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ii PREFACE.

a collection of Anglo-Saxon words that he had made. These words were drawn for the most part from sources already utilized for the Dictionary, but it was an advantage to have even the same material noted by another. As an example of this it may be remarked that between thirty and forty of the passages^r cited under S were taken from Professor Kluge's notes, and the number would have been larger had not, as already stated, Professor Kluge's criticism called attention to omissions in the earlier part of the work. To the late Dr. Grein my obligations are very great. He has done so much to remove the difficulties of one of the most difficult parts of the vocabulary—the poetical—that he has earned the gratitude of every one who attempts to work in the same field as the author of the Sprachschatz der Angelsachsischen Dichter.

In conclusion, it may not be out of place to refer to some of the difficulties which are met with in an attempt to compile an Anglo-Saxon Dictionary. The Anglo-Saxon remains are varied in respect to the subjects of which they treat, and the technical terms peculiar to some of these subjects, e.g. law, require the knowledge of a specialist. The poetical vocabulary, again, as a part of the language almost lost in later times presents many difficulties. Even where at first sight it might seem that the solution of difficulties would be most certainly furnished—in the case of glosses to Latin words—the expectation is not always realized, and at times the gloss is the only authority for both the English and the Latin word. And throughout there is the difficulty of realizing the condition of those who used the language an d thus of appreciating the significance of the language they used. It is hoped, however, that the numerous citations given under many words, by shewing the actual use of those words, may help to the appreciation of their significance, and so supplement the often necessarily imperfect explanations afforded by the Modern English words that are used as the nearest equivalents to the old forms. Further, English philology has become so extensive a study that to keep pace with its developments is a task that might occupy so much time as to leave comparatively little for other work. To compile an Anglo-Saxon Dictionary calls for so much in the compiler that some leniency towards shortcomings may perhaps be looked for by any one who attempts the labour.



		ii PREFACE. a collection of Anglo-Saxon words that he had made. These words were drawn for the most part from sources already utilized for the Dictionary, but it was an advantage to have even the same material noted by another. As an example of this it may be remarked that between thirty and forty of the passages^r cited under S were taken from Professor Kluge's notes, and the number would have been larger had not, as already stated, Professor Kluge's criticism called attention to omissions in the earlier part of the work. To the late Dr. Grein my obligations are very great. He has done so much to remove the difficulties of one of the most difficult parts of the vocabulary—the poetical—that he has earned the gratitude of every one who attempts to work in the same field as the author of the Sprachschatz der Angelsachsischen Dichter. In conclusion, it may not be out of place to refer to some of the difficulties which are met with in an attempt to compile an Anglo-Saxon Dictionary. The Anglo-Saxon remains are varied in respect to the subjects of which they treat, and the technical terms peculiar to some of these subjects, e.g. law, require the knowledge of a specialist. The poetical vocabulary, again, as a part of the language almost lost in later times presents many difficulties. Even where at first sight it might seem that the solution of difficulties would be most certainly furnished—in the case of glosses to Latin words—the expectation is not always realized, and at times the gloss is the only authority for both the English and the Latin word. And throughout there is the difficulty of realizing the condition of those who used the language an d thus of appreciating the significance of the language they used. It is hoped, however, that the numerous citations given under many words, by shewing the actual use of those words, may help to the appreciation of their significance, and so supplement the often necessarily imperfect explanations afforded by the Modern English words that are used as the nearest equivalents to the old forms. Further, English philology has become so extensive a study that to keep pace with its developments is a task that might occupy so much time as to leave comparatively little for other work. To compile an Anglo-Saxon Dictionary calls for so much in the compiler that some leniency towards shortcomings may perhaps be looked for by any one who attempts the labour.