English Past and Present |
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Page 39
... Shakespeare ) , may with all right be called a world - language ; and like the English people appears destined hereafter to prevail with a sway more extensive even than its present over all the portions of the globe . For in wealth ...
... Shakespeare ) , may with all right be called a world - language ; and like the English people appears destined hereafter to prevail with a sway more extensive even than its present over all the portions of the globe . For in wealth ...
Page 46
... Shakespeare . ' Maugre , ' ' congie , ' ' mot , ' ' devoir , ' were English once ; when we employ them now , it is with the sense that we are using foreign words . The same is truce of ' dulce , ' ' aigredoulce ' ( soursweet ) , of ...
... Shakespeare . ' Maugre , ' ' congie , ' ' mot , ' ' devoir , ' were English once ; when we employ them now , it is with the sense that we are using foreign words . The same is truce of ' dulce , ' ' aigredoulce ' ( soursweet ) , of ...
Page 52
... Shakespeare ) ' effigy ' and ' statue ; ' not otherwise ' pyramis ' and ' pyramides , ' which also are forms employed by him , became ' pyramid ' and ' pyramids ; ' ' coloné ' ( Burton ) ' clown ; ' ' apostata ' ( Massinger ) became ...
... Shakespeare ) ' effigy ' and ' statue ; ' not otherwise ' pyramis ' and ' pyramides , ' which also are forms employed by him , became ' pyramid ' and ' pyramids ; ' ' coloné ' ( Burton ) ' clown ; ' ' apostata ' ( Massinger ) became ...
Page 53
... Shakespeare ) , ' brocado ' ( Hackluyt ) , drop their foreign terminations , and severally become ambuscade , ' ' barricade , ' ' rene- gade , ' hurricane , ' brocade . ' Other slight modifica- tions of spelling , not in the termination ...
... Shakespeare ) , ' brocado ' ( Hackluyt ) , drop their foreign terminations , and severally become ambuscade , ' ' barricade , ' ' rene- gade , ' hurricane , ' brocade . ' Other slight modifica- tions of spelling , not in the termination ...
Page 66
... two centuries more . I do not mean merely that they felt themselves more re- moved from its tone and spirit ; their altered circum- DRYDEN ON SHAKESPEARE'S DICTION . 67 stances might explain this 66 GAINS OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE .
... two centuries more . I do not mean merely that they felt themselves more re- moved from its tone and spirit ; their altered circum- DRYDEN ON SHAKESPEARE'S DICTION . 67 stances might explain this 66 GAINS OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE .
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Common terms and phrases
adjectives adopted altogether Anglo-Saxon ARSENE HOUSSAYE Beaumont and Fletcher become Ben Jonson black guard Blackwood's Magazine called century changes character Chaucer COMPOSITE LANGUAGE derived Dictionary Douay doubt Dryden earlier early edition employed English language English words etymology example express fact familiar female feminine foreign words found place French words gain German grammar Greek guage illustrate instance Jeremy Taylor Latin language Latin words lecture letters living loss meaning merely Milton modern nation nature never noun number of words observe once original passage perfuga period persons Plutarch poems poet popular possess present pronunciation rathest reader RICHARD CHENEVIX TRENCH Romance Saxon seeking sense Shakespeare shape sound speak speech spelling spelt Spenser spoken strong præterites suppose survives syllable things tion tongue translation vast number verb Version whole Wiclif Wiclif's Bible write written
Popular passages
Page 108 - Deliver me not over into the will of mine adversaries : for there are false witnesses risen up against me, and such as speak wrong.
Page 36 - By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. 16 But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
Page 34 - Its felicities often seem to be almost things rather than mere words, ty is part of the national mind, and the anchor of national seriousness The memory of the dead passes into it. The potent traditions of childhood are stereotyped in its verses. The power of all the griefs and trials of a man is hidden beneath its words.
Page 67 - Yet it must be allowed to the present age, that the tongue in general is so much refined since Shakspeare's time that many of his words, and more of his phrases, are scarce intelligible. And of those which we understand, some are ungrammatical, others coarse ; and his whole style is so pestered with figurative expressions, that it is as affected as it is obscure.
Page 121 - Wassal, like a neat sempster and songster; her page bearing a brown bowl, drest with ribbands, and rosemary, before her; Offering, in a short gown, with a porter's staff in his hand; a wyth...
Page 96 - The persons plural keep the termination of the first person singular. In former times, till about the reign of king Henry the eighth, they were wont to be formed by adding en ; thus, loven, sayen, complainen.
Page 30 - The first and foremost step to all good works is the dread and fear of the Lord of heaven and earth, which through the Holy Ghost enlighteneth the blindness of our sinful hearts to tread the ways of wisdom, and lead our feet into the land of blessing.
Page 26 - THE LORD is my shepherd ; therefore can I lack nothing. He shall feed me in a green pasture, and lead me forth beside the waters of comfort. He shall convert my soul, and bring me forth in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Page 35 - The power of all the griefs and trials of a man is hidden beneath its words. It is the representative of his best moments, and all that there has been about him of soft and gentle and pure and penitent and good speaks to him for ever out of his English Bible. ... It is his sacred thing, which doubt has never dimmed, and controversy never soiled. In the length and breadth of the land there is not a Protestant with one spark of religiousness about him, whose spiritual biography is not in his Saxon...