صور الصفحة
PDF
النشر الإلكتروني

But though before the middle of the 11th century there may have been much seed sown by the Danes, which was to be quickened and bear fruit, yet in so far as Old English is known to us from its literature it shews that the time of fruit had not then fully come; and as with Celtic and with Latin, so with Scandinavian, the Old English literature shews only a slight indebtedness to foreign material. Of this literature, from which we can get a knowledge of the oldest English, a short notice will be given in the next chapter.

Review, October, 1875. The sentence which ends with a preposition is more in accord with Icelandic usage than with Anglo-Saxon. In the former such sentences are common, in the latter very rare. In the account of the Norwegian Ohthere's voyage, which Alfred wrote down, an instance occurs when he says the decoy deer were valuable for ðæm hỹ fōð ða wildan hrānas mid. But just before he has used the regular Old English construction, when he writes 'spēdig on dæm æhtum þe heora spēda on beod,' where as usual the preposition precedes the verb. To translate these words 'wealth in the property that their wealth consists of' would not seem unusual now.

CHAPTER IX

Object of the chapter-general remarks on the Old English specimens, variety of subjects treated in them, Christian influence strongly marked, the language of Southern England mostly represented - King Alfred as a writer - his translations, Gregory's Cura Pastoralis, Orosius' History, Boethius' De Consolatione Philosophiae - specimen of his original composition — Alfred and the Old English Chronicles — specimen of these Annals-other works associated with Alfred- his influence on later times — Ælfric and his writings-specimen of his style - Wulfstan as a contrast to Ælfric-other Old English prose works grouped according to subjects-Glosses and Glossaries — poetical literature - Kentish, Mercian, and Northumbrian specimens — the retention of the Old English vocabulary in that of Modern English illustration from the works of Alfred and Ælfric — the employment of the Old English element by later writers illustrated.

Object of the chapter.

1. In briefly noticing here the Old English remains the object will not be to estimate the literary merit which any of them may possess, but to bring out some points connected with the languagematerial they contain. Whether the subjects dealt with in the literature were suited to artistic treatment, whether they were successfully so treated, are questions beyond the scope of the present chapter. And even in regard to language, it is not so much the capabilities of the language, to be seen in the works of any of the Old English writers, as the extent of the Old English vocabulary, to which attention will be directed; it is not so much the excellence of the instrument, as the

material of which it is composed, that is to be considered. It is not, then, only such remains as might come under the head of literature, that need to be noticed; the glosses and glossaries, which contribute to a knowledge of the vocabulary, must be taken into account.

General remarks on the Old English specimens variety of subjects treated in them.

Christian influence strongly marked.

2. Of the total material, which on the grounds just given may be brought within the limits of consideration, one or two general remarks may be made. In the first place, there is considerable variety in the subjects dealt with; in the literature, theology, history, biography, science, law, fiction, are all represented; in the glossaries many different classes of words are given; and the variety in either case implies a varied and extensive vocabulary. Next, and to this point reference has already been made at the close of Chap. VI., from the character of the subjects treated in the literature it will be seen how much the literature depends upon Christianity; while, from the nature of the case, the glosses and glossaries shew the same influence, for they are all a direct recognition of the scholarship that came with Christianity. And lastly it may be noted that it is mainly from one part of the country that the material is obtained from the south. In early times, both in political and literary respects, Northumbria had been important; later, however, Wessex became the chief English power and the home of literature, and it is to Wessex that most of the Old English remains belong. It is, then, in the main, Southern English that is the representative of the early times, and of its specimens a few words may now be said. 3. In speaking of the Early English prose the name that

The speech of Southern England mostly represented.

[blocks in formation]

deservedly claims to be first mentioned is that of King Alfred. Loving and valuing learning himself, he desired that others should enjoy the benefits of which learning was the source; and

with a generous confidence that English scholars would be like-minded with himself, and would coöperate with him, he set about doing his part towards giving effect to his desire.1 As a result of work, carried on as he himself says 'among other divers and manifold occupations of the kingdom',2 we have some of our most valuable material for determining the condition of Early English. For the benefit of the clergy, whose lack of learning he deplored, he translated the Cura Pastoralis of Gregory, with the intention of sending a copy of the translation to each episcopal city for preservation in the church there. Two MSS. of this work, one of them intended for Worcester, have come down from Alfred's time, and their linguistic value,

The Cura

Pastoralis of
Gregory.

1 In his practical adoption of the Christian injunction, Freely ye have received, freely give,' and in the courtesy with which he gives credit to others for a will as good as his own, the king shews himself a true Christian gentleman. ‘Ic đe bebiode đạt đủ dõ, sua ic geliefe đạt đủ wille, đất đã đẽ đissa worulddinga to đæm gemetige, sw đã oftost mage, đæt đã đone wisdom de đē God sealde dær dær đū hiene befæstan mæge, befæste. Gedenc hwelc wītu ūs dā becōmon for disse worulde, đã đā we hit nōhwæder ne selfe ne lufodon, ne eac ōdrum monnum ne lefdon: đone naman anne we lufodon dætte we Cristne wæren, ond swīde fēawe đã đēawas, I bid thee (the bishop to whom the copy of the translation was addressed) to do, as I believe that thou art willing, that is, to disengage thyself from these worldly matters as often as thou canst, to the end that thou bestow, where thou canst, the wisdom that God hath given thee. Consider what punishments would come upon us in regard to this world, when we neither loved it ourselves, nor allowed it to other men; the name only of being Christians we should love, and very few of the practices.' Preface to the translation of the Cura

Pastoralis.

2 Ongemang öðrum mislīcum ond manigfealdum bisgum disses kynerices. ib.

3 It is interesting to learn from Alfred himself how he worked. 'I began to turn the book into English that is called in Latin Pastoralis, and in English Herd-book,' sometimes word for word, sometimes sense for sense, as I learned it from Plegmund my archbishop, and from Asser my bishop, and from Grimbold my mass-priest, and from John my mass-priest. After I had learned it then, as I understood it, and as I could most intelligibly explain it, I turned it into English.'

The history of Orosius.

as shewing the actual condition of the language at the date of writing, is evident. For the furtherance of knowledge in another direction he translated the general history of Orosius,1 and of this work a MS. (not quite complete) dating from the 9th century has been preserved. In the Orosius, as in the Pastoral Care, Alfred is seen not only as a translator; he has contributed original material which, beside being interesting from its connection with him, is of considerable interest intrinsically. The introductory geographical chapter of the original is supplemented by a detailed account of Germanic Europe. In this Alfred has incorporated the narratives of two travellers, one of whom, Ohthere, a Norwegian of Hálogaland, had sailed round the North Cape and made his way into the White Sea; the other, Wulfstan, had explored the Baltic. It is, then, to Alfred that we owe the first specimens in a department of the literature the literature of Voyages and Travels - which in later times has been so extensive, and which has interested so many readers.2 To a third work of Alfred - the translation of Boethius' De Consolatione Philosophiae an even stronger personal interest attaches than to the two already noticed. From

The De Consolatione Philosophiae of Boethius.

3

1 Orosius was a Spanish priest, who in 410 becoming acquainted with Augustine was persuaded by him to write a historical work with the special object of refuting the charge brought against Christianity of bringing ruin on the Roman world. His work naturally found favour with the clergy, and it is therefore not surprising that it takes its place among books that were translated by one who acted under such direction as did Alfred. (v. preceding note.)

2 To all such readers the words which introduce the narratives in question, "Ohthere sæde his hlaforde, Alfrede cyninge," and "Wulfstan sæde," may suggest scenes, in which the part of hearer, played by the king, excites their sympathetic interest.

8 In this case the Christianity of the author translated was not indubitable, as it was in the case of Gregory and Orosius. But whether Boethius was a Christian or not, his work was of such a character that there was nothing in it which the translator would consider inconsistent with

« السابقةمتابعة »