Page:An Icelandic-English Dictionary - Cleasby & Vigfusson - 1874.djvu/13

Rh down to us in a form which may justly be called classical. In Sweden and Norway the old Scandinavian tongue is preserved in writing only on the scanty Runic monuments. The earliest Danish and Swedish written laws are believed not to be earlier than the middle and end of the 13th century, by which time the common language in these lands had already undergone great changes, although the modern Danish and Swedish were not yet formed. In Norway, however, a considerable literature of the 13th century survives; and the old language lasted longer there than in the sister countries. This literature consists of laws, diplomas, homilies, and translations of French romances; and these works are quoted in this Dictionary together with the Icelandic. These documents belong to the period embraced by the reign of King Hakon, 1216-1263; but, though valuable, they do not make an original literature. Only in Iceland did a living literature spring up and flourish; there alone the language has been handed down to us with unbroken tradition and monuments, from the first settlement of the island to the present day.

It is believed that the present Dictionary will furnish not only a complete glossary of the words used in this old classical literature, but also a full account of the forms and inflexions of the verbs, with copious citations of passages in which each word occurs, with references carefully verified, and explanations given whenever they seem to be required; and, at the same time, though the Dictionary is mainly intended for the old authors, both in prose and poetry, it endeavours to embrace an account of the whole language, old and new.

A few words must be added to explain the origin and history of the work.

Many years ago, projected a General Dictionary of the Old Scandinavian Language; and in 1840 he left England to settle in Copenhagen, the chief seat and centre of Scandinavian learning and the home of the best collection of Icelandic MSS., for the purpose of preparing himself for his work and of obtaining the assistance of Icelandic students in collecting materials; among these Mr. Konrad Gislason’s name ought especially to be mentioned. Mr. Cleasby was a man of independent means, an excellent scholar, held in high esteem by foreign scholars, devoted to his work, and shunning no labour to make it perfect. He reserved for himself the old prose literature; while Dr. Egilsson was engaged on the poetical vocabulary, towards the expenses of which Mr. Cleasby promised to contribute, so that he may be said to have been the chief promoter of that work also. The MS. of the Poetical Dictionary was ready for publication in the year 1846. In the following year Mr. Cleasby caused five words—bragð, búa, at (conjunction), af (preposition), and ok (conjunction)—to be set up in type as specimens of the projected Prose Dictionary. These he sent to several foreign friends, and among others to Jacob Grimm, who returned a most kind and friendly answer, warmly approving of the plan as indicated in the specimens, and adding many good wishes that Mr. Cleasby might have health and life to complete the work. Unhappily these wishes were not to be realised. In the b