Volume 1

A dictionary of the English language : in which the words are deduced from their origin and illustrated in their different significations by examples from the best writers. To which are prefixed a History of the language, and an English grammar / By Samuel Johnson.

  • Samuel Johnson
Date:
1820
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A dictionary of the English language : in which the words are deduced from their origin and illustrated in their different significations by examples from the best writers. To which are prefixed a History of the language, and an English grammar / By Samuel Johnson. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

    34/1126 (page 8)
    Of the Saxon poetry some specimen is necessary, though our ignorance of the laws of their metre anc the quantities of their syllables, which it would be very difficult, perhaps impossible, to recover, ex- cludes us from that pleasure which the old bards undoubtedly gave to their contemporaries. The first poetry of the Saxons was without rhyme, and consequently must have depended upon the quantity of their syllables; but they began in time to imitate their neighbours, and close their verses with correspondent sounds. The two passages, which I have selected, contain apparently the rudiments of our present lyric k mea- sures, and the writers may be justly considered as the genuine ancestors of the English poets. pe mai him forte abpeben, Dare he Sanne orte bibbe ne mugen, Uop. •p bilimpeS llome. pae iy pip -p bir anb bore Anb ber biuojven borne. DeaS com on Sip mibelapb BuptS Seep beplep onbey 7£nb penne anb popge anb lppinc, On pe anb on lonbe. Ic am elbert Sanne ic pep, A pinrpe -jec a lope. Ic ealbi mope Sanne ic bebe, COi pir oghre ro bi morte. 8e ~p hine pelue uoptger, Uori piue opeji uop chilbe. pe pal comen on euele prebe, Bure 50b him bi milbe. Ne hopie pip ro hipie pepe, Ne pepie ro hip piue. Bi port him pelue eupich man Daeji pile he bieS aliue. Gupich man mib -p he haueS, COai beggen heuepiche. 8e Se ieppe -] pe Se morte, pepte aibert lhche. peuenc anb enSe he oueppieS, pip eghen biS pulbptihr. 8unne ~} mone t alle preppten, BieS Sieprrte on hip hhre. pe por hper SencheS anb hper bop, Alle quike pihre. Nip no louepb ppich lp xipr, Ne no king ppich ip bptihre. peuene •] eptSe ~] all Ear ip, Biloken ip on hip honbe. pe beS al -p hip pille ip, On pea anb ec on lonbe. pe ip opb alburen optbe, Snb enbe alburen enbe. pe one ip eupe on eche prebe, UJenbe pert Su penbe. pe ip buuen up anb bmeSen, Biuopten anb ec bihinb. 8e man ~p gobep pille beS, pie mai hine aihpapt uinbe. Gche pune he lhepS, ~Knb por eche bebe. Pe Suph pigS echep iSanc, U)ai hpar pel up ro pebe 8e man neupe nele bon 30b, Ne neupe gob hp leben. Gji beS -] bom come ro hip bupte, pe mai him pojte abpteben. pungep 3 Suppr here -j chele, 6cSe anb all unhelSe. Duph beS com on Sip mibelartb, Snb oSept unipelSe. Ne mai non hejire hir ipenche, Ne no runge relle. pu muchele pinum anb hu uele, BieS inne helle. Eouie Gob mib urte hiejtre. Snb mib all urte mihre. Snb upe emcpiprene rpo up pelf, 8po up lepeS bpihre. 8ume Sept habbeS leppe mepijSe, Knb pume Sep habbeS morte. 6ch eprert San ■p he bebe, 6prep -p he ppanc pojte. Ne pel Sept bi bpteb ne pin, Ne opep. kennep epre. Cob one pel bi echep lip, Snb bhpee anb eche pepre. Ne pal Sari bi pcere ne peptub, Ne poplbep pele none. Kc pi mepgjpe ■p men up bihar, 7511 pall ben gob one. Ne mai no mepgpe bi ppo muchel, 8po ip gobep lpihSe.