ANGLO-SAXON ROOTS. 401 
use a derivative from it in “ ford,” a shallow place, 
across a river passable on foot. As qualifying or 
adjective terms, we have “ far,” “ farther,” “ far- 
thest.” It is, however, curious, that though the 
synonymes, or variations ‘‘further” and “ furthest” 
are indiscriminately used, with ‘farther’ and 
“farthest,” the positive form “fur” (if the posi- 
tive?) except in such dialects as the Lancashire, is 
not in use. We may call the man a clown, who 
in our hearing cries out, “ Stan fur Johnny’”— 
yet, if there be any meaning in words, it must be 
more clownish for us to add, either a comparative 
or a superlative to his simple vulgar expression. 
The Lancashire “fur” however, may be a 
contraction of the Anglo-Saxon “furth,” for 
which we always use one of its dialectic forms 
‘‘forth’—further and furthest are, therefore, 
the comparative and superlative of “ forth’— 
furnishing us with an example among many 
others, of the capricious and lax etymology of the 
English language in its present state. If “fur” 
be used in a comparative sense, by the inhabitants 
of this county, then it is a mere corruption of the 
Anglo-Saxon “fyrre” “fyr’; and leads us di- 
rectly to the true source of the ordinal “first,” 
as exactly corresponding with the Lancashire 
“furst,” a contraction of “ furrest,” which is the 
