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distinction of accent, but that on which the distinction rests, viz., the comparison of the cognate tongues. So far what the earlier MSS. intended: but did they always stick to this? I answer, that they very seldom took the trouble to do any such thing: they very seldom thought it worth while to make distinctions for the eye, which were made by the voice in speaking, and which the context would always ascertain. But thus much the MSS. did; whenever they accented, they accented the long vowels; and what those long vowels were I will enumerate below. The second and somewhat later class of MSS. sometimes, and most capriciously in general, extended these accentuations to certain vowels, not naturally long, but rendered so by position: this I attribute entirely to Danish influence, certain vowels becoming long in Norse before certain consonants, although naturally short, and remaining short in all the Tuetonic tongues but the Norse. It is here that I think Rask errs; he followed very often his Norse analogies, and they misled him. It is here that I think Thorpe errs, when he builds upon the class of MSS. I describe as supporting Rask's views. I reject utterly the accentuation of such words as ún, wórd, &c. They are Norse accentuations, but not Saxon. The last class of MSS. are nearly all subsequent to the Conquest, and in addition to all the accumulated errors of other MSS, whether these be errors of ignorance, or the still more frequent errors of carelessness, they accent almost every i, especially where it is possible to confound it with the stroke of a u, an m or n; and some, indeed, go so far as to accent nearly every vowel indiscriminately. But there is yet a word to be said respecting Saxon MSS.: those who are very anxious to save themselves the trouble of learning how the vowels should be accented, make a great parade respecting the authority of the MSS. those who are familiar with Saxon MSS. are equally well aware, that these literateurs à la violette are not familiar with Saxon MSS. or with any MSS. whatever; nay, even that they do not know what is the case with every editor of a Greek or Latin classic. Do these profound in

vestigators of languages suppose that Dr. Blomfield would have printed the first line of the Prometheus Χθώνως μην εις τελουρων εκομην πηδων, even if he had found it so written in every MS.? I rather think that the learned prelate would have thought it necessary to correct the inaccurate Greek of his authorities, by what he knew was and must be right. However, in order to show the result of adhering to MSS. in this case, I shall take the liberty of printing a few lines carefully accented upon such authority, and to that authority being real, I pledge myself. (Alfr. Boeth. Rawl. p. 2).

Dá líóð þé ic wréccá géó lústboe'rlícé sóng, ic scéal nú héófíéndé síngan, and mid swi(de) úngérádúm wórdúm géséttán, þéáh íc géó hwílúm gécóplicé fúndé, ác íc nú wépéndé and gicsiéndé óf gérádrá wórdá mísfó, mé ábléndán þás úngétréówan wórúldsælþá, and mé þá fórlétán swá blindné ón bís dimné hól. béréáfódón æ'lcéré lústbæ'rnéssé þá dá ic hím æ fré bétst trúwódé dá wéndón hí mé héórá bæ'c tó, ánd mé míd éállé frómgéwítáu. Tó hwón scéóldán lá míné friend séggán bæ't ic gésæ'líg món wæ'ré, hú mæ'g sé béon gésælig séðe ón Sám gésælbum ðurhwúníán né mót?

In these 98 words there are 181 accentuations, all authorised by MSS. and their practice; and of these 181 there are just 38 right, and 143 wrong! As it is abundantly obvious that it is nonsense to accent every vowel, I take the liberty of requesting these supporters of authority, "authority which is but air condensed," to inform me how they will set about distinguishing the right from the wrong. The plan adopted by us is sufficiently simple : careful comparison of the various Teu – tonic dialects has established a law of relation between their vowels, and we accent according to that law. The Gothic language, which contains the oldest Teutonic documents that we at present possess, has twelve vowel sounds, three of which, viz. A, I, U, are short, and seven long, viz. a'1, EI, E, IU, AU, o' and u': when the short vowels I and u stand before н or R, they become changed into AI and AU'. Now comparing these vowels with those of the Saxon and German,

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we find, that in old Saxon and German, A mostly remains in the same words as took it in Gothic, but that in A. S. it is under different circumstances replaced by, three different vowels before h, 1, and r, it becomes ea, thus Goth. gards, alls, mahts, A. S. geard, eall, meaht. When followed in another syllable by i, the Gothic a becomes A. S. e, thus Goth. katils, A. S. cetel, and this is sometimes the case in O.H.D. and O. Sax. When followed by sc, st, sp, or by a single final consonant (except m, n, 1, h, and r) or by any single consonant and the inflections, es, e, the Goth. A becomes æ in A. S. Before m and s it sometimes is replaced by a, sometimes by o. The Gothic 1 sometimes remains in the other tongues unchanged, sometimes becomes dulled into ë, and in A. S. before hand r becomes changed into eo; thus Goth. itan. O. H. D. ezzan O. Sax. and A. S. etan, edere: Goth. haírus (for hirus) ensis. O. H. D. hëru, A. Sax. hëoru. O. Nor. hiörr (=hiarru.) In A. S. this vowel is sometimes wrongly replaced by y. The Gothic u remains as u in the other languages, or is dulled into o, and especially in those cases in which, from standing before h and r, it became aú; thus Goth. waúrd, O.H.D. waort, A.S.word. But if followed by i or its equivalent ë, u in A. S. becomes y, N.H.D. ü or u. Thus Goth. Runi genus. O.H.D. chunni. A.S. cynë, and O.H.D. chuninc. A. S. cyning, rex. The Goth. A'I is represented in O.H.D. M.H.D. and N.H.D. and in O. Nor. by ei, in O. Sax. by é, and in A. S. by á: but in A. S. this á, if followed by i orë, becomes æ'. The Gothic ei is represented by î in all the languages quoted, and only in the N. H. D. and N. E. does ei return in sound, though not in form, in both; thus Goth. weins, O.H.D. O. Sax. A. S. wín, N.H.D. wein, N. E. wine. The Gothic E' becomes in A. S. æ, in O. H. D. á; the Goth. IU remains in all the older languages but the A. S., where it becomes eó,and which is sometimes replaced by y'. The Goth. au, which in O. H. D. and O. Sax. generally remains as ou or ó, becomes eá in A. S. as Ráuds, A. S. Reád, rubes. The Gothic ó remains as ó in O. Sax. and O. Nor. In O. H. D. it becomes uo, and in A. S. it remains as ó, except when followed by i orë, and then it becomes

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u, aú ú, iu ú, ió, &c. ió, ie In order to ascertain the length of the vowel in an A. S. word it is therefore necessary to ascertain what vowel corresponds to it in the other principal Teutonic tongues, and by this process alone can we correct the MSS. themselves. In connection with this method, we may use the etymological means afforded us by the verbal scheme, or the system of relation in which the vowels stand to one another, in the present, præt. sing., præt. pl. and past participle, of those twelve conjugations which it has pleased the same profound scholars, who prefer idleness to inquiry, to nickname irregular, but which are the foundationstones of all Teutonic etymology.

I have but one word to add to what I have said: in spite of the ingenuity made use of to persuade myself and my friends that the ungentlemanlike productions to which I have alluded, proceeded from the University of Oxford, I have come, perhaps rather late, to a different conclusion. That my opinions as a scholar undergo thereby any change, is out of the question: but I fairly say, that if, in the expression of those opinions, I have used words which have given pain to any one, I most sincerely regret it. I claim as much excuse as may be granted to a scholar, indignant at the attempt to injure a favourite

pursuit; to a man, filled with scorn at the anonymous abuse not only of his friend, but his friend's countrymen, to whose industry Europe owes so much; and to a gentleman, filled with disgust at, and contempt for, the vulgar tone assumed by assailants, whose incognito alone secured them from a different and severer mode of castigation. To all those, who in the spirit of fair and honourable criticism deal with my remarks, or my editions of books, I am accustomed to listen with such respect as their views deserve; and to all, in whatever school brought up, who seriously put their shoulder to the wheel with me, I hold out the right hand of fellowship; but against all quackery, and all quacks, I hold the old motto-" War to the knife!" Yours, &c. JOHN KEMBLE.

MR. URBAN,

Gloster Terrace,

Hoxton, May 20. IT will be gratifying to your readers to be informed that there is a probability of something like justice, although late justice, being done to the memory of JOHN WICLIF; of whom Southey* has truly said, that "It is a reproach to this country, that no statue has been erected to his honour;" and another writert of some celebrity has observed, "Such men are the true heroes, to whom mankind ought to raise statues and trophies, rather than to conquerors, who often waste the lives of their fellow-creatures to gratify their own ambition."

Wiclif was a man of rare talents, distinguished learning, persevering industry, and great fortitude, and did more in the cause of the Reformation in this country than any other individual, because he may be truly said to have originated it. The service

which he rendered to that cause has this peculiar feature of merit, that he stood alone, and was the first who started in that race of danger and of true glory, in which others could but follow him. His shrewdness, patience, and firmness, were equally conspicuous in his exposure of the unjust usurpations, the errors, and the iniquitous practices of the Church of Rome; and, although the effects of his labours were

*Book of the Church, vol. i. p. 347. +Wakefield's Family Tour.

not immediately perceived, either by friends or enemies, he unquestionably laid the foundation of the Reformation in this country. Of this the enemies to that great measure were afterwards so conscious, that they did him the honour to disinter his mortal remains, and burn them for the alleged heresy of his life.

The plan of a monument for Wiclif originated five years since at Lutterworth in Leicestershire, where it lay dormant for some time; but where about 3001. have since been raised towards its execution. Among other distinguished patrons of this measure, 1 find the names of the Right Reverend the Lords Bishops of Lincoln, Dublin, Salisbury, and Lichfield and Coventry. The memorial of Wiclif now contemplated is a monumental statue of him in the Church; but it has been suggested, that some more public memorial of him might be adopted: and a writer in the Leamington Chronicle has suggested a statue in or on the new Town Hall about to be erected at Lutterworth.

Will you, Mr. Urban, permit an old correspondent to offer another suggestion, and to propose the erection of a strong airy building in some convenient and central part of the town; which may be used as a TOWN SCHOOL, on the comprehensive principle of being open to receive the children of persons of all religious denominations. This I venture to submit would be an appropriate memorial of a man, who did so much to extend the knowledge of divine truth, and make it accessible to all, by liberating it from the thraldom of Popish proscription.

Another appropriate memorial of Wiclif I would also venture to suggest for the consideration of your literary and antiquarian readers. It is a complete and uniform edition of HIS WORKS; many of which have not yet seen the light, but remain locked up in public or private libraries. There are among them, no doubt, articles which would now be regarded as trifles, and interesting only to the antiquary and philologist; but there are others which would in all probability be found highly interestin the theological student, Drian

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eminence, would undertake this work, the public would cheerfully remunerate his toils by a liberal subscription.

As Mr. Baber has given a valuable descriptive catalogue of Wiclif's works, in the introduction to his Life of Wiclif, a reference to that catalogue will satisfy your readers, that were they brought from their obscurity and placed before the public, they would find a place in every large library in Europe, and thus prove the most public, as well as the most imperishable monument of our great Reformer.

THOS. FISHER.

MR. URBAN, Hartburn, June 9. ABOUT twenty years since, I procured several curious MSS. from a mass of papers which had belonged to Mr. William Pickering, an apparitor of the Consistory Court, at Durham; and among these was a neatly written folio book, with the title-page, "EDWARD POTTER. ijs. iiijd. HERE BEGINNETH A Booke of Phisicke and Chirurgery, with divers other things necessary to be knowne, collected out of sundry olde written bookes, and broughte into one order. The several things herein contayned may bee seene in the bookes and tables following. Written in the year of our Lorde God, 1610." The work commences with a list of the "thirty-three evil days" of the year, and a general calender; and on folio 2 has "A catalogue of all my books, and the prices they cost me, taken by me, Edward Potter, ye 30 of November 1594." This catalogue is in a different hand and ink to the rest of the book. Then follows seven folios, under the running title of "A Prognostication," which is a curious medley of rules about the weather, and astronomical calculations. "The first booke" begins on folio 11, a. and has this title " A coppye of all suche Medicines wherew the noble Countisse of Oxenford most charitably, in her owne person, did manye great and notable Cures upon her poore Neighbours." "The second booke," beginning on folio 19, is entituled, "Here beginneth a true copye of such Medicines wherew Mrs. Johan Ounsteade, daughter unto the worshipfull Mr. John Olliffe, Alder

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man of London, hath cured and healed many forlorne and deadlye diseases." "The thirde booke" begins on folio 48, b. and consists of prety conceates of Cookery, as baked meats, gellies, conserves, sugar-plates, and others." "The fourthe booke," on folio 60, is headed, "Here followeth a booke which was founde in the Parson's study of Warlingham, written in the Roman hande, and it wanteth both the beginning and endinge." "The fifthe booke" contains

Certayne medicines which were taken out of the vicar of Warlingham's booke, beinge, as he sayde, taught him by the fayries;" and as specimens of the whole, I have, Mr. Urban, made the following extracts, supposing that many of your readers, unacquainted with the practice of medicine in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, may find amusement, in perusing and contrasting them with the science that guides the medical practitioners of the present day.

1. To staunche bloude.

There were three Maryes went over the floude;

The one bid stande, the other ftente bloude:

Then bespake Mary that Jesus Christ bore,

Defende gods forbod thou shouldeste bleede anye more.

The three Marys here named were probably the Virgin Mary, the Egyptian Mary, and Mary Magdalene. Whether this is to be spoken as an exorcism, or worn as a charm, is not mentioned. The custom of wearing charms was probably adopted by the Christians from the phylacterics of the Jews, which were little cubical boxes, or as the word means, conservatories, of a cubical form, sewed upon long fillets, at given distances, each made of parchment, and containing a roll with portions of the law written upon it. They were worn chiefly on the left arm, or wrist, and wound round and round it.

I formerly knew a Dutch Jew, who left his lodgings, and staying from them a more than usual time, his hostess sent for another Jew, his friend, who knowing that he had been dispirited on account of the

embarrassed state of his circumstances, despondency, he had destroyed himself, immediately began to dread, that in his and was soon confirmed in the conjecture, from finding that he had left his philactery behind him—a thing a Jew

never does. His body was found a few days after in the river Wear. The philactery and his Bible I purchased, and found the former all made of parchment, as I have described. I loved the man for his most amiable, charitable disposition, as well as from his critical knowledge in the Hebrew language; but I will not mention his name, lest some one, consulting a disciple of the magicians of Egypt, take upon him to call upon his name, and disturb the repose of his soul.

3. To take awaye frekels. - Take the bloude of an hare, anoynte them with it, and it will doe them awaye.

Either hares are scarce in the Highlands of Scotland, or this remedy is unknown there, or the Gaelic beauties find freckles killing, for certainly they seem to take little pains to remove them. The fairies delighted in the crimson drops i' th' bottom of a cowslip; and of the fairy queen we are told that

The cowslip tall her pensioners be; In their gold coats spots you see; Those be rubies, fairy favours; In those freckles live their savours. The Highland shepherd sees as many captivating charms in the freckles of "the lonely sun-beams" of his love, as the queen of the fairy troop, that built the magic hill of Tomnaheurich in a night, saw in the sun-spots of her favourite flower, before the unhallowed plough tore up the meadows of her pride on the northern border of the Ness.

4. For a man or a woman that hath lost theire speeche. -Take wormewoode, and stampe it, and temper it with water, and strayne it, and with a spoone doe of it into theire mouthes.

How many men would like to be in a condition to try the efficacy of this remedy, with the hope that it might prove unsuccessful! Lay an ointment on a speechless woman's tongue! Who dares to stand the torrent of eloquence it would most certainly produce?

6. A verye sure and perfect re. medye to cure a man, &c. of the pestilence; and some there hath bene that have bene cured in a nighte; the same remedye is allso good for God's markes, boyles, carbuncles, blotches, &c. and such like, as St. Anthonye's fire, &c.-Take the seed or berryes of ivye that groweth on trees or wails, and not of that which is founde lowe by the grounde: you must gather the sayde berryes very ripe, and of those

that growe towards the north, if it be possible; if not, then take them as you can get them, although they be not verye ripe; dry them in the shadowe, and keepe them in a boxe of wood, as you doe presious things; if any bee infected with the pestilence, take of the sayde berries, and beate them to powder in a fayre morter, and then give the sicke of the sayde powder in a glasse of white wine, so much as will lye on a groate or more; then rub him in his bed, and make him sweate well; this done, change his sheets, shirte, and other coverings of his bed, if it may bee; if not, let him at the leaste change his shirte and sheets. Some have taken of the sayd powder overnighte, and have founde themselves in the morninge very well, so that they rose up, and clothed themselves, and walked about the house, and finally were throughe cured.

To these wonder-working properties of ivy-berries, we may add some of the plant, from "Bartholome," a Franciscan friar, of the family of the Earls of Suffolk, who set forth his book "De Proprietatibus Rerum," in 1360; and he says that it is full wonderfull in know. ledge and assaieng of wine; for it is certain y' if wine meddled with water be in a vessel of ivie, ye wine fleeteth over ye brink, and the water abideth.” "And there is a manner-ivie, and deaw falleth on the leaves thereof, and waxeth gleymie, & turneth to glewe;" concerning which, Batman, in his additions to the

text of our author, says, "the gum of ivy killeth lice and nits, and being laid to it, taketh away hair. It is unwholesome to sleepe under the iuie, or in an iuie-bush. It maketh the head light and dizzie." Malkin, in his South Wales, says that the stem of the ivy, on the north side of the castle of St. Anthan's,

is fire feet in girth, and in some years yields large quantities of gum; so that it may be certainly had of size sufficient to make vessels for assaying wine, and its gum. if of any use, obtained. Its berries have long held some repute as sudorifics; and I have seen it somewhere said that the powder of them was actually given with great success in vinegar, or white wine, in the great plague in Lon don; though it may be doubted whether the healing virtue was not more in the vehicle than in the powder of the ivyberries. Bartholomew's account of ivy. vessels being used for assaying wine, is

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