The Dutch Ooft, Weft, Noord, Zuid. The German Oft, Weft, Nord, Sud. The Danish Oft, Veft, Nord, Sud. The Swedish Ofter, Wefter, Norr, Soder. The Spanish language, befides Oriente, Levante, Poniente, Occidente, Aquilon, Septentrion, and Medio dia, has likewise Este, Oefte, Nord, Sur. What do these mean? For when the English etymologist merely refers me to the Anglofaxon East, Vest, Noɲð, Suð, he only changes the written characters, and calls the fame language by a different name; but he gives me no information whatever concerning their meaning: and, for any rational purpose, might as well have left me with the fame words in the modern English character. H. Certainly. It is a trifling etymology that barely refers us to fome word in another language, either the fame or fimilar: unless the meaning of the word and cause of its impofition can be discovered by fuch reference. And permit me to add, that, having once obtained clearly that fatisfaction, all etymological pursuit beyond it, is as trifling. It is a childish curiofity, in which the understanding takes no part, and from which it can derive no advantage. Our winds are named by their distinguishing qualities. And, for that purpose, our ancestors (who, unlike their learned defcendants, 6 the fcendants, knew the meaning of words they employed in difcourfe) applied to them the past participles of four of their common words in their own language: viz. Yurian, Peran, Ný pan, and Seoðan. Irafci, Macerare, Coarctare, Coquere. EAST The paft participle of ÿprian or Ieprian, irafci, is WEST ÿnsed, ÿrsd, ÿrre: dropping the p (which many NORTHI cannot articulate) it becomes yrt; and fo it is SOUTH much used in the Anglofaxon. They who cannot pronounce R, usually supply its place by a: hence, I suppose, EAST, which means angry, enraged. "The wynd Tiffonyk, that is cleped North Eeft, or wynd of tempeft." In the modern version, Dedis. chap. 27. "A tempeftuous wind, called Euroclydon." Macbeth fays, 66 Acts. chap. xxvii. v, 14 Though you untye the windes, and let them fight "Confound and fwallow nauigation up: Though bladed corne be lodg'd, and trees blown downe, "Though cafiles topple on their warders heads: "Though pallaces and pyramids do flope "Their heads to their foundations: though the treasure "Of nature's germaine tumble altogether "Euen till deftraction ficken." A& 4. pag. 144. "YESTY "YESTY waves (fays S. Johnion) that is foaming or frothy." A little matter however always makes the waves frothy. But Johnfon knew what the YEAST of beer was; (which comes indeed from the fame verb) and the epithet Yefty conveyed to him no stronger idea than that of fermentation. But YESTY here is the Anglófaxon ÿrtiz, Iestig, procellofus, ftormy, enraged: which much better accords with Shakespear's highcharged defcription than the wretched allufion to fermenting. beer. Vesed, Verd, Vest, or WEST, is the past participle of Veran, macerare, To Wet. NORTH, i. e. Nýɲpeð, or Nýμpð, the third person fingular of Ny pan; coarctare, conftringere. NORD and NORR (as it is in the other European languages) is the paft participle of the fame verb. "Frofts that conftrain the ground, and birth deny Dryden. Aftræa redux. In the Anglofaxon Niɲpě or Nýɲpð is also the name for a prifon, or any place which narroweth or clofely confines a perfon.. SOUTH is the past tense and past participle of Seoðan, co-quere, To Seethe "Peter fyfhed for hys foode, and hys fellowe Andrewe, pag. 2. "Nero gouerned all the peoples that the violent wyne "Nothus fkorcyth and baketh the brennyng fandes by hys dry heate, that is to fay, al the peoples in the Southe." Boecius. fol. 230. pag. 1. col. 1. Dryden, whofe practical knowledge of English was (beyond all others) exquifite and wonderful, fays, in his Don Sebaftian, "Here the warm planet ripens and fublimes "The well-baked beauties of the Southern climes." A&t 2. Sce. 2. I need not notice to you that the French, SUD, and our English word SUDS, &c. is the fame as Sod or Sodden. And now, I fuppofe, I may conclude the subject. ЕПЕА ЕПЕА ПITEPOENTA, &c. CHAP. V. THE SAME SUBJECT CONTINUED. F. I STILL with for an explanation of one word more; which, on account of its extreme importance, ought not to be omitted. What is TRUTH? You know, when Pilate had asked the fame question, he went out, and would not stay for the anfwer *. And from that time to this, no anfwer has been given. And from that time to this, mankind have been wrangling and tearing each other to pieces for the TRUTH, without once confidering the meaning of the word. H. In the gospel of John, it is as you have ftated. But in the gofpel of Nichodemus (which, I doubt not, had originally its *See John xviii. 38. "What is Truth? said jefting Pilate; and "would not stay for an anfwer." Bacon's Effays. |