Tlie "A-KU^ Aeyofisva in Shakspere. 163 



No notices of Sbaksperian "Aza^ Xeyoiizva had come to my 

 knowledge when my attention was first called to that theme. In 

 the midst of my investigation, however, I observed a statement 

 in the London Academy (No. 402, p. 48) that some English scholar 

 bad counted no less than 549 words in the single play of Henry 

 Y. that are no where else discoverable in the Shaksperian dramas. 

 It may also be worth noting that the first line wrhich Shakspere 

 ever wrote, or at least published, namely : 



" Even as the sun witli purple-colored face," 

 contains a compound which he thenceforth and forever refrained 

 from repeating. 



The multitude of Shaksperian "Aiiaq Aeyoixeva. appears still more 

 surprising if we compare it with expressions of the same class in 

 the Scriptures and in Homer. 



In the English Bible the "A-uO^q Xeyofieva. with the initials A 69 

 and M 63 are in all one hundred and thirty-two, to 674 under the 

 same initials in Shakspere. These Biblical terms would be more^ 

 than twice as many as we find them if as numerous in proportion 

 to their total vocabulary as his are. 



The Homeric "Anaq Xejoneva with initial M are 78. But if as 

 numerous in proportion to Homer's whole world of words as 

 Shakspere's are, they would run up to 186 ; that is, to more 

 than twice as many as their actual number. 



In the Greek New Testament I have counted sixty -three "Arra^ 

 X^syd/jteua commencing with the letter M, a larger number than you 

 would expect, for it is as large as that in the whole English Bible 

 commencing with the same letter, which is also exactly sixty- 

 three. This fact indicates in Paul and others who wrote the 

 Greek Testament a wider range of expression thna their English 

 translators could boast. 



The Shaksperian "Arca^ Izjotxtva with initial M. — which amount 

 to over three hundred (310), I have also compared with the whole 

 verbal inventory of the English language so far as it begins with 

 that letter. To my surprise they make up almost one-fifth of 

 that stock, which on the authority of the Nation (vol. XX, p. 

 345.) can muster only 1,641 words, with initial M. 



You will at once inquire: "What is the nature oi these re- 



