Besides the metaphors from the metals and coins. In a poem we find the following synonymous terms used to express convivial shouting: Jepit loca. Jefa. mod-refa. zemýnd. gefræge. ze pit. Juncofa. hizerceft. ingehýzd. mod-zethoht. zethoht. opthanc. andzit. For knowledge and learning they had list, croft, leornung, leornesse. СНАР. THEY had a great number of words for a ship; and to express the Supreme, they used more words and phrases than I can recollect to have seen in any other language. INDEED the copiousness of their language was receiving perpetual additions from the lays of their poets. I have already mentioned that the great features of their poetry were metaphor and periphrasis. On these they prided themselves. To be fluent in these was the great object of their emulation; the great test of their merit. Hence Cedmon, in his account of the deluge, uses near thirty synonymous words and phrases to express the ark. They could not attain this desired end without making new words and phrases by new compounds, and most of these became naturalized in the language. The same zeal for novelty of expression led them to borrow words from every other language which came within their reach. WE have a specimen of the power of the language in Elfric's Saxon Grammar, in which we may perceive that he finds Saxon words for the abstruse distinctions and definitions of grammar. A few may be added. To express indeclinables the natural resources of the language failed him, and he adopts the Latin word, and gives it a Saxonized form. THE astronomical treatises which have been already mentioned, show a considerable power in the language to express even matters of science. BUT the great proof of the copiousness and power of the Anglo-Saxon language may be had from considering our own English, which is principally Saxon. It may be interesting to show this by taking some lines of our principal authors, and marking in Italics the Saxon words they contain. SHAKSPEARE. To be or not to be, that is the question; MILTON. With thee conversing I forget all time, СНАР. III. COWLEY. Mark that swift arrow! how it cuts the air. If thou canst call it back, or stay it there. Fool! 'tis thy life, and the fond archer thou. I'll bid thee fetch but yesterday. Translators of the BIBLE. And they made ready the present against Joseph came at noon: for they heard that they should eat bread there. And when Joseph came home, they brought him the present which was in their hand into the house, and bowed themselves to him to the earth. And he asked them of their welfare, and said, Is your father well, the old man of whom ye spake? Is he yet alive? And they answered, Thy servant our father is in good health, he is yet alive. And they bowed down their heads, and made obeisance. And he lift up his eyes, and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother's son, and said, Is this your younger brother, of whom ye spake unto me? And he said, God be gracious unto thee, my son. Gen. xliii. 25—29. Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled. And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see. Jesus wept. Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him! John, xi. 32-36. THOMSON. These as they change, Almighty Father! these Is full of thee. Forth in the pleasing spring I was yesterday, about sun-set, walking in the open fields, till the night insensibly fell upon me. I at first amused myself with all the richness and variety of colours which appeared in the western parts of heaven. In proportion as they faded away and went out, several stars and planets appeared, one after another, till the whole firmament was in a glow. The blueness of the æther was exceedingly heightened and enlivened by the season of the year. С НА Р. SPENCER. Hard is the doubt, and difficult to deem. Or raging fire of love to woman kind, Or zeal of friends, combin'd with virtues meet : Me seems the gentle heart should most assured bind. Locke. Every man, being conscious to himself, that he thinks, and that, which his mind is applied about whilst thinking, being the ideas that are there; it is past doubt, that men have in their minds several ideas. Such as are those expressed by the words, whiteness, hardness, sweetness, thinking, motion, man, elephant, army, drunkenness, and others. It is in the first place, then, to be inquired, How he comes by them? I know it is a received doctrine that men have native ideas, and original characters stamped upon their minds in their very first being. Locke's Essay, Book xi. ch. 1. |