ANGLO-SAXON 221 



nothing as to the names of the best books, nor had I any 

 idea as to whom to apply for information, as the study 

 seemed to be absolutely unknown here. In this dilemma, 

 I applied to my oldest and best friend, who happened to 

 be at that time a Fellow of Magdalene College. He 

 bethought him of asking Newton for advice, who 

 at once told him that the easiest book for a beginner 

 was Vernon's " Anglo-Saxon Guide." I at once procured 

 this very useful work (now superseded by Dr. Sweet's 

 Anglo-Saxon Primer), and this enabled me to make a 

 good beginning. But for Prof. Newton, I should not 

 have known what to do ; and I owe it to him that I have 

 been enabled to study Old English successfully. 



Prof. Newton was also well acquainted with Scandi- 

 navian, and was especially interested in Scandinavian 

 bird-names ; indeed he knew the names of birds in a large 

 number of languages ; and in many cases, knew the 

 history of the names themselves ; so that, for practical 

 purposes, his philological knowledge was extensive. He 

 most kindly assisted me (as well as the editors of the New 

 English Dictionary) in many of my etymological investi- 

 gations ; and I always found his information of much 

 value. 



It is difficult to specify instances. But you will find 

 an example under Ornithology, in my book entitled "Notes 

 on English Etymology," Oxford, 1901, at p. 201. The 

 information afforded by Prof. Newton helped me (and the 

 New Eng. Diet.) to give a correct account of that word. 

 I again quote him twice (s.v. Staniel) at pp. 280, 281, of 

 the same. And again s.v. Whimbrel, p. 319 of the same 

 work, I quote Willughby, whose work I never saw, but 

 only knew by help of Prof. Newton's communications. I 

 believe I was also indebted to him for a recommendation 

 to read Stedman's " Surinam," a most fascinating book, 

 which I read through twice ; it helped me (and the New 

 Eng. Diet.) to a correct understanding of the words 

 Piccaninny and Quassia, see pp. 213, 234 of the same 

 book. 



Prof. Newton was naturally much interested in the 



