perfectly; fully; completely. This sense is now little used."-Johnson. "In the United States it is common among the illiterate; but rarely seen in composition. "Spenser labored to restore good and natural English words, as have been a long time out of use, and almost cleane disherited.'-Observations on Spenser's Faery Queen, by E. R. "The people passed clean over Jordan.'— Joshua, iii, 17." "He gave him a kick that sent him clean over the fence, into the Deacon's potato-patch.' -Major Downing's Letters, p. 23." "To knock under. A common expression to denote that one yields or submits."-Johnson. For ten times ten, and that's a hunder, And quat my quill.' Allen Ramsay. "Says General J, Major, I reckon I can drink more Saratoga water than you. I'll bet a York shilling of that, says I. Done,' says he, and down he went to the spring with a pitcher. I got a bucket, and down I went to the spring. As soon as he saw me, he smashed his pitcher in a minit. Says he, Major, 1 knock under.-Major Downing's Letters." Eighth. Perversions of English words. "The greatest perversions of the English language arise from two opposite causes. One of them is the introduction of vulgarisms by uneducated people, who not having the command of proper words to express their ideas, invent others for the purpose. These words continue among this class, are transmitted by them to their children, and thus become permanent and provincial. They are next seized upon by stump-speakers at political meetings, because they have an influence and are popular with the masses. Next we hear them on the floor of Congress and in our halls of legislation. Quoted by the newspapers, they become familiar to all, and take their place in the colloqnial language of the whole people. Lexicographers now secure them and give them a place in their dictionaries; and thus they become firmly engrafted on our language. The study of lexicography will show that this process has long been going on in England, and doubtless other languages are subject to similar influences. "But the greatest injury to our language arises from the perversion of legitimate words, and the invention of hybrid and other inadmissible expressions by educated men, and particularly by the clergy. This class is the one, above all others, which ought to be the conservators rather than the perverters of lan guage. It is nevertheless a fact which cannot be denied, that many strange and barbarous words, to which our ears are gradually becoming familiar, owe to them their origin and introduction; among them may be mentioned such verbs as to fellowship, to difficult, to eventuate, to doxologize, to happify, to donate," &c., &c. idea of Mr. Bartlett's book, of his manner Having, we hope, given the reader an of illustrating and defining, we now turn to that of Mr. Halliwell. This work contains 51,027 words, some of which have hitherto appeared in different glossaries, but the majority of them are now, as the author asserts, for the first time properly compiled, defined and illustrated. In his initiatory chapter "upon English dialects," the author gives lengthy examples of each county. Not the least interesting information to be derived from an examination of this work is, that here we find the source of many of those words, hitherto mentioned by us, which are so unjustly termed "yankeeisms." And not only words are to be found here, but a precedent for our New England pronunciation. For instance, in Herefordshire, according as climb, clumb; shake, shook; squeeze, to our author, strong preterits are current, squoze. In Derbyshire, words ending in ing, generally omit the g, but it is sometimes changed into k, as think for "thing;" lovin for "loving. In Warwickshire they say feul for "fool," sheam for "shame," paper;" a and o are frequently interchanged, as drap, shap, yander, for drop, shop, yonder; d and ed are added to words ending in own, as drownded and gownd for "drowned" and "gown," &c. &c. p-y-aper for " We extract examples of the dialects of Staffordshire, Sussex and Wiltshire, and in them the reader will recognize many words of the description lately referred to. STAFFORDSHIRE. "Conversation between a Canal Boatman and his Wife. Wife. Dun you know Suden Mouth, Jemmy? Boatman. Eees; an' a neation good feller he is tew. Wife. A despret quoiet man, but he loves a sup o' drink. Dun yo know his woif? Boatman. Know her? ay. Her's the very devil when her sperits up. Wife. Her is. Her uses that man sheamfull; her rags him every neet of her loif. Who was her feyther? Boatman. Whoy, Singing Jemmy. Wife. Oi don't think as how oi ever knowed singing Jemmy. Was he old Soaker's brother? Boatman. Eees he was. He lived a top o' Hell Bank. He was the wickedest, swearinest mon as ever I knowed. I should think as how he was the wickedest man in the world, and say he had the rheumatiz so bad." "The Harnet and the Bittle. "A harnet zet in a hollow tree, A proper spiteful twoad was he; And merrily zung while he did zet; His sting as shearp as a bagganet. Oh, who so fine and bold as I? I fears not bee, nor wapse, nor fly. "A bittle up thuck tree did clim, And scornfully did look at him. Zays he, Zur harnet, who give thee A right to zet in thuck there tree? Vor all you zengs zo nation fine, Be off, and leave the tree to me, "Just then a yuckel passin by His bill was shearp, his stomach lear, Our limits compel us reluctantly to turn from this interesting and valuable work, to the third and last part of the text upon which we have founded a somewhat rambling and discursive article. The "Promptorium Parvulorum," the first dictionary compiled in England, written in 1440, was published by Richard Pynson in 1490, and Julian Notary in 1508. Wynken de Worde also printed four editions between the years 1510 and 1528. Herbert in his " Typographical Dictionary" says, the author of this first English dictionary was Richard Fraunces, a preaching or black-friar, and in it are found many old English words no where else explained." the text of the Harleian MS. 221, which The edition before us is founded upon was selected as the most correct, ancient and copious of all the MSS. whose existence was ascertained. Some additions were made from other MSS. and from Pynson's edition; these are distinguished The following is a complete list of the aufrom the text by being included in brackets. thorities used in the preparation of this curious book: MS. in Chapter Library at Winchester, A. D. 1498. A fragment contained in Harleian MS. 1499. MS. in the Library at King's Col. Cambridge. MS. in the collection of Sir Thomas Phillips, Middle Hill, and formerly in the Heber Library. Edition of Julian Notary, 1508. Edition of Wynken de Worde, 1516. The original MSS. and editions seem to have been divided into two distinct portions, nominal and verbal. This arrangement has been simplified, by throwing the whole into alphabetical order. The editor has also had recourse to other ancient authorities for illustrations, such as the LatinEnglish Dictionary, entitled Medulla Grammatices, according to Bale compiled by the same author as the Promptorium; a MS. dated 1483, known as the Catholicon Anglicum, written apparently in the northeastern part of England, and entirely distinct from the Promptorium; the curious work of John Palsgrave, Eclaircissement de la langue Françoyse;" Hominis Vulgaria, &c. The Promptorium is an English-Latin dictionary, the English words being in the dialect of Norfolk, with which alone the author seems to have been acquainted. "Comitatus tamen Northfolchié modum loquendi solum sum secutus, quem solum a infancia didici, et soloterius plenius perfectusque cognovi." In his quaint Latin our author, "Fratre Galfrido," or Brother Fraunces, gives the miserable condition of the clergy, who were becoming daily more and more barbarous in their own language, and almost entirely forgetful of the Latin tongue, as the reason for his attempting this work. "Cernentibus sollicite clericorum condiciones, nunc statum et gradum diversorum nunerose videntur jam varii clericali se nomine gloriantes, qui tamen in suis colloquis passim quotidie que barbarizando, sic usum et artem Latine loquele, aut pene, aut penitus perdiderunt, quod eorum quam plures quasi, de doctis indoctis, de sciolis inscios, noverca virtutem et viciorum mater degenerans produxit oblivio." having we believe never been published. We recommend every curious reader to examine Mr. Pegge's book, where he will find a long and very amusing account of this word, commencing at fol. 16. The Our author modestly asserts his in-half of the original work, the latter half publication before us contains only one capacity for undertaking so important a work, being "rude and ignorant;" more fitted to be taught than to teach, (quamvis rudis et inscius, plusque aptus discere quam doscere ;) nevertheless he has attempted it, having drawn his information from the following grammatical works, (libris grammaticorum,) the majority of which are now entirely unknown: Januensis in suo Catholicon. Uguitio in majori volumine. Uguitio versificatus. Brito. Mirivalensis in Campo florum. Johannes de Garlandia, in Diccionario Scholastico. Commentarius curi alium. Libellus Misteriorum qui dictur Anglia que fulget. Merarius. Distigius. Robertus Kylwarbi. Alexander Nec cham. In concluding his preface he assumes no merit for himself, but begs that if any one should be benefited by his rude (inculto) production, that they will return thanks to God, and mercifully pray for him. We shall extract for the reader's benefit a few of the words and definitions : the philologist could not be republished in It is a pity that a book so invaluable to such a form as to place it within the power of every one to obtain a copy; but the present edition being one of the publications of the Camden Society, it can only be obtained by subscribing for all of their expensive works, and consequently we believe that but one or two copies of the "Promptorium" can be found in America. We cannot close this article without saying a few words upon the pronoun thou. This appears to us to be a word whose peculiarities have been singularly neglected by lexicographers. From time out of mind, it or its equivalents have been used in many European languages to imply either affectionate familiarity or great contempt; and such was doubtless once its signification in our own tongue, although now only employed by poets, Friends and Quakers, and in addressing the Supreme Being. Dr. Webster has evidently had this in view in giving as his definition, "a term of familiarity," quoting simply | Shakspeare." It appears to us that he has misconstrued the passage to which he probably refers-Twelfth Night, Act iii, Scene 2. Sir Toby is counselling his silly friend to write a challenge: "Be curt and brief; it is no matter how witty, so it be eloquent, and full of invention. Taunt him with the license of ink; if thou thoust him some thrice it shall not be amiss." Here is a very striking example of the twofold uses of the word; the first thou being addressed to his boon companion, his most intimate friend, his "fidus Achates;" and the second (verbiform) to imply the most insulting expression or taunt which the license of ink could supply. Sir Andrew takes his friend's advice, and the challenge contains thou and its variations no less than eighteen times. "Youth! whatsoever thou art, thou art but a scurvy fellow. Wonder not nor admire in thy mind why I call thee so, for I will show thee no reason for it. Olivia, and in my sight she uses thee kindly, Thou comest to the Lady but thou liest in thy throat; that is not the matter I challenge thee for. thee going home, when if thou killest me, thou I will waylay killest me like a rogue and a villain," &c., &c. In the same play, the love-letter picked up by Malvolio contains the word in its different forms sixteen times. In France, Germany, Sweden, &c., the word is used in addressing an intimate friend or relation; and also in speaking to a despised inferior, an enemy, or a brute, but never to a mere acquaintance. To speak thus to a friend is called in the French "tu-toyer." We conclude this article with a list and some slight account of the various principal glossaries of the Anglo-Saxon language. Salopia Antiqua, with a Glossary of Words used in Shropshire, by the Rev. C. H. Hartshorne. Royal 8vo. London, 1841. A Glossary of Provincialisms in use in the County of Sussex, by W. D. Cooper. 12mo. 1836. Boucher's Glossary of Obsolete and Provincial Words. 4to. But two parts of this work were published when the author died. Had it been completed, it would have made two large quarto volumes. Glossary of the Westmoreland and Cumberland Dialects, with Dialogues, Poems and Ballads, in the same. 8vo. Brockett's Glossary of North Country Words. 2 vols. 12mo. 1846. This work has passed Moor's Suffolk Words and Phrases. 12mo. through three editions. The Craven Dialect, in the West Riding of 1823. Yorkshire, with a Glossary, Dialogues and Forby's Vocabulary of East Anglia, embracing 12mo. teresting to Americans, as we find in it The last-named work is particularly inverbs with which we are familiar, for a a large number of words and local provery obvious reason. New England came from these counties, The first settlers of their manners and customs, family names, bringing with them their familiar dialect, &c., all of which can be traced in every part of New England. So completely have portions of these counties been daguerreotyped there, that one may select Or if he a town in the latter, note down the names first settlers, and any peculiarity of lanof its oldest families, or rather those of its guage or manners belonging to them; and in Norfolk or Suffolk he will discover a town or village bearing the same name. names, even to Christian names. On inquiry he will find the same family does not hear of them among the living, let him wend his way to the church-yard, or in the aisles of the church, many that and there he will see, among its tombs, will be familiar to him. recent instance in which a gentleman from We know of a in England, wished to make some inquiries a retired village in Massachusetts, being respecting his ancestors, who came from a town had been named. town in Norfolk, after which his native this place he found a family bearing his On inquiry at his three children. Further inquiry showed surname as well as the Christian names of him that they sprung from the family with his own, and that the same Christian names had been in the family for three centuries. same Akerman's Wiltshire Glossary of Words and title of " Blackguardiana, or Dictionary,' Phrases. 12mo. Wilbraham's Cheshire Glossary. 12mo. 8vo. The Lancashire Dialect and Poems, by Tim Bobbin. 8vo. The Dialects of Somersetshire and the West of Halliwell's Dictionary of Archaic and Pro- 1670. Grose's Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue. 8vo. This has passed through several editions. It was first printed before 1788, (when the second appeared,) under the &c., &c., interspersed with cant terms, flash songs, &c., and illustrated with eighteen portraits. The book contained so much to outrage decency, both in words, anecdotes, memoirs, &c., that it appeared anonymously, without a publisher's name, and was sold at a very high price. It is now scarce and difficult to obtain, and it is probable when Capt. Grose found how eagerly it was sought after, that he determined to suppress it and prepare a new edition, leaving out the obscene terms and jokes which disgraced its pages. Besides the before-mentioned glossaries, there are a great many books containing tales, poems, dialogues, songs, &c. in every dialect in England. We close the list with Jamieson's Scotch Dictionary, in 4 vols. quarto. This may with more propriety be called a glossary than a dictionary. It is a work of vast labor, and is one of the best works of reference to the glossarist and to the student of old English literature of any book extant. P. P. A BATTLE FOR LIFE OR DEATH. [FROM THE GERMAN OF AUERBACH.] BY MRS. ST. SIMON. CHAPTER I. SELDOM do we remark a malady, which has fastened itself upon us, at the moment when it takes hold of the frame. We walk around for weeks and months, fresh and blooming. It is not until the body endeavors to throw off the seeds of the disease-until the healing powers of our nature labor within us, with all their might-that we become sensible of our condition. Then we are stricken down, and the whole world is hidden from us, as if in night. We know nothing, we wish for nothing, of all that is without; our sole thought is to be relieved from our suffering. But the moment when sickness falls upon us, (if it is merely a passing one,) is also the beginning of recovery; for now that the system is sensible of the foreign and morbid matter within us, it labors to shake it off. And as with a malady of the body, so is it with a malady of the soul. Yonder goes the day-laborer Stephen from the village, whistling a merry tune; he carries, by its long handle, a double-headed hammer, for breaking stones; a cushion |