275 PART VIII. THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE. HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE ENGLISH OUR knowledge of the origin and affinities of European languages has been, within the last forty or fifty years, greatly increased and improved by the labours of German Scholars. The similarity in form of many words belonging to apparently different families of languages, was too striking to have escaped the observation of writers on philology. But it was not till the attention of Grimm, Lassen, Bopp, Müller, and others, had been directed towards it, that we possessed any systematic knowledge of this interesting subject; and the result of their investigations is now before us. Without entering into details which would be out of place, the conclusions arrived at by these eminent scholars may be here briefly stated. It is the opinion of the above-named philologists that all the languages of Europe are derived from one grand source, viz. the ARYAN, or, as it is generally termed, the Indo-European; a name which denotes its connection with India and Europe. That to this stem belong the ancient Sanscrit, and all the later dialects of India and Persia; and that to the same source may be traced the Celtic, Teutonic, Italic, Hellenic, and Slavonic languages. It is supposed that, at a date anterior to any historical record, a migration of these Aryans towards the West took place. These tribes were called Kelts (or Celts), and they settled in the three most western countries of Europe; viz. those afterwards called Spain, Gaul, and Britain. The Kelts were pressed onwards towards the west by another tribe of Aryans-the Teutones. The dialects of Scandinavia, Flemish, Dutch, and modern German, belong to this second migration. The languages of eastern Europe, viz. the Lithuanian, Old Prussian, and Lettish, Russian, Polish, and Bohemian, are the branches of a third migration from the same original stem, and are known as the Slavonic or Wendic family. There is, also, no doubt that the two earliest civilised languages of Europe, viz. Greek and Latin, were both originally derived from the same source. Turning from this general survey of the earliest languages of both civilised and barbarous Europe, we shall now direct our attention to the one with which we are naturally most interested-English. In order to become thoroughly acquainted with the language of any country, we must not only understand its present condition, but must be able to trace it through all the phases of its history, that we may learn what circumstances either of external attack, or internal social disturbance, may have contributed to its modifications or changes; or what trials it may have undergone before it appeared in its present condition. Of the language of the ancient Britons, as they were found by Cæsar, we know little or nothing; but it is fair to con clude that the long dominion exercised over them by the Romans was not very favourable to its development or improvement. The language of an oppressed people can never flourish: without cultivation of mind there can be no advancement in mental expression, and the condition of the one is a certain criterion of the condition of the other. The Romans left many and lasting traces of their rule in this country, and the English language, even at the present moment, is not wholly without signs of their former dominion in Britain. This is shown particularly in the names of places. It is commonly known that the termination 'caster,' or 'cester,' as in Lancaster, Gloucester, Chester, &c., points out the sites of ancient Roman encampments. Again, the form 'coln,' as in Lincoln, Calne, Colnbrook, &c., is derived from the Latin 'colonia,' and marks the ancient agricultural stations of the Romans. According to some writers also, the word 'street' was left to the Britons by their Roman conquerors, they having been the first to make strata viarum,' or military roads, throughout the country. But these, and perhaps a few more words, form but a very small contribution to our present language, and can have no sensible effect on its general character. 96 6 Remains of the ancient British may still be found in various names of places scattered throughout the island, such as 'Kent,' 'Thames,' &c. Some few other Celtic words have found a place in modern English; as bard, kilt, pibroch, clan, piaid, &c. But even at the highest computation, Celtic forms a very minute portion of the present English language. The remains of the Celtic language, which, at one time, was spread over all the western countries of Europe, are now comparatively scanty. They are found, 1. In Wales, where there is still a Celtic population, retaining its original language. 2. In the Isle of Man, where it is called the Manx. 3. In the Highlands of Scotland, where the language is termed Gaelic. 4. In the Erse, or language of the lower orders of Ireland; and 5. In the Bas Breton,' or common speech of the peasants and fishermen of Bretagne. 6 On the withdrawal of the Roman legions from Britain in the 5th century, a violent revolution took place both in the political condition, and in the language, of the country. It is a matter of history that the Saxons were invited to repel the northern tribes which had invaded the southern part of the island-that they successfully drove back those fierce invaders-that they treacherously turned their arms against their own allies, and eventually driving them into the corners of the island, or beyond sea, they established themselves throughout the length and breadth of the country. In both people and language, there was now no amalgamation, no modification; but the substitution of one for another; Saxons for Britons, Teutonic for Celtic. We The language now introduced, though originally derived from the same source (Aryan), was at this time distinctly different from the ancient British. do not possess much information concerning the state of the Anglo-Saxon language in the 5th century. In all probability, it was a barbarous jargon of rude uncivilised pirates; and wholly unfit for literary purposes. But in course of time came improvement and refinement, and this language, long before a line of modern French, German, Italian, or Spanish existed, became vigorous, expressive, and exact; fit for many of the requirements of literature. Anglo-Saxon was an inflected language. It had forms of declensions, and various terminations of cases, both in nouns and adjectives. For example :— In the noun :-eag-e (an eye). The pronoun Ic (I) was thus declined :— Saxon had also a great power of combination; both by prefix and affix, as well as by the union of roots, |