_in_, _and_, _by_, _we_, and the
rest, are all English. The only complete sentence which we could frame
of wholly Latin words would be an imperative standing alone, as,
"Observe," and even this would be English in form.

On the other hand, we may take the following passage from Mr. Herbert
Spencer as a specimen of the largely Latinised vocabulary needed for
expressing the exact ideas of science or philosophy. Here also borrowed
words are printed in italics:--

"The _constitution_ which we _assign_ to this _etherial medium_,
however, like the _constitution_ we _assign_ to _solid substance_, is
_necessarily_ an _abstract_ of the _impressions received_ from
_tangible_ bodies. The _opposition_ to _pressure_ which a _tangible_
body _offers_ to us is not shown in one _direction_ only, but in all
_directions_; and so likewise is its _tenacity_. _Suppose countless
lines radiating_ from its _centre_ on every side, and it _resists_ along
each of these _lines_ and _coheres_ along each of these _lines_. Hence
the _constitution_ of those _ultimate units_ through the
_instrumentality_ of which _phenomena_ are _interpreted_. Be they
_atoms_ of _ponderable matter_ or _molecules_ of _ether_, the
_properties_ we _conceive_ them to _possess_ are nothing else than these
_perceptible properties idealised_."

In this case, out of 122 words we find no less than 46 are of foreign
origin. Though this large proportion sufficiently shows the amount of
our indebtedness to the classical languages for our abstract or
specialised scientific terms, the absolutely indisputable nature of the
English substratum remains clearly evident. The tongue which we use
to-day is enriched by valuable loan words from many separate sources;
but it is still as it has always been, English and nothing else. It is
the self-same speech with the tongue of the Sleswick pirates and the
West Saxon over-lords.

CHAPTER XIX.

ANGLO-SAXON NOMENCLATURE.

Perhaps nothing tends more to repel the modern English student from the
early history of his country than the very unfamiliar appearance of the
personal names which he meets before the Norman Conquest. There can be
no doubt that such a shrinking from the first stages of our national
annals does really exist; and it seems to be largely due to this very
superficial and somewhat unphilosophical cause. Before the Norman
invasion, the modern Englishman finds himself apparently among complete
foreigners, in the AEthelw