Orand^messe^—Ei^ mass. The apparent elision of an

in the expressions grand*mesae, granéP chose, granéPmère, grandechambre, etc., anses from the fact, that anciently French adjectives derived from Latin adjectives of two terminations, as ffrandù-e, did not add an e mute for the féminine. Later, howevcr, ffrand became grande bef ore féminine nouns, but not in the above-mentioned and in a few otber expressions. The prînters of the sixteenth century, thînking an elision had taken place, inserted the apostrophe, which subséquent usage has sanctioned. D îs silent in ail the above combinations.