L

would venture to differ from the Grammars of inftituted languages: that is, you muft diftribute all our English Conjunctions at least into their proper places. And if it should feem unreasonable in me thus to impofe upon you a task which-" no man, however learned or fagacious has yet "been able to perform *;"-you must thank yourself for it, and the peremptory roundnefs of your affertion. Befides, I do really think that after you have profeffed fo much of all the languages of Europe, I may fairly expect you to perform a little in your own.

"in omni lingua difficilior, tanto utilior obfervatio) omnes idiotifmos excuffit,

eruit, explicavit, fimilia cum fimilibus comparavit, ut exemplum quidem "in hoc genere aliis ad imitandum reliquerit abfolutiffimum; fed quod pauci fint affecuturi." Mer. Caf. de lingua Saxonica.

*

"The Particles are, among all nations, applied with fo great latitude, "that they are not easily reducible under any regular fcheme of explication : "this difficulty is not lefs, nor perhaps greater, in English than in other languages. I have laboured them with diligence, I hope with fuccefs: "fuch at least as can be expected in a tafk, which no man, however learned "or fagacious, has yet been able to perform."

ઈ.

Preface to S. Johnson's Dictionary.

H.

If it must be so, thus then: I say that

LEST is the past participle Lereo of Leran, To Difmifs.

These, I apprehend, are the only Conjunctions in our language which can cause any difficulty; and it would be impertinent in me to explain fuch as-BE so (a). BE IT. ALBEIT (6). ALBEIT SO (c). SET (d). NOTWITHSTAND

(a)" Set forth (quod fhe) and tell me how.
Shew me thy fekones euery dele.

Madame, that can I do wele:

BE so my lyfe therto woll lafte."

ING.

Gower. Lib. 1. Fol. 8. Pag. 2. Col. 1.

For these craftes (as I finde)

A man maie do by waie of kinde :

BE so it be to good entent."

Gower. Lib. 5. Fol. 134. Pag. 2. Col. 1.

"For fuche men that ben vilayns

The lawe in fuche a wife ordeineth,

That what man to the lawe pleyneth,

BE so the judge ftande upright,

He shall be fer ed of his right."

Gower. Lib. 7. Fol. 159. Pag. 1. Col. 1.

"The mast to brake, the fayle to roofe,

The ship upon the wawes droofe,
Till that thei fee the londes cofte.
Tho made a vowe the lefte and mofte

BE so thei mighten come alonde.'

Gower. Lib. 8. Fol. 177. Pag. 1. Col. 2.

(b) "Saturne anon, to ftynten ftryfe and drede

AL BE IT that it be agayne his kynde

Of all this ftrife he can remedy fynde."

Chauc er. Knyghtes Tale. Fol. 8. Pag. 2. Col. 1.

SAVE that (e).

SAVING that.

EXCEPT

ING. NEVERTHELESS.

"The quhilk Juno nowthir lang dayis nor geris,

Nor nane diuyne facrifice may appeis ;
Sche reftis neuir, nor may sche leif at eis,
ALBEIT the power and charge of Jupiter
Refiftis fche wat, and fatis war hir contrare.”

Douglas. 5th Booke. Pag. 154.

"Freynd ferly not, na caufe is to compleyne,
ALBEIT thy wit grete god may not atteyne."

Douglas. Prol. to 10th Booke. Pag. 309.

(c)" Another remedy is that a man efchewe the companye of hem by whiche he douteth to be tempted: for ALBEIT so that the dede is wythftonde, yet is there greate temptacyon."

Chaucer. Perfons Tale. Fol. 115. Pag. 2. Col. 2.

"AL BE IT SO that of your pride and high prefumpcion and folye, ye haue "misborne you, yet for as mikell as I fe and beholde your greate humilyte, "it conftrayneth me to do you grace and mercy."

Tale of Chaucer. Fol. 83. Pag. 1. Col. 1.

(d)" Bot fen I am compellid the to translait,

And not onlie of my curage, God wate,

Durft I interprise fic outragious folie,
Quhare I offend, the leffe reprefe serf. I,
And that ge knaw at quhais inftance I tuke
зе
For to tranflate this maift excellent buke,
I mene Virgillis volum maist excellent,
SET this my werk full febill be of rent."

"Sic plefand wordes carpand, he has forth brocht,
SETT his mynd troublit mony greuous thocht."

EXCEPT that. EXCEPTING that. BATING that. IF CASE ().

IN

"Betwix gude hope and drede in doute they stude,

Quhither thay war lewand, or tholit extreme dede al,
Thay anfuerit not, SET thay oft plene and cal."
Douglas. 1ft Booke. Pag. 19.

"And SET it be not louable nor femely thocht
To punys ane woman, but fchamefull hir to fla,
Na victory, but lak following alfa,

git netheles I aucht louit to be,

Vengeaunce to take on hir deferuis to de."

Douglas. 2d. Booke. Pag. 58.

Virgill is full of fentence ouer all quhare,

His hie knawlege he fchawis, that euery forte
Of his claufis comprehend fic fentence,

Thare bene thereof, SET thou think this but fporte,
Made grete ragmentis of hie intelligence."

Douglas. Prol. to 6th Booke. Pag. 158.

"To name the god, that war ane manifest lee,
Is but ane god, makar of euery thing:
SET thou to Vulcane haue ful grete refembling."

Douglas. Prol. to 6th Booke. Pag. 161.

"Thare fuld na knicht rede but ane knichtly tale.
Quhat forcis him the buffart on the brere?
SET wele him femes the falcone heroner."

Douglas. Prol. to 9th Booke. Pag. 271.

"Turnus, behald on cais reuoluit the day,
And of his fre wyl fendis the perfay
Sic auantage and oportunite,

And SET thou wald haif afkit it, quod fche,

6

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