In the northeast corner of Britain, where the land juts out into the sea, is Jutland. A certain small tribe of warlike men came over the North Sea from Schleswig, and took forcible possession of that point, and the Celts called them Jutes, those that lived on the jut. The Jutes were soon followed by much larger numbers from Angeln and Saxony, who drove the Celts back to Ireland, Scotland and Wales. This invasion of Britain by the Germanic tribes took place in the fifth century, and the blending of the two languages, the Angle and the Saxon, constituted Anglo-Saxon. The Anglo-Saxon language endured in this form from its formation about A. D. 450 until about 1150, when certain changes took place that brought it into the form which we now call Early English. It is a singular fact that although the Angles bestowed their name upon English, the language itself was almost wholly Saxon. Indeed, Anglo-Saxon was Saxon slightly modified by the dialect of the Angles. Early English held its form for two hundred years, passing into Middle English, which, after another two hundred years, developed into Modern English, dating from 1550 to the present time, - and still growing. Having thus broadly sketched the conditions of time and place antecedent to the origin of English, we now note some of the earliest individual efforts on record, both as to who labored in the cause of literature, and what he accomplished. It must also be noted at this point that spoken language does not constitute literature, and, therefore, a considerable time is likely to elapse between the formation of a new speech and any enduring record of the same. We are able to go back, however, to about the year 670, and we present herewith the oldest sample extant, an Anglo-Saxon poem entitled "Beowulf," in which is described the dwelling place of the Grendel, a manfiend that devoured men, and whom Beowulf overcomes in battle. then known by that name). The Angles live in a district still called Angeln, in the south of Schleswig, and the Jutes were a small tribe in the north of Schleswig. Without following up their further advances over Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Iceland and Greenland, resulting in the establishment of the Scandinavian family of languages, it is pertinent for us to note the movements of the Angles, Saxons and Jutes, occupying the above described territory in the fifth century. Now, a word about Britain, and bear in mind that up to this time, there was no such country as England, for the Angles had not yet occupied Britain. About the year 55 B. C., Cæsar disclosed Britain to the Romans. At that time Britain was occupied by Celts, who also inhabited Gaul (France), a part of Spain, Northern Italy, and part of Central Europe. The languages spoken by the Celts in Britain were Erse (Irish), Welsh, Armorican, Scotch, and Manx. The Romans under Agricola conquered the Celts, but did not drive them away, simply established Roman rule, exacted tribute taxed land, collected customs and exported corn. In other words, the Roman occupation of Britain was only a military occupation, maintained by fortified posts, - Eboricum (York), the central one and in the year 420 A. D., the Roman soldiery was called back to Rome to defend the Imperial City against the northern hordes. Now, it will be seen that the connection of the Romans with the Celts was not such as to affect the language of Britain, for although the Roman soldiers spoke Latin in Britain, there was no intermingling of the races, nor building up of homes; and therefore when the Roman army was recalled, all the Latin that had ever been in Britain went out of it, and the Celts were left to their original possession for about thirty years, until attacked by the Angles, Saxons and Jutes from across the North Sea. We have explained the situation concerning Britain during these preceding centuries to show that, although the English language is now greatly enriched by words from many of the Latin languages, the Roman conquest was not the cause of introducing Latin words into English. In the northeast corner of Britain, where the land juts out into the sea, is Jutland. A certain small tribe of warlike men came over the North Sea from Schleswig, and took forcible possession of that point, and the Celts called them Jutes, those that lived on the jut. The Jutes were soon followed by much larger numbers from Angeln and Saxony, who drove the Celts back to Ireland, Scotland and Wales. This invasion of Britain by the Germanic tribes took place in the fifth century, and the blending of the two languages, the Angle and the Saxon, constituted Anglo-Saxon. The Anglo-Saxon language endured in this form from its formation about A. D. 450 until about 1150, when certain changes took place that brought it into the form which we now call Early English. It is a singular fact that although the Angles bestowed their name upon English, the language itself was almost wholly Saxon. Indeed, Anglo-Saxon was Saxon slightly modified by the dialect of the Angles. Early English held its form for two hundred years, passing into Middle English, which, after another two hundred years, developed into Modern English, dating from 1550 to the present time, and still growing. Having thus broadly sketched the conditions of time and place antecedent to the origin of English, we now note some of the earliest individual efforts on record, both as to who labored in the cause of literature, and what he accomplished. It must also be noted at this point that spoken language does not constitute literature, and, therefore, a considerable time is likely to elapse between the formation of a new speech and any enduring record of the same. We are able to go back, however, to about the year 670, and we present herewith the oldest sample extant, an Anglo-Saxon poem entitled "Beowulf," in which is described the dwelling place of the Grendel, a manfiend that devoured men, and whom Beowulf overcomes in battle. Hie Dygel lond Warigeadh, Wulf-hleodhu, Windige næssas, Frêcne Fen-gelâd, thær Fyrgen-streám, under Næssa ge-Nipu, Nidher gewitedh, Flód under Foldan. Nis that Feor heonon, Mil-ge-Mearces, thæt se Mere standedh, ofer them Hongiadh Hrimge bearwas, Wudu Wyrtum fæst, Water oferhelmadh. Fedha eal ge-Sæt; ge-sâwon thâ after Wætere Wyrm-cynnes fela, Sellice Sæ-dracan Sund cunnian; swylce on Næs-hleodhum Nicras licgean, thâ on Undern-mæl Oft bewitigadh Sorh-fulne Sidh on Segl-råde, Wyrmas and Wil-deór. They that Dark land Windy crags, the Fearful Fen-path where the mountain-Flood beneath the Crags' Coverts downward Crashes, a Flood under the Field. a Mile's Marking, that the Mere standeth, over which Rise Rime-covered forests, Woods with roots fast the Water overhang. The Band all sat, saw they along the Water of the Worm-kind many, Strange Sea-dragons trying the Sound; also in Mountain clefts which in Early-morning their Sorrowful Stretch Lines 1425-1431. Cadmon's paraphrase of the Bible is a religious poem of about the same date, but we omit further examples of this very early period, as they cannot be read without translation; and give, instead, a brief account of the writers, as described by Stopford Brooke and others. In quoting such paragraphs throughout the remainder of this article, we wish to be understood as giving the best thoughts of the best thinkers about thinkers. "The story of Cadmon, as told by Bæda, proves that the making of songs was common at that time. Cædmon was a servant to the monastery of Hild, an abbess of royal blood, at Whitby in Yorkshire. He was somewhat aged when the gift of song came to him, and he knew nothing of the art of verse, so that at the feasts, when for the sake of mirth all sang, in turn, he left the table. One night, having done so and gone to the stables, for he had care of the cattle, he fell asleep, and One came to him in a vision and said, Cadmon, sing me some song.' And he answered, 'I cannot sing; for this cause I left the feast and came hither.' Then said the other, 'However, you shall sing.' 'What shall 'Sing the beginning of created things,' Whereupon he began to sing verses to the praise of God, and, awaking, remembered what he had sung, and added more in verse worthy of God. In the morning he came to the steward, and told him of the gift he had received, and, being brought to Hild, was ordered to tell his dream before learned men that they might give judgment whence his verses came. And when they had heard, they all said that heavenly grace had been conferred on him by our Lord." I sing?' the replied. answered the other. "Cadmon's poem, written about 670, is for us the beginning of English poetry, and the story of its origin ought to be loved by us. Nor should we fail to reverence the place where it began. Above the small and land-locked harbor of Whitby rises and juts out toward the sea the dark cliff where Hild's monastery stood, looking out over the German ocean. It is a wild, wind-swept upland, and the sea beats furiously beneath, and standing there one feels that it is a fitting birthplace for the poetry of the sea-ruling nation. Nor is the verse of the first poet without the stormy note of the scenery among which it was written. In it, also, the old, fierce, war element is felt when Cædmon comes to sing the wrath of the rebel angels with God, and the overthrow of Pharaoh's host, and the lines repeating, as was the old English way, the thought a second time, fall like stroke on stroke in battle. But the poem is religious throughout-Christianity speaks in it simply, sternly, with fire, and brings with it a new world of spiritual romance and feeling. The subjects of the poem were taken from the bible; in fact, Cædmon paraphrased the Old and New Testament. He sang the creation of the world, |