"Or ritorniamo a Pagan, chi stupiti Per maraviglia tenean gli occhi All' erta.” Morgante, cant. 24. st. 114. All' ercta (by a transposition of the aspirate) became the French Al'herte, as it was formerly written; and (by a total suppression of the aspirate) the modern French Alerte. S. Johnson says-" ALERT. adj. [Alerte Fr. perhaps from Alacris; but probably from A l'art, according to Art, or rule. "1. In the military sense, on guard, watchful, vigilant, ready at a call. 2. In the common sense, brisk, pert, petulant, smart ; implying some degree of censure and contempt." By what possible means can any one extract the smallest degree of censure or contempt from this word? Amyot, at least, had no such notion of it; when he said-" C'est une belle et bonne chose que la prévoyance, et d'estre touiours A Therte,” (Καλον δε ἡ προνοια και το ασφαλες.) most appositely translating ao padec, i. e. not prostrate, not supine, by A l'herte, i. e. In an erect posture. See Morales de Plutarque. De l'esprit familier de Socrates. I see that POST-aliquid POSIT-um (as well as its compounds Apposite, Opposite, Composite, Impost, Compost, Deposit, Dépôt, Repose, and Pause), however used in English, as substantive, adjective, or adverb, As -A POST in the ground, A military POST, A POST under government, The POST for letters, POST chaise or POST horses, To travel POST, And thus, in is always merely the past participle of Ponere. our present situation, intelligence of the landing of an enemy will probably be conveyed by POST: for, whether positis equis, or positis hominibus, or positis ignibus, or positis telegraphs or beacons of any kind; All will be by Posit or by POST. I agree with Salmasius, Vossius, Ferrarius, and Skinner (though Menage feebly contests it), that POLTROON and Paltry are likewise past participles. "Iidem imperatores (scil. Valentinianus et Valens) statue runt flammis ultricibus comburendum eum, qui, ad fugienda sacramenta militiæ, truncatione digitorum damnum corporis expetisset. Multi enim illo tempore, quia necessitate ad bellum cogebantur, præ ignavia sibi Pollices truncabant, ne militarent. Inde Pollice truncos hodieque pro ignavis et imbecillibus dicimus; sed truncata voce POLTRONES." Similar times, similar practices. We too have many POLTROONS in this country; qui sacramenta militiæ fugiunt; for want of rational motive, not want of courage. In October 1795', "One Samuel Caradise, who had been committed to the house of correction in Kendal, and there confined as a vagabond untill put on board a King's ship, agreeable to the Late Act, sent for his Wife, the evening before his intended departure. He was in a Cell, and she spoke to him through the Iron Door. After which he put his hand underneath, and she with a mallet and chissel, concealed for the purpose, struck off a finger and thumb, to render him unfit for his Majesty's service." I see that CLOSE, a CLOSE, with its diminutive a CLOSET, a CLAUSE, a RECLUSE, a SLUICE, are past participles of Claudere and Clorre. ["The thirty horse should face the house on that side next Nottingham; and the foote should march a private way through the CLOSINGS." -Life of Colonel Hutchinson, pag. 206. The Editor, in a note, says-" Vulg. Notts. CLOSEN."] He rose fro deth to lyfe in his sepulture CLOSE." [The Times.] Lyfe of our Lady, by Lydgate, p. 59. 2 There was some affection between this able bodied vagabond and his wife.-(Able bodied was the crime which by the operation of a Late Act, cast him into this Cell with the Iron door.)-To avoid separation they both subjected themselves to very severe treatment. Some lawyers maintained that they were both liable to death, under the Coventry Act. The husband and wife would have thought it merciful To take them both, that it might neither wound.” Such a sentence however, in such a case, has not yet, I believe, been put in execution. For a similar performance now, upon a husband in his Majesty's service-(I submit it to the Attorneys general)-might not a wife, by a still Later Act, be condemned to death for this new method of seduction? Or will a new Statute be necessary (it would soon be made, and may be expected) flammis ultricibus comburendum eum-et eam? "And whan the angell from her departed was, Right as the sonne percssheth thorowe the glasse, Lyfe of our Lady, by Lydgate, p. 54. DUCT, AQUEDUCT, CONDUCT, PRODUCE, PRODUCT, CONDUIT, of Ducere and Conduire. FACT, EFFECT, DEFECT, PREFECT, PERFECT, FIT, a FIT, FEAT, a FEAT, DEFEAT, COUNTERFEIT, SURFEIT, FORFEIT, BENEFIT, PROFIT, of Facere and Faire. "Faythe withoute the FEATE is right nothing worth." Vision of P. Ploughman, pass. 2. fol. 7. p. 2. MINUTE and a MINUTE, of Minuere. There was antiently in our language a MINUTE of money, as well as a MINUTE of time; and its value was half a Farthing. "Ihesu sittinge agens the tresorie bihelde hou the cumpany castide money in to the tresorie, and many riche men castiden manye thingis: sotheli whanne o pore widewe hadde come, she sente twey MYNUTIS, that is, a Ferthing."-Mark xii. 42. Tpezen rrycas, dat ir, feondung peninger." "Duo stycæ, id est, quadrans denarii." So that a FARTHING is also a participle, and means merely Fourthing, or dividing into four parts'. And, as there was a MINUTE of money as well as a MINUTE of time; so was there also a FARTHING of land, as well as a FARTHING of money. In our antient Law books a Farding-deale of land means the fourth part of an acre. Whose rent was, in Richard the second's time, so restrained, that for a Farding-deale of land they paid no more than one penny.-Walsingham, p. 270. PROMISE, COMPROMISE, COMMITTEE, PREMISSES, REMISS, SURMISE, DEMISE, of Mittere. [In the Swedish language Fjerdedel or Fjerding, means a quarter or a fourth part; viz. of a pound, of an hour, of a mile, &c.] Y An EPISTLE, an APOSTLE and a PORE, of ETIσTEXλW, ATOστελλω and Πειρω. SECT and INSECT, of Secare; as TOME and ATOм of Teμvw. POINT (formerly Poinct), of Pungere. PROMPT, EXEMPT, of Promere, Eximere. RATE, of Reor. REMORSE, MORSEL, of Mordere. ALLEY, ENTRY, MONSTER, MUSTER (Mostra), ARMY (Armata, Armée), JURY, JURAT, LEVY, LEVEE, ALLY, ALLIANCE, LIEGE and ALLEGIANCE; as well as JUNTO, MANIFESTO, INCOGNITO, PUNTO, PROVISO, MEZZOTINTO, COMRADE (Camerata), FAVOURITE (Favorito), and VISTA, declare themselves at first sight. SO TRACT, EXTRACT, CONTRACT, ABSTRACT, TRACK, TRACE, TRAIT (formerly Traict), PORTRAIT (formerly Pourtraict), TREAT, TREATY, RETREAT, ESTREAT, are the participles of Trahere and Traire. PULSE, IMPULSE, APPULSE, REPULSE, of Pellere. PRICE, PRIZE, CULPRIT, ENTERPRIZE, MAINPRIZE, REPRIZE, SURPRISE, REPRIEVE, of Prendre. EVENT, CONVENT, ADVENT, VENUE, AVENUE, REVENUE, COVENANT, of Venire and Venir. SAUTE, ASSAULT, ASSAILANT, INSULT, RESULT, SOMERSET, of Salire, "put his folke to flyght, And at a SAUTE he wan the cyte after."-Knyghtes Tale, [ "Let him (quoth Godfrey) fetch his SAULT, And brawles beare other where; nor I intend, That you more seede here of new quarrels sow, Ah no (for-god) let old strifes also go." Godfrey of Bulloigne, cant. 5. st. 59. translated by Soprasalto, called also Salto mortale; i. e. (" voltando la persona sotto sopra senza toccar terra colle mani, o con altro." Della Crusca.) which the French have corrupted to Soubresault, and the English to Sumersault, Somersalt, Summersaut, and then to Somerset. "What a sOMERSALT, "When the chair fel, she fetch'd, with her heels upward." B. and Fletcher. Tamer tam'd. "Here when the labouring fish doth at the foot arrive, Poly-olbion, song 6. "Now I will only make him break his neck in doing a SOMERSET, and that's all the revenge I mean to take of him." B. and Fletcher. Fair Maid of the Inn. ["He was the first that more desir'd to haue One then another; first that ere did craue Loue by mute signes, and had no power to speake; The valters SOMBERSALTS, or us'd to wooe With hoiting gambols, his owne bones to breake To make his mistresse merry."-Dr. Donne, p. 24.] QUEST, INQUEST, REQUEST, CONQUEST, ACQUEST, EXQUISITE, REQUISITE, PERQUISITE, of Quærere. SUIT, SUTE, SUITE, PURSUIT, LAWSUIT, of Suivre. STRICT, DISTRICT, STRAIT, STREIGHTS, STREET, RESTRAINT, CONSTRAINT, of Stringere. TENT, INTENT, EXTENT, PORTENT, SUBTENSE, INTENSE, of Tendere. SUCCINCT, PRECINCT, of Cingere. VERSE, REVERSE, CONVERSE, UNIVERSE, TRAVERSE, AVERSE, ADVERSE, INVERSE, PERVERSE, TRANSVERSE, DIVERS, DIVERSE, CONVERT, of Vertere. BALLAD, BALLET, of Ballare'. ACCESS, RECESS, EXCESS, PROCESS, SUCCESS, PRECEDENT, of Cedere. VIEW, REVIEW, INTERVIEW, COUNTERVIEW, PURVIEW, SURVEY, of Voir. COLLECT, ELECT, SELECT, INTELLECT, NEGLECT, of Legere. LASH (French Lasche) of a whip, i. e. that part of it which is "Le BALLATE dette cosi, perche si cantavano a Ballo." |