57 



In fact we have not the space to go into all the branches of this root 

 given by the lecturer, but may simply mention them, such as spite, 

 spiteful, suspicious, circumspect, inspect, aspect, prospectus, expect, 

 auspicious and speculate. 



Many very interesting slides were now exhibited, which we can 

 only refer to somewhat briefly. A Babylonian tablet B.C. 4500, 

 character semi-pictorial. The famous black obelisk inscribed with 

 an account of the Wars of Shalmaneser II., King of Assyria B.C. 

 860. Then we saw the writing of the ancient Britons, viz., letters 

 cut with a knife upon sticks. Then was shown a specimen of Irish 

 Ogham, or Cypher. Now we come to the language spoken in Saxon 

 England, viz., Anglo Saxon. A specimen of King Alfred's translation 

 of the Lord's Prayer was shown in the native Saxon character, 

 which the lecturer read and explained. Following this were visual 

 pictures of a portion of Alfred's translation of a work of travel and 

 of the Saxon Chronicle (A.D. 1100). Now came the Norman 

 Invasion, and of course a new language grafted on to the old. The 

 upper classes spoke and read French, and the old literary Saxon 

 language ceased to be written. But the people still continued to 

 speak the common or vernacular tongue, in which the grammatical 

 inflexions were neglected, and thus preserved the germ of our speech 

 in its simpler forms. For although the Normans gave us rulers, 

 they did not give us a people. The people remained English, and 

 within 100 years after the Conquest the nation became amalgamated ; 

 and a distinct type of people emerged which has never had its like 

 in any age of history, and the powerful originality of which eight 

 centuries hive only served to deepen. 



The changes brought about by the introduction of French chiefly 

 affected the vocabulary. Thus, when the Saxon farmer took his 

 meat for sale to the Norman castle, he had to imitate the Frenchman 

 and call it beef, mutton, and pork, while the names familiar to 

 himself were oxen, sheep and pig. " Dinner " and " Supper" come 

 from the French, while " Break-fast " is native Teutonic. 



An extract from the Chronicles of Layamon showed an advance, 

 or transition from the old Anglo-Saxon to a more modern language ; 

 this was followed by an extract from Robert of Gloucester, first half 

 of fourteenth centuary. Then came an early version of the 16th 

 Chapter of St. Luke, from the Wycliffe Bible. Next followed 

 Chaucer, and then some writing by Caxton, and so we followed on 

 to the " spacious times of great Elizabeth," with Spenser, Ben 

 Jonson, etc. An interesting picture was that of the title page of the 

 Psalter printed in 1583 by John Day. This is a rare work, not 

 found in the King's Library at the British Museum. Then we saw 

 the Te Deum of St. Ambrose, with Gregorian music printed in type. 

 It may be said that the English Bible has done more for the 

 preservation of purity and propriety of utterance in our speech, than 

 any other agency. 



And now-a-days, we note the enormous extension of our language 

 over the face of the globe. Lord Morley has said, " I know not in 

 the history of mankind a more stupendous, a more overwhelming fact, 



