Not only does he fail to state that he has changed MS. sy to fi, but he gives no indication that for the words fyrena hyrde there is no room in the MS., and that the reading is entirely of his own making.
In order to afford a comparative estimate of the work of Thorpe and Kemble, I append the texts of each as they appear at what is now line 2000[3].
| Thorpe. | Kemble. | |
|---|---|---|
| Þæt is undyrne, | þ̷ is un-dyrne, | |
| dryhten Higelác, | dryhten Hige-lác, | |
| (uncer) gemeting | . . . ge-meting | |
| monegum fyra, | monegū fira | |
| hwylce (orleg)-hwíl | 5 | hwylce . . . hwíl |
| uncer Grendles | uncer Grendles | |
| wearð on þám wange, | wearð on wange, | |
| þær he worna fela | þær he worna fela | |
| Sige-Scyldingum | síge-(Scyl)dingum | |
| sorge gefremede, | 10 | sorge ge-fremede, |
| yrmðe tó aldre. | yrmð(o) tó aldre; | |
| Ic þæt eall gewræc, | ic þ̷ eall ge-wræc, | |
| swá ne gylpan þearf | swá (ne) gylpan ðearf | |
| Grendles maga | Grendeles maga | |
| (ǽnig) ofer eorðan | 15 | (ǽnig) ofer eorðan |
| uht-hlem þone, | uht-hlem ðone, | |
| se þe lengest leofað | (se þe) lengest leofað | |
| láðan cynnes. | ládan cynnes, | |
| Fǽr-bifongen, . . . | (fǽr)-bí-fongen. |
These selections give a good basis for judging the merits and defects of Thorpe’s edition. Thorpe is seen to have the advantage in deciphering certain parts of the text, see e.g. lines 9, 11, 17. On the other hand, Kemble is far more conscientious. Thus at line 13 Thorpe reads ne as if it were found in the MS. It is not there, and Kemble is right in inclosing the letters in parentheses. The same thing is true of Fǽr in line 19, and Grendles in line 14. Thorpe’s emendations in lines 3 and 5 are an advance on Kemble, and are still retained in the text. But Thorpe might have followed Kemble’s punctuation in 18 and 19 to his advantage.
Extract.
VIII.
Hunferth spake,
Ecglaf’s son,
who at the feet sat
of the Scyldings’ lord;