Page:Philological Museum v2.djvu/396

386 386 On English Prceterites. 1. cwel-j-an (cwellan). (necarej, cwelede (cwelde). 2. sceaw-j-an (intueri). sceaw-ode. The Old English (with exceptions) the Middle English, and the Newj inflect all these verbs in a plain and toneless -ed. The reader will judge how far this, the regular conjugation, ought to have superseded the remaining twelve ; and how far the language has lost by the change. One small advan- tage has no doubt been gained in some cases where an old strong verb has become weak ; and this is, that the mean- ings have been divided, the original, and, as it were, self- created impulse has remained with the old form, the active and outward sense has been transferred to the new ; for in- stance, the following verbs, neuter in their strong, active in their weak form, will explain and justify my remark: (Rask p. 113.) PrceU yrnan (read irnan) am (to run) arnan (to make or let run), byrnan (readbirnan) barn {to >Vim^ ardere) barnan (to make to bum) urerc, drincan dranc (to drinc) drencan (to give to drink) drench. sincan sane (to sink, neut,) sencan (to sink, act*) licgan lag (to lie) lecgan (to lay) make to lie. sittan sat (to sit) settan (to set) make io sit. drifan draf (to drive ^) drasfan (to disperse), lidan la^ (go by sea, mover c) laedan (to lead) make to move. arisan a-ras (to arise) a-raeran (to raise, rear) make to rise. feallan feoU (to fall) fyllan (to cast down, fell) make to fall weaUan weoll (to boil, mut.) wyllan (to make boil), fleon (fleogan) fieah (to fly) a-fligan (to put to flight) maketofly. bugan (bedgan) beah (tobow,bend,w^^^^) bigan (to bend, ^cif.) make to ^ow. faran for (to go) feran (to convey) make to go. wacan woe (to wake, tz^wY.) weccan (to wake, excite) waA:^ /o tc'fl/cc. Most of these are formed upon the praeterites of the strong verbs ; this I allow, but we have instances where the same verb has two distinct meanings, as it is weak or strong; for example, the German schmelzen (to melt) if strong is neuter^ if weak, active. So we use the word behold^ if weak in a transitive sense, if strong in a subjective ; that is to say, in its participle only ; I was beheld by him, but I am beholden to him. I have said that foreign words when received into the language are inflected weak ; an example of which shall be 5 Drifan is very often active, but its neuter sense is obvious in such expressions as "to drive before the wind," &c.