SKEAT, sket, Walter William, English scholar and philologist: b. London, 21 Nov. 1835; d. 7 Oct. 1912. He was graduated from Christ College, Cambridge, in 1858, and two years later became a Fellow of his college and curate of East Dereham, in Norfolk In 1862 be went to Godaltning, in Surrey, as curate. He was appointed a mathematical lecturer of Christ's College in 1864 and since 1878 held the Erlington and Bosworth professorship of Anglo-Saxon in the university. Skeat's work in the philology of the English language, es pecially in its older forms, is of the utmost value and has contributed much to stimulate interest in such studies. His chief original pub lications in this department are to Mceso-Gothic Glossary' (1868) ; 'Etymological Dictionary of the English Language' (1879-84; revised 1910), his most important work; 'Concise Etymologi cal Dictionary of the English Language) (1882; new ed., rewritten and rearranged, 1901) ; 'Principles of English Etymology) (two series, 1887 and 1891) ; 'Primer of English Etymology' (1892), smaller work based upon the preced ing, but dealing only with the native element; 'The Chaucer Canon, with a Discussion of the Works associated with the name of Geoffrey Chaucer' (1900) ; 'Place Names of Cambridge shire' (1901) ; and 'Notes on English Etymol ogy' (1901). Among numerous editions of
English texts which he has edited for various societies and publishers may be cited 'Lancelot of the Laik' (1865) ; 'Havelok the Dane' (1868) ; 'The Vision of William concerning Piers the Plowman' (1886), giving the three texts smile], with notes, glossary, etc.; Lives of Saints' (1882-98) ; Chatter ton's 'Poems' (1871); The Works of Chau cer' (with notes, glossary, etc., 1894-95; with a supplemental volume of spurious Chaucerian pieces, 1897) • and The Student's Chaucer' (1895). He founded the English Dialect o ciety in 1873, and was its chief member during the 23 years of its existence. For it he pre pared several provincial- glossaries and upon these and other publications of the society the new (Dialect Dictionary' is based. Stu dent's Pastime> (1896) consists of articles con tributed by him to (Notes and Queries.' He has also translated Uhland's and Bal lads' (1864).