Specimens of English literature from the 'Ploughmans crede' to the ...

xxiiINTRODUCTION.list to the line, or (in cases where the lines are not numbered)to the stanza. Thus, eniendemeiit occurs in Sect. II,St. 281 (p. 14), harborowe in Sect. XVIII, chap, xviii, 1. 16(p. 202), hav in Sect. XI, Extract A, st.3 (p. 109), and gaudyingin Sect. XXIII, Act iii, Sc. 4, 1. i (p. 269).The etymological remarks appended to the explanationsof the words in the Glossarial Index are of the briefest possiblecharacter, and intended to stimulate rather than tosatisfy enquiry. Whilst they are in some measure a guaranteethat the words have received due attention, they directthe learner to sources of fuller information. To this end,the spellings of all the Anglo-Saxon, Icelandic, and otherwords cited, have been carefully verified, and conformed tothe spellings actually adopted in the dictionaries, of whicha list is given on p. 477 ^ This is a point of some importance,as it is not uncommon to find words cited as Anglo-Saxon, Danish, &c., which are so spelt as to render theattempt to find them in a dictionary a wearisome task,instead of an easy employment. ]My object is to enablethe student to satisfy himself that I am in the right, not tothrow difficulties in the way of his proving me to be wrong.§11. Sources whaice the Extracts arc taken. I\Iany ofthe pieces here printed are from sources not always easilyattainable. I have endeavoured to use the originals whereverI coultl gain access to them, and have always gone back tothe first editions, because these were commonly, in formerlin-.cs, the most correct. A second edition of a book now'1 have chiefly usct! common pocket-dictionaries, with the distinct objectof avoiding the citation of other than commonly-used words.