Essex.—Theoretically, Saxon rather than Angle. No such distinction, however, is indicated by the ascertained characteristic of the Essex dialects as opposed to the East Anglian, Suffolk, and the Mercian.
Hertfordshire.—I am not aware of any thing that distinguishes the South Hertfordshire form of speech from those of—
Middlesex.—Here, as far as there are any characteristics at all, they are those of Essex. The use of v for w, attributed (and partially due) to Londoners, occurs—not because there is any such thing as a London dialect, but because London is a town on the Essex side of Middlesex.
Surrey.—The name (Suð rige=southern kingdom) indicates an original political relation with the parts north rather than south of the Thames.
The evidence of the dialect is, probably, the other way.
[§ 706]. Supposed East-Anglian and Saxon frontier.—For the area just noticed there are two lines of demarcation—one geographical, and one ethnological.
a. Geographical.—The river Thames.
b. Ethnological.—The line which separates Middlesex and Essex (so-called Saxon localities) from Herts and Suffolk (so-called Angle localities).
Of these the first line involves an undeniable fact; the second a very doubtful one. No evidence has been adduced in favour of disconnecting Saxon Essex from Anglian Suffolk, nor yet for connecting it with Sussex and Wessex. The termination -sex is an undoubted fact; the difference between the Saxons and Angles which it is supposed to indicate is an assumption.
[§ 707]. The dialects of the remaining counties have, probably, the transitional characters, indicated by their geographical position.