Many writers have at different times deplored the mstimpolitan character of the English vo cabulary. and hare urged the ex•llisive use of na tive words in all possible eases. This extreme purism. however, ignores entirely the value of a varied vocabulary for purposes of literary ex pression. withmit which the language of Shake speare and Nlilton would hick inheh of its beauty and force. The wise man seleets from this rich treasury of words those that best express his thoughts.
llint.toottAeuv. Anglo-Saxon: Bosworth-Toner,.1 n .1 nolo-Suxon llielionary (Oxford, 1883-98), the only complete recent work of the kind; Sweet, The Sholenl's Dictionary of Anglo-Saxon 1g97), a convenient list. but without references; n nglo-Sa.ron Meader (Ox ford. 1889) : Bright. .1 n nglo-Saxon Wader ed., New rf Irk, 1891 ) : SiVVer`4,.1 // Old English.
druu,gHat, translated by Couk (3d ed. Boston. 19021, the most seientifie treatment of (lie subject in English; Sweet. in Anglo-Saxon Primer (Ox ford, IS 21 ; Ilarelt„t romparalire Grammar of II!, I nab. 1.'121am:or ( New Turk, 1870), till a end for the syntax: Sweet. .1 Second .1 n olo•ka.ron Linder ( Ox ford. 1887 ) , contains arehnic and diolectie texts.
;Middle English: Stratimum, t nictionary of Igc tliddle English Language, revised by Bradley (Oxford, 1893) : Mayhew and Skeat, A Concise Dictionary of Middle English front 1150 to 1580 (Oxford, 1SS3) ; Sweet, First Middle English Primer, with grammar and glossary (Oxford, 1884) ; Second Middle English Primer. Extracts from Chaucer (188(1); Morris. of Early English, 1150-1.100 (Oxford, 18Sti) ; Morris and Skeat, id., 1298-1304 (Oxford, 1880 ; Skeat, The Vision of . . . Piers the Plowman, by Wil liam Langland (Oxford, 1807-73).
Shakespeare: Abbott, A Shakespearian. Gram mar (London, 1870), an excellent treatment; Schmidt, Shakespeare-Lexicon (3d ed., Berlin and Londou, 1902).
History and Grammar: Skeat, Principles of English Etymology, two parts (London, 1887 and 1891), treats the native and foreign elements separately, and, although not always in agreement with the latest results of philological investiga tion, is nevertheless an excellent introduction for the general student; Emerson, The History of the English Language (New York, 1894), the most scientific text-book on the subject; a more ele mentary work was published in 1896, corrected edi tion in 1897; Lounsbury, History of the English Language. revised ed. (New York, 1894), a well
considered book, but with slight treatment of the phonetic side; Toiler. Outlines of the History of the English Language (New York. 1900). connect ing the development of the language with the lit erature. A technical treatment of the history of the language is given by Kluge in Paul, Grundriss der geroanisehcu Philologie (Strassburg, 1896) ; Morris, Historical Outlines of English .Accidence (London, 1872); Kellner. Historical Outlines of English Syntax (New York, ]892), a useful in troduction to the study of the subject; Jespersen, Progress in Language (London, 1894), containing a suggestive study of the English pronoun; Sweet, .1 Short Historical English Grammar (New York, 1892), a condensed treatment of phonology and aecidenee; Sweet, .1 New English Grammar, Logical and Historical (New York, 1892 and 1893), vol. containing phonology and accidence, and vol. ii. syntax, this being an admi rabletreatment from the historical point of view: Bain. .1 Higher English Grammar (London. 1879), containing the earliest use of logical an alysis, and in its treatment of the parts of speech marking a distinct advance: Baskervill and Sewell, .1n English Grammar (New York. 1895), one of the best recent works, based upon actual usage.
For an account of dictionaries of the modern period. see Dienox.tfuEs.