The Anglo-Saxons computed their time by nights instead of days, and by winters instead of years. In com mon years they appropriated three lunar months to each of the four seasons. When their years of thirteen months occurred, they added the superfluous month to their summer season ; they had three months of one name, a first Lida, a second Lida, and a third Lida. The years of 13 months were on this account denomi nated Tri lidi.
Their month Geoli, or Aestera Geola, corresponded to our January.
Their Sol-monath, corresponding to February, recei ved its name in pagan times, from the custom of offer ing cakes to their deities during it.
Rehd Monath, or March, took its name from a pagan goddess, called Rheda.
Eostur Monath, or April, from another goddess Eos tre, whose rites were held on that month.
Trim-ilchi, or May, because the cattle were milked three times a-day.
The first Lida, (June) and the second, (July) signifies mild or navigable (weather).
Wierd, or Wcnden Monath, (August) implies tern pe stuous.
Halig Monalit, (September) from being the time al lotted to sacrifices.
Wyntyr fylleth, (October) implies the winter full moon.
Blot Monath, (November) the month of slaughtering cattle.
Giuli, or Aerra Geola, (December) the month before Jule, a festive occasion occurring about Christmas.
20. The Anglo-Saxon language, it will scarcely be necessary to tell any of our readers, is the root of our own. Many of the smoothest and most elegant words of our language have been ingrafted (it is true) on its native stem, indirectly from the Latin through the Nor man-French,* but the radical and powerful part of its structure is Saxont. In such a period of time as that
which elapsed between the landing of Hengist an Horsa, and William the Conqueror, the Anglo-Saxon tongue could not fail to undergo considerable change. Of its state, at two different periods, we shall submit to the reader two short specimens.
The most ancient copy of the Lord's prayer in Saxon, with a very literal translation. The original is said t9 be written about the year 700.
ding. Sax. Urin Fadar thic arth in heofnas.
.Eng. Our Father which art in heaven.
ding. Sax. Sic gehalgud thin noma.
Eng. Be hallowed thine name.
ding. Sax. 2. To cymeth thin ryc.
Eng. To come thy kingdom.
ding. Sax. 3. Sie thin Willa sue is in heofno and in eortho.
Eng. Be thine will so is in heaven and in earth.
Ong. Sax. 4. Urin hlaf ofirwistlie sel us to daig. Eng. Our loaf superexcellent, give us day.
ding. Sax. 5. And forgefe us scylda urna sue we gefan scyldgum urum.
_Eng. And forgive us debts ours so we forgive debts of ours.
ding. Sax. 6. And no inlead us in custnung.
Eng. And not lead us into temptation.
.dng. Sax. 7. All ge frig usieh from ifle.
Eng. But free us each from evil. .thnen.
In this very ancient specimen, there are only three or four words that are absolutely unintelligible to an English reader.
A specimen of the Anglo-Saxon language, in the very last year of Harold, presents the similarity of our parent language to our own, in a still more striking view. It is a charter of the king of England to his bishop Giso.