165. William Shenstone. 1714-1763. (History, p. 200.) THE SHEPHERD'S HOME. My banks they are furnished with bees, Such health do my fountains bestow; But a sweet-brier entwines it around. One would think she might like to retire To prune the wild branches away. 1. Grotto, Fr. grotte, It. grotta, O. Fr. crota, a cavern, are from Lat. crypta, Gk. круптη. Grotesque is a derivative of this word, resembling a grotto, fantastic (Diez).. 2. Trees: by Grimm's law tree is exactly the same word as Gk. Spûs, an oak, or tree par excellence, just as two is duo; as timber is δόμος (from δέμω ; timbran in O. E. meant to build); as tooth is dens, ο-δούς; toe is δάκτυλος. By the same law these letters, Gothic t, classical d, are represented in O. H. G. by z; zwei, zimmer (a room), zahn, zehe will accordingly represent the last four respectively. 3. Cattle: chattel is merely another form of cattle, the usual derivation of both being capitale : so that the phrase "heads of cattle" would be a kind of tautology. Others take both from Fr. acheter, to buy, procure, which comes from adcaptare, to take to oneself. From the plains, from the woodlands, and groves, What strains of wild melody flow! From thickets of roses that blow ! 1. Concert means agreement; and would seem to be more correctly spelt consert, fr. It. conserto agreement. The Lat. concentus, harmony, in all probability has influenced the spelling of the word. 166. William Collins. 1721-1759. (History, p. 200.) ODE. How sleep the brave who sink to rest, By fairy hands1 their knell is rung; 1. Fingers. .. .. hands: the same thought seems to have been predominant in the formation of both these words: fingers are the grasping things, from fangen, to seize; and hands are the seizing things, from a root which is seen in Lat. pre-hend-ere, hunt, hint, &c. See note 19, extract 132. An attempt has also been made to connect fingers with five. 2. Dirge is a mere contraction of the Latin dirige, "Dirige nos, Domine," being the first words of the psalm usually employed at burials. Indeed the word was commonly spelt dirige in old times. 3. Hermit, an eremite, or dweller in the desert; Gk. ἐρημίτης. Thomas Gray. 1716-1771. (History, p. 202.) 167. ELEGY WRITTEN IN A COUNTRY CHURCHYARD. The curfew tolls the knell of parting day, Now fades the glimmering landscape on the sight, Save that, from yonder ivy-mantled tower, The moping owl does to the moon complain Of such as, wandering near her secret bower, Molest her ancient solitary reign. Beneath those rugged elms, that yew-tree's shade, Where heaves the turf in many a mouldering heap, Each in his narrow cell for ever laid, The rude forefathers of the hamlet sleep. The breezy call of incense-breathing Morn, The swallow twittering from the straw-built shed, The cock's shrill clarion, or the echoing horn, No more shall rouse them from their lowly bel. For them no more the blazing hearth shall burn, Or climb his knees, the envied kiss to share. Oft did the harvest to their sickle yield, Their furrow oft the stubborn glebe has broke; How jocund did they drive their team afield ! How bow'd the woods beneath their sturdy stroke! 1. Curfew: couvre-feu. Feu comes from Lat. focus, a hearth. Let not Ambition mock their useful toil, The paths of glory lead but to the grave. Nor you, ye Proud! impute to these the fault, Can storied 5 urn or animated bust Back to its mansion call the fleeting breath? Or Flattery soothe the dull cold ear of death? Some heart once pregnant with celestial fire; But Knowledge to their eyes her ample page, Full many a gem of purest ray serene The dark unfathom'd caves of ocean bear; 2. Aisle; Fr. aile, comes from Lat. ala, a wing. 3. Fretted vault: for fretted see note 3, extract 15. Vault, It. vol.a, comes from Lat, volutus. 4. Anthem, Fr. antienne, is from antiphona (άντιφωνή). 5. Storied: story is but a shorter form of history (Gk. ioTopía). The applause of listening senates to command, With incense kindled at the Muse's flame. Far from the madding crowd's ignoble strife, They kept the noiseless tenor of their way. Their name, their years, spelt by the unletter'd Muse, And many a holy text around she strews, For who, to dumb Forgetfulness a prey, This pleasing, anxious being e'er resign'd, Some pious drops the closing eye requires; 6. Uncouth originally meant nothing more than unknown, couth, cuth being the part. of cunnan, to know. Spenser speaks of an "uncouth (i. e. unexplored) wood." Then upon the common prin ciple of "omne ignotum pro vili" it passed to its modern sense. Kith, in the phrase "kith and kin," acquaintances and relatives, preserves the same root. |