lance to that
of one of the MSS. of La[gh]amon, and we may hope, when the lovers of
our early lore shall be favoured with the long and anxiously expected
edition of that work by Sir Frederick Madden, that much light will be
thrown upon the history of the transitions of our language._

_For what has been already done by Conybeare, Price, Kemble, Thorpe,
Madden, Stevenson, Wright, Way and others, the present writer is most
grateful; but he would wish to see the same spirit and enthusiasm, the
same unwearied zeal displayed in the elucidation of the noble remains of
our Anglo-Saxon ancestors, and of the interesting stores of our early
literature and language, which has been so long a distinguishing feature
of Germany, whose example has of late years lighted up a similar
patriotic flame in France and Belgium._

_Mickleham, August 20, 1844._

THE

DEPARTING SOUL'S ADDRESS TO THE BODY.

* * * * en earde. * * * *
and alle theo isceaefestan. * * * *
the him to * * * * * * *
and mid muchele _wisdome_. and with much _wisdom_
_thon_ne mon he idihte. 5 then man he framed,
and him on ileide. bestowed on him
lif and soule. life and soul,
softliche he heo isom_ne_. tenderly he united them;
ac thaer bith sor idol. but there is a sad portion
that bodeth that bearn. 10 which awaits that child.
thonne hit iboren bith. When it is born;
hit _woan_eth and maenet theo weowe. it waileth, and bemoans the woe,
and thene seoruhfule sith. and the sorrowful time,
and that sori idol. and that sad lot,
that soule schal _hire li_came. 15 that shall the soul from her body
sorliche idaelen. sadly separate.
Forthon hit cumeth weopinde. Therefore it cometh weeping,
and woniende iwiteth. and wailing departeth,
_thonne D_eath mid his pricke. when Death, with his dart,
pineth thene licame. 20 pineth the body.
He walketh and wendeth. He walketh and goeth,
and woneth _his si_thes. and bewails his destiny;
he saeith on his bedde. he saith, on his bed,
wo me that ic libbe. Wo me! that I live;
that aeffre min lif dawes. 25 that ever my life