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# An Enquiry into the Present State of Polite Learning in Europe

First published in 1759, this transcription is of the first edition.
AN
ENQUIRY
INTO THE
PRESENT STATE
OF
POLITE LEARNING.
AN
ENQUIRY
INTO THE
PRESENT STATE
OF
POLITE LEARNING.
IN
EUROPE.
LONDON: Printed for R. and J. Dodsley, in Pall-Mall. M.DCC.LIX.
THE
CONTENTS
This work was published before January 1, 1929, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.
Public domainPublic domainfalsefalse
# An Enquiry into the Life and Writings of Homer/Advertisement

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THE Notes are intended only as Proofs; and are long in some places where an Induction of Facts was necessary. The translations from ancient Authors, being designed for the same purpose, are almost literal; which is the Rëason why they are not taken from more poetical Versions.
# Alumni Oxonienses: the Members of the University of Oxford, 1715-1886/Williams, Thomas (16)

From volume 4 of the work.
​Williams, Thomas, s. Penry, of Penpont, co. Brecon, arm. Pembroke Coll., matric. 2 Nov., 1756, aged 17; brother of Philip 1759.
# Alumni Oxonienses: the Members of the University of Oxford, 1715-1886/Williams, Thomas (18)

From volume 4 of the work.
​Williams, Thomas, s. Price, of Llansantfread, co. Radnor, cler. Jesus Coll., matric. 25 May, 1759, aged 19; B.A. 1763.
# Alumni Oxonienses: the Members of the University of Oxford, 1715-1886/Williams, Thomas (2)

From volume 4 of the work.
​Williams, Thomas, s. Thomas, of Madley, co. Hereford, pleb. Wadham Coll., matric. 19 Feb., 1718-9, aged 17; B.A. 1722. See Gent.'s Mag., 1796, i. 169.
# Alumni Oxonienses: the Members of the University of Oxford, 1715-1886/Williams, Thomas (20)

From volume 4 of the work.
​Williams, Thomas, s. Philip, of Talgarth, co. Brecon, pleb. Jesus Coll., matric. 19 May, 1768, aged 18.
# Alumni Oxonienses: the Members of the University of Oxford, 1715-1886/Williams, Thomas (21)

From volume 4 of the work.
​Williams, Thomas, s. Philip, of Abergavenny, co. Monmouth, gent. Merton Coll., matric. 1 June, 1775. aged 18.
# Alumni Oxonienses: the Members of the University of Oxford, 1715-1886/Williams, Thomas (13)

From volume 4 of the work.
​Williams, Thomas, s. John, of Henllan, co. Denbigh, cler. Jesus Coll., matric. 13 May, 1742, aged 17; B.A. from Christ Church 19 Feb., 1747-8.
# Alumni Oxonienses: the Members of the University of Oxford, 1715-1886/Williams, Thomas (14)

From volume 4 of the work.
​Williams, Thomas, s. Thomas, of Bourton-on-the-Water, co. Gloucester, cler. St. Edmund Hall, matric. 18 May, 1748, aged 17; chorister Magdalen Coll. 1742-8. See Bloxam, i. 162.
# Alumni Oxonienses: the Members of the University of Oxford, 1715-1886/Williams, Thomas (15)

From volume 4 of the work.
​Williams, Thomas, s. John, of Llanblethian, co. Glamorgan, pleb. Jesus Coll., matric. 20 Feb., 1748-9, aged 17; B.A. 1752, M.A. 1755, B.D. 1763.
# Alumni Oxonienses: the Members of the University of Oxford, 1715-1886/Williams, Thomas (17)

From volume 4 of the work.
​Williams, Thomas, s. John, of Hermon, co. Radnor, gent. Jesus Coll., matric. 14 March, 1758, aged 16; B.A. 1762. See Gent.'s Mag., 1839, ii. 660.
# Alumni Oxonienses: the Members of the University of Oxford, 1715-1886/Williams, Thomas (19)

From volume 4 of the work.
​Williams, Thomas, s. Edward, of Chastleton, Oxon, cler. Oriel Coll., matric. 30 May, 1764, aged 16; fellow Balliol Coll., B.A. 1768, M.A. 1770, vicar of Beer Regis, Dorset, 1773.
# An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Birke

| This annotated version expands the abbreviations in the original entry Birke. | Random word Special:RandomInCategory/Annotated entries in Kluge's Etymological Dictionary of the German Language |
​ Birke (Swiss Bilche, Birche), feminine, ‘birch,’ from the equivalent Middle High German birke (Upper German birche), Old High German bircha, birihha; compare Anglo-Saxon birce, English birch; also Dutch berk, Anglo-Saxon beorc, Old Icelandic bjǫrk, Gothic *bairka, feminine, or *bairkjô, feminine. This term, common to the Teutonic group, is one of the few names of trees of primitively Aryan origin (compare Buche); the pre-Teutonic form is bhergâ (bhergyâ) and corresponds to Sanscrit bhûrja, masculine, ‘a kind of birch’ (neuter also ‘birch bark’), Old Slovenian brĕza, feminine, Lithuanian bérżas.
# An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Bischof

| This annotated version expands the abbreviations in the original entry Bischof. | Random word Special:RandomInCategory/Annotated entries in Kluge's Etymological Dictionary of the German Language |
​ Bischof, masculine, ‘bishop,’ from the equivalent Middle High German bischof (v), Old High German biscof (to which Bistum is related); Dutch bisschop, Anglo-Saxon bisceop, English bishop, with the same meaning. In Gothic with a closer adherence to the primitive form (ἐπίσκοπος) aípiskaúpus. This widely diffused word was probably adopted, like the Arianism of the Goths (compare Kirche), from the Greeks without passing through ​Romance. The Latin-Romance origin is indeed supported by the initial b as well as the loss of the original e at the beginning; compare Italian vescovo, Old French vesque (also evesque, Modern French évêque, and Old Irish epscop). Compare further Old Slovenian jepĭskopŭ.
# An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Bille

| This annotated version expands the abbreviations in the original entry Bille. | Random word Special:RandomInCategory/Annotated entries in Kluge's Etymological Dictionary of the German Language |
​ Bille, feminine, ‘hatchet,’ from Middle High German bil (genitive billes), ‘pickaxe,’ Old High German bill; Anglo-Saxon bill, ‘sword,’ English bill (‘sword, chopper,’ also ‘axe’); not cognate with Beil.
# An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Bilsenkraut

| This annotated version expands the abbreviations in the original entry Bilsenkraut. | Random word Special:RandomInCategory/Annotated entries in Kluge's Etymological Dictionary of the German Language |
​ Bilsenkraut, neuter, ‘henbane,’ from the equivalent Middle High German bilse, Old High German bilisa, feminine; also a dialectic form bilme, equal to Danish bulme, Anglo-Saxon beolene (Spanish beleño). The stems bilisa, beluna, common to the Teutonic group, correspond to Latin felix, filix, ‘fern,’ but more closely to Russian belená, Polish bielun, ‘henbane.’ Compare further Middle Dutch beelde, ‘henbane.’
# An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Binse

| This annotated version expands the abbreviations in the original entry Binse. | Random word Special:RandomInCategory/Annotated entries in Kluge's Etymological Dictionary of the German Language |
​ Binse (Swiss Binz), feminine, ‘rush,’ from the plural of the equivalent Middle High German binȥ, bineȥ, masculine, Old High German binuȥ, masculine; compare Old Saxon binut, Anglo-Saxon beonet, English bent, bentgrass, as well names of places, Bentley, Bentheim, with a Low German vowel. The most probable derivation is that given in the Old High German period, by Notker, from bi- and naȥ (see naß); hence literally ‘that which grows in wet places.’ LFranc. and Low German have a stem biusa corresponding to Dutch bies, Middle Low German bese, which are not cognate with Binse.
# An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Bill

| This annotated version expands the abbreviations in the original entry Bill. | Random word Special:RandomInCategory/Annotated entries in Kluge's Etymological Dictionary of the German Language |
​ Bill feminine, from the equivalent English bill, which, with French billet, belongs to Middle Latin billa, bulla.
# An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Bingelkraut

| This annotated version expands the abbreviations in the original entry Bingelkraut. | Random word Special:RandomInCategory/Annotated entries in Kluge's Etymological Dictionary of the German Language |
​ Bingelkraut, neuter, earlier Büngelkraut, ‘mercury’; Büngel, a name of a plant, from Middle High German bunge, Old High German bungo, ‘bulb.’ See Bachbunge.
# An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Bisam

| This annotated version expands the abbreviations in the original entry Bisam. | Random word Special:RandomInCategory/Annotated entries in Kluge's Etymological Dictionary of the German Language |
​ Bisam, masculine, ‘musk,’ from the equivalent Middle High German bisem, Old High German bisam, bisamo, from Middle Latin bisamum, which is of oriental origin (Hebrew besem, Syr. besmo).
# An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Bims

| This annotated version expands the abbreviations in the original entry Bims. | Random word Special:RandomInCategory/Annotated entries in Kluge's Etymological Dictionary of the German Language |
​ Bims, neuter, Bimsstein, ‘pumice-stone,’ from the equivalent Middle High German bümez, Old High German bumiz; hence we should expected Modern High German Bümeß. The relation between Kreuz and Latin cruc-em is similar to that between Bümeß and the type, Latin pumic-em (nominative pumex). The i of the Modern High German form is Middle German, as in Kitt, Pilz. From Latin pumex (Italian pomice) are also derived Dutch puimsteen, and Anglo-Saxon pûmicstân. With regard to s for z, see Binse.
# An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Birne

| This annotated version expands the abbreviations in the original entry Birne. | Random word Special:RandomInCategory/Annotated entries in Kluge's Etymological Dictionary of the German Language |
​ Birne, feminine, ‘pear’; the n belongs properly to the inflexion; Middle High German bir (and still dialectic), plural birn; Old High German bira, ‘pear.’ Derived from the Latin pĭrum, or rather plural pĭra. On account of the initial b of the German word, the date at which it was borrowed can hardly be placed earlier than the 9th century. The Goth applied to the ‘mulberry-tree’ the apparently cognate term baírabagms. English pear, Anglo-Saxon peru, Dutch peer, are based upon the Romance word (Italian and Spanish pera), derived from Latin pirum. Respecting the change of gender see Pflaume.
# An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/ächzen

| This annotated version expands the abbreviations in the original entry ächzen. | Random word Special:RandomInCategory/Annotated entries in Kluge's Etymological Dictionary of the German Language |
​ ächzen, verb, see ach.
# An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/übel

| This annotated version expands the abbreviations in the original entry übel. | Random word Special:RandomInCategory/Annotated entries in Kluge's Etymological Dictionary of the German Language |
​ übel, adjective, ‘evil, bad, wrong; sick,’ from Middle High German übel, Old High German ubil, ‘bad, wicked’; a common Teutonic adjective corresponding to Old Saxon uƀil, Dutch euvel. Anglo-Saxon yfel, English evil, Gothic ubils, ‘bad.’ With these are connected Old High German uppi (from Teutonic ubjo-), ‘vicious, malignant; villain,’ as well as the cognates of Modern High German üppig. The word has been supposed to be related to the preposition über (Aryan upérî), so that Teutonic uƀilo-, from upelo-, meant literally ‘that which oversteps a limit or is contrary to rule.’ Nothing positive, however, can be asserted, since the word is specifically Teutonic; or is Old Irish uall, ‘pride,’ cognate?.
# An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Überdruß

| This annotated version expands the abbreviations in the original entry Überdruß. | Random word Special:RandomInCategory/Annotated entries in Kluge's Etymological Dictionary of the German Language |
​ Überdruß, see verdrießen. —
# An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/äfern

| This annotated version expands the abbreviations in the original entry äfern. | Random word Special:RandomInCategory/Annotated entries in Kluge's Etymological Dictionary of the German Language |
​ äfern, verb, ‘to repeat,’ an Upper German word; Middle High German œferen, Old High German afarôn. See under aber.
# An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/ärgern

| This annotated version expands the abbreviations in the original entry ärgern. | Random word Special:RandomInCategory/Annotated entries in Kluge's Etymological Dictionary of the German Language |
​ ärgern, ‘to annoy, vex, fret,’ from Middle High German ergern, ‘to incite to evil, deteriorate, corrupt,’ Old High German ergirôn, argirôn, ‘to make worse,’ from the comparative of arg. From this Modern High German Ärger, masculine, is formed (compare Aussatz from aussätzig, Geiz from geizen, Handel from handeln, Opfer from opfern); in Middle High German erge, Old High German argî, feminine, ‘malice.’ —
ärgern, verb, see arg.
# An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/ätzen

| This annotated version expands the abbreviations in the original entry ätzen. | Random word Special:RandomInCategory/Annotated entries in Kluge's Etymological Dictionary of the German Language |
​ ätzen, verb, ‘to corrode, etch, bait,’ from Middle High German etzen, Old High German ezzen, ‘to give to eat,’ literally ‘to make eat’; factitive of essen.
# An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Öse

| This annotated version expands the abbreviations in the original entry Öse. | Random word Special:RandomInCategory/Annotated entries in Kluge's Etymological Dictionary of the German Language |
​ Öse, feminine, ‘ear, hook,’ from late Middle High German and early Modern High German (Middle German and Middle Low German) œse, feminine, ‘ear, hook, handle’; the usual assumption that the word is borrowed from Latin ansa, ‘handle,’ is not to be preferred to the opinion that Öse and Öhr are identical, and that the s from which the r of Ohr and Öhr is derived is preserved in Öse; see Öhr.
# An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/ähnlich

| This annotated version expands the abbreviations in the original entry ähnlich. | Random word Special:RandomInCategory/Annotated entries in Kluge's Etymological Dictionary of the German Language |
​ ähnlich, adjective, from the equivalent Middle High German ánelîch, Old High German ánagilîh (*ánalîh), adjective, ‘similar.’ It corresponds to Gothic ánaleikô, adverb, ‘similarly’; from the Old Teutonic (Gothic) preposition ana (see an) and the suffix lich; see gleich
# An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/öde

| This annotated version expands the abbreviations in the original entry öde. | Random word Special:RandomInCategory/Annotated entries in Kluge's Etymological Dictionary of the German Language |
​ öde, adjective, ‘deserted, waste,’ from Middle High German œde, adjective, ‘uncultivated, uninhabited, empty, foolish, poor, infirm,’ Old High German ôdi, ‘desolate, empty’; corresponding to Gothic auþs, ‘desolate, solitary, unfertile,’ Old Icelandic auðr. In some of the languages of the Teutonic group there occurs an adjective similar in sound, but apparently of a different etymology, with the meaning ‘easy.’ Compare Old Saxon oði, Old High German ôdi, Anglo-Saxon ŷþe, eáþe, Old Icelandic auð- (in compounds), ‘easy.’ The primary meanings of both classes are uncertain.
# An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Öl

| This annotated version expands the abbreviations in the original entry Öl. | Random word Special:RandomInCategory/Annotated entries in Kluge's Etymological Dictionary of the German Language |
​ Öl, neuter, from the equivalent Middle High German öle, öl, neuter (with the variants ole, ol, and olei), Old High German olei, oli, neuter, ‘oil’; corresponding to Old Saxon olig; Dutch olie, Anglo-Saxon ele, neuter, ‘oil.’ Latin oleum, ‘oil,’ passed into High German before the 8th. century. Gothic adopted the term probably even half a century earlier from the Latin, the only assumption that can explain the remarkable Gothic form alêw. The approximate source of English oil, Middle English oile, is Old French oil, which with its Romance cognates. (Modern French huile) are also based on Latin oleum.
# Alumni Oxonienses: the Members of the University of Oxford, 1715-1886/Wormald, Percy

From volume 4 of the work.
​Wormald, Percy, 3s. John, of London, arm. Merton Coll., matric. 20 Nov., 1869, aged 19; a brewer at Alton, Hants. See Eton School Lists.
# Alumni Oxonienses: the Members of the University of Oxford, 1715-1886/Workman, James Walter

From volume 4 of the work.
​Workman, James Walter, s. Francis, of St. Michael, Bristol, arm. Wadham Coll., matric. 24 April, 1816, aged 17.
# Alumni Oxonienses: the Members of the University of Oxford, 1715-1886/Workman, Rev. James Murray Richard

From volume 4 of the work.
​Workman, Rev. James Murray Richard, 1s. Richard Rawlins, of St. George's, Westminster, cler. Brasenose Coll., matric. 22 May, 1845, aged 18, B.A. 1849, M.A. 1852; B.D. from Lincoln Coll. 1863, assumed the surname of Workman in lieu of Rawlins 1848, died 9 Aug., 1880. See St. Paul's School Reg., 302.
# Alumni Oxonienses: the Members of the University of Oxford, 1715-1886/Workman, William Ring

From volume 4 of the work.
​Workman, William Ring, o.s. William, of Basingstoke, Hants, cler. Worcester Coll., matric. 16 March, 1843, aged 18; B.A. 1847, M.A. 1849, rector of Eastrop, Hants, 1850-79, died 31 March, 1882.
# Alumni Oxonienses: the Members of the University of Oxford, 1715-1886/Wormald, Smith

From volume 4 of the work.
​Wormald, Smith, 1s. Smith, of Tickton, Yorks, arm. Worcester Coll., matric. 8 Feb., 1854, aged 19.
# Alumni Oxonienses: the Members of the University of Oxford, 1715-1886/Worley, George

From volume 4 of the work.
​Worley, George, o.s. George, of Sywell, Northants, arm. Brasenose Coll., matric. 15 Jan., 1840, aged 19. See Rugby School Reg., 185.
# Alumni Oxonienses: the Members of the University of Oxford, 1715-1886/Wormald, Robert Bownas

From volume 4 of the work.
​Wormald, Robert Bownas, 3s. Bryan, of Bramham, Yorks, gent. Lincoln Coll., matric. 2 June, 1852, aged 18; bible clerk 1852-6, B.A. 1857.
# Alumni Oxonienses: the Members of the University of Oxford, 1715-1886/Workman, Walter

From volume 4 of the work.
​Workman, Walter, 2s. Thomas, of Basingstoke, Hants, gent. Queen's Coll., matric. 26 Oct., 1854, aged 18; B.A. 1878, M.A. 1880.
# Alumni Oxonienses: the Members of the University of Oxford, 1715-1886/Worley, Henry Thomas

From volume 4 of the work.
​Worley, Henry Thomas, 1s. Thomas, of Stony Stratford, Bucks, arm. Queen's Coll., matric. 30 April, 1823, aged 18; B.A. 1829, a student of Lincoln's Inn 1832, author of 'Borgia,' etc.
# Alumni Oxonienses: the Members of the University of Oxford, 1715-1886/Wormall, Sayer Priestley

From volume 4 of the work.
​Wormall, Sayer Priestley, B.A. from Lincoln Coll. 1856. See Warmoll, page 1501.
# An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Behuf

| Expand abbreviations An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Behuf | Random word Special:RandomInCategory/Kluge's Etymological Dictionary of the German Language |
​ Behuf, m., ‘behalf, advantage,’ from MidHG. behuof, m., ‘business, purpose, means to an end’; root haf (in heben), as also in E. behoof, AS. behôf.
# An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Beil

| Expand abbreviations An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Beil | Random word Special:RandomInCategory/Kluge's Etymological Dictionary of the German Language |
​ Beil (Bav. Beichl), n., ‘hatchet,’ from the equiv. MidHG. bîl, bîhel, OHG. bîhal, bîal, n. (comp. the similar stages in the derivation of Feile from fîhala); comp. MidLG. bîl, ‘axe.’ On account of OIc. bílda, ‘axe,’ OHG. bîhal must probably be trace to bîþl, bîtl (for hl from þl comp. Gemahl). Hence there may be a connection with the cognates from bhĭ̄d discussed under beißen; as to the meaning, comp. especially Lat. findo, ‘I split’ (OIr. biáil, ‘axe,’ is primit. akin). On the other hand, it is, of course, not impossible that OHG. bîhal may be connected with Bicke.
# An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Beichte

| Expand abbreviations An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Beichte | Random word Special:RandomInCategory/Kluge's Etymological Dictionary of the German Language |
​ Beichte, f., ‘confession,’ from the equiv. MidHG. bîht, contracted from MidHG. and OHG. bíjiht, bígiht; a regular verbal noun from MidHG. bejëhen, OHG. bi-jëhan, ‘to confess, acknowledge.’ The simple form jëhan, usually signifying ‘to say, speak out,’ also means occasionally ‘to avow, confess’; hence OFr. gehir. This verb jëhan may possibly be connected with ja, which see.
# An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Bein

| Expand abbreviations An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Bein | Random word Special:RandomInCategory/Kluge's Etymological Dictionary of the German Language |
​ Bein, n., ‘bone, leg,’ from MidHG. bein, OHG. bein, n.; comp. OLG. bén, AS. bân, E. bone; ModHG. reserves the earlier meaning ‘bone’ still existing in UpG. in the words Beinhaus, Elfenbein, Fischbein, Falzbein, Gebein; the later signification, ‘lower part of the thigh,’ is recorded even in OHG., MidHG., and OIc. The OIc. beinn, adj., ‘straight,’ favours the supposition that originally at least the straight thigh-bones were termed Beine (bones). Goth. *bain, n., is by chance not recorded. A primit. Teut. word with the primary meaning ‘bone,’ which cannot, however, be traced farther back (Lat. os, Gr. ὀστέον, Sans. asthi, asthan, to which an Aryan osth-, ‘bone,’ would correspond, are not represented, on the other hand, in the Teut. group). Comp. further Eisbein.
# An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Beifuß

| Expand abbreviations An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Beifuß | Random word Special:RandomInCategory/Kluge's Etymological Dictionary of the German Language |
​ Beifuß, m., ‘a species of wormwood used in seasoning food’; the MidHG. and OHG. word was written bĩbôȥ, hence the semi-LowG aspect of the ModHG. word. OHG. bîbôȥ is cognate with anabôȥ (see Amboß), and connected with an OTeut. verb bautan, ‘to pound’; bîbôȥ, ‘spice pounded and mixed with food.’ The LG. form of the OHG. word is bîvôt, and hence arose the ModHG. Beifuß, by the awkward attempt of popular etymology to connect bîvôt with a well-known word.
# An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Beige

| Expand abbreviations An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Beige | Random word Special:RandomInCategory/Kluge's Etymological Dictionary of the German Language |
​ Beige, Beuge, f., ‘a pile arranged in layers’ (an UpG. word), from MidHG. bîge, OHG. bîgo, ‘shock (of corn)’; hence Ital. bica, ‘pile of sheaves’; comp. E. bing (heap of alum), Scand. bingr, ‘bolster’; comp. Bachbunge. Beuge has eu by being based on biegen.
# An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Behörde

| Expand abbreviations An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Behörde | Random word Special:RandomInCategory/Kluge's Etymological Dictionary of the German Language |
​ Behörde, f., ‘the authorities,’ first recorded in ModHG. from hören, MidHG. zuo behœren, ‘to belong to, be one's due.’
# An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Beispiel

| Expand abbreviations An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Beispiel | Random word Special:RandomInCategory/Kluge's Etymological Dictionary of the German Language |
​ Beispiel, n., ‘example,’ from late MidHG. bîspil, mostly bîspel, n., ‘fable, allegory, proverb,’ OHG. *bîspëll (for bî comp. bei and Beichte). Comp. AS. bîspell, ‘example, parable'; formed from OHG. and MidHG. spël (ll), ‘tale, fable, rumour,’ Goth. spill, ‘legend, fable,’ AS. spell, E. spell (gospel from godspell), ‘tale, fable'; spell (to which Fr. épeler, ‘to spell,’ is akin) is the term for literary composition in prose, and hence is as important for the history of primit. Teut. civilisation as Lied, singen, &c.