The whole of the present chapter is indicative of the nature of irregularity, and of the elements that should enter into the definition of it, rather than exhaustive of the detail.
The principle that I recognise for myself is to consider no word irregular unless it can be proved so. This view includes the words affected by ambiguous processes, and by processes of confusion, and no others. The words affected by
extraordinary processes form a provisional class, which a future increase of our etymological knowledge may show to be regular. Worse and could (its spelling being considered) are the fairest specimens of our irregulars. The class, instead of filling pages, is exceedingly limited.
CHAPTER XXVII.
THE IMPERSONAL VERBS.
[§ 392]. Meseems.—Equivalent to it seems to me; mihi videtur, φαίνεταί μοι. The verb seems is intransitive; consequently the pronoun me has the power of a dative case. The pronoun it is not required to accompany the verb.
[§ 393]. Methinks.—In Anglo-Saxon there are two forms; þencan=to think, and þincan=to seem. It is from the latter form that the verb in methinks comes. Such being the case, it is intransitive, and consequently the pronoun me has the power of a dative case. The pronoun it is not required to accompany the verb.
Of this word we have also the past form methought.