8. He is inexpressibly mean, curiously jolly, kindly and good-natured in secret.
291. Again, many words without -ly have the same form, whether adverbs or adjectives.
The reason is, that in Old and Middle English, adverbs derived from adjectives had the ending -e as a distinguishing mark; as,—
If men smoot it with a yerde smerte [If men smote it with a rod smartly].—Chaucer.
This e dropping off left both words having the same form.
Weeds were sure to grow quicker in his fields.—Irving.
O sweet and far from cliff and scar The horns of Elfland faintly blowing.—Tennyson.
But he must do his errand right.—Drake
Long she looked in his tiny face.—Id.
Not near so black as he was painted.—Thackeray.