Publisher's Synopsis
Excerpt from Analecta Anglo-Saxonica, Vol. 1: Selections, in Prose and Verse, From the Anglo-Saxon Literature; With an Introductory Ethnological Essay, and Notes, Critical and Explanatory
I n the preliminary E-ay a cursory ethnographical review has been taken of the ancient and modern nations of Europe, drawn out upon philological principles, which, it is trusted, will not be unacceptable to the student, while some of the facts that it sets forth will have a tendency to correct many erroneous opinions imbibed from our com mon histories and other works. The dificulty has been in giving an epitome of what is a subject for volumes. Some slight changes have been ventured upon in the orthography of a few proper names for the sake of derivation, and to exhibit analogies. Philology, indeed, re quires that such amendments should become general. It is absurd that either ancient, or other forms should be allowed in our language, as modified by their passage through a second, and, in many ia stances, also through a third tongue. The specimen of norman-french introduced from the Laws of William the Conqueror, as an appendix to the text, will be suficient to exemplify that language, which coming in collision with the Anglo Saxon, was eventually obliged to yield to its stronger adversary, but not without leaving traces of its inroad in the subsequent speech of Great Britain. The copious Glouary designed for these volumes, in addition to its particular object, the elucidation of the anglo-saxon tongue, will afl'ord a good point of view for the philologist in the comparative study of the indo-germanic languages, at the same time that it throws light upon the history of others. The original intention of uniting it with them could not be carried out, on account of the unexpected size of both works. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.