yet when a book appears, graced with an imposing name, there is danger lest by concealment of the truth the general cause of learning be made to suffer. Nothing but malevolence could cavil at the trivial errors which the very best scholars are daily found to commit, but the case is widely different when those errors are so numerous as totally to destroy the value of a work. I am therefore most reluctantly compelled to state that not five lines of Thorkelin's edition can be found in succession, in which some gross fault either in the transcript or the translation, does not betray the editor's utter ignorance of the Anglo-Saxon language. Even the works of Mr. Turner and Professor Conybeare, although in some respects immeasurably superior to Thorkelin's, are marked with mistranslations and false readings of no light kind. I turn from the hateful occupation of finding fault, to one which fills me with unmixed pleasure: it is the expression of my grateful thanks to those whose assistance has been freely given to me during the progress of my labours. To his Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury, by whose permission, I, unhappily without success, searched the Lambeth Codices for the original of the Battle of Finnes-burh; and to the Rev. G. D' Oyly, whose ready aid during my search has converted what is perhaps a common civility paid to literary men, into a personal obligation to myself. To the Right Hon. the Countess of Dysart, who when I wished to consult a MS. copy of Elfred's Orosius supposed to be in her possession, most obligingly permitted me to ransack the library at Ham. To the Master and Fellows of Trinity College, whose MS. library has been thrown open to me; and to the Rev. Drs. Lamb and Davy, whose liberal admission into their respective libraries has enabled me to clear up many lexicographical difficulties, which MSS. alone could remove. To B. Thorpe, Esq. who I hope needs no expression of my gratitude to convince him how sincerely and highly I honour his attainments in our common study. To my friend Jos. Stevenson, Esq. of the British Museum, to whose encouraging advice the public owe this work, and whom they have to thank for much of its correctness as a transcript, and for more than one illustration in the glossarial notes, which my own reading would not have enabled me to make. Had the entire glossary appeared these would have been more numerous, and always among the most valuable portions of it. But most of all to him, whose name it is my pride and pleasure to place at the head of this book; to whom I owe all the knowledge I possess, such as it is; and who has during the preparation of this work, expressed to me the liveliest interest, and afforded the friendliest assistance. The founder of that school of philology, which has converted etymological researches, once a chaos of accidents, into a logical and scientific system, will not refuse this tribute of admiration and respect from perhaps the first Englishman who has adopted and acted upon his views. With this I take leave of my reader, exhorting him to judge this poem, not by the measure of our times and creeds, but those of the times which it describes; as a rude but very faithful picture of an age, wanting indeed in scientific knowledge, in mechanical expertness, even in refinement, but brave, generous and right-principled: assuring him of what I well know, that these echoes from the deserted temples of the past, if listened to in a sober and understanding spirit, bring with them matter both strengthening and purifying the heart: ἔτι γὰρ θεόθεν καταπνέει ἀλκὰν ξύμφυτον, ἀιών. BEOWULF. HWAT! We Gár-Dena in gear-dagum, þeód-cyninga prym ge-frunon; 10 meodo-setla of-teáh, syddan ærest weard 20 hýran scolde, gomban gyldan : Pwæs gód cyning. [fol. 129] |