Reply-To: french letters..., From: boneill at allinux1.al

Hello all,

     From Hendrickson, Robert. Facts on File Encyclopedia of Word and Phrase
Origins; New York, Facts on File Publications, 1987;p. 131...

    "...traces the word derivation to a Colonel Condum of Britain's Royal
Guards. This authority notes that the colonel devised the _French Letter_
early in the mid-17th century to protect his troops from the French. (The
French, chauvinistic, too, called _condoms_ '_English_ letters.') In 1667
three English courtiers--Rochester, Roscommon, and Dorset--even wrote a
pamphlet entitled _A Panegyric Upon Condom_, extolling their countryman's
invention. A new and excellent monograph of the origin of _condom_ is William
E. Druck's _Looking for Dr. Condum_ (University of Alabama Press, 1982.)"

    A fine departure point, but you'll probably want to consult additional
sources.

                                Steve T.