OF ANGLO-SAXON DERIVATION. 341 
its character, and renders the combined word the proper name of 
the locality. 
Now, although the substantive term (which always comes last) 
is fundamentally the most important, yet it is not that on which 
the mind dwells most powerfully. On the contrary, the descrip- 
tive member, which comes first, occupies our attention still more ; 
and accordingly we treat it as if it were the root of the word, 
and throw the accent, or main stress of the voice, upon it, as Ox’- 
ford, Cam’bridge. This circumstance is most important to be 
borne in mind, because the absence of the stress from the last 
syllable, and its consequent feeble utterance, is the reason why, 
in so many words, this, the concluding term, has come to be 
obscurely and incorrectly expressed, both in speaking and writing. 
Tt will be our business, in these papers, to trace and examine 
as many of these humble and neglected substantive terms as we 
can: because a proper apprehension of them lies at the root of 
all safe progress in the etymology, and correct spelling, of such 
names as we are about to deal with. These terms are, for the 
most part, among the homeliest and most familiar words in our 
language : yet they have been obscured, misunderstood, and cor- 
rupted. 
I propose to begin with those significant of high ground and 
eminences, these features being the most prominent of the coun- 
try. In another paper, will be examined the terms belonging to 
vales and depressions; and subsequently, those applied to waters, 
woods, fields, fences, roads, enclosures, dwellings, and the like. 
The inquiry is humble enough in its kind, but, as has been al- 
ready observed, it is one capable of being followed out and ex- 
tended, till it may lead to certain useful results. 
Hill: Anglo-Saxon hill, or hyll, m. genit.-es. dat.-e. 
This familiar word is not unworthy of some passing attention, 
because, though in many instances, its presence and meaning in 
composition, are plain enough, this is not invariably the case. If 
it 1s conspicuous in the township names, Chat-hill, Seg-hill, 
Dues-hill, Wreighill, it becomes obscure in Bearle, formerly writ- 
ten Ber-hille, that is, Barleyhill. 
I will take this opportunity of observing, that the final ¢ in this, 
