THE PREPOSITION A.^^^
THE RELATION OF ITS MEANINGS STUDIED IN
OLD FRENCH.
PART I. SITUATION.
A DISSERTATION
PRESENTED TO THE BOARD OF UNIVERSITY STUDIES
OF THE JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY FOR THE
DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY,
JUNE, S898,
BY
RICHARD H. WILSON.


BALTIMORE:
JOHN MURPHY COMIPANY,
1902.








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THE PREPOSITION A.
THE RELATION OF ITS MEANINGS STUDIED IN
OLD FRENCH.
PART I. SITUATION.
A DISSERTATION
PRESENTED TO THE BOARD OF UNIVERSITY STUDIES
OF THE JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY FOR THE
DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY,
JUNE, I898,
BY 
RICHARD H. WILSON.


BALTIMORE:
JOHN MURPHY COMPANY,
1902.








PREFATORY NOTE.


In the work that follows the author purposes to treat the
French syntactical development of the preposition a from a
strictly French point of view-a treatment that up to the present
has not been proposed. The method resorted to by grammarians
of classifying and explaining syntactical phenomena in a given
language by means of a system of parallel examples drawn from
other languages is linguistic opportunism, and as such bears upon
its face the stamp of arbitrariness. The ad of French territory is
essentially a unit of measure and, viewed in this light, falls naturally into two great divisions:
I. In expressions where SITUATION is defined.
II. In expressions where DIRECTION is marked.
A scientific treatment of the use of the preposition a in expressions of direction must, however, be accompanied by a more than
passing mention of the question of the use of ad and the dative:
Part III, then, of this work will be devoted to this discussion.
After this the author purposes to present a fourth part where he
will endeavor to define the thought-territory occupied exclusively
by the preposition d, and that shared in common with other French
prepositions.


iii








ABBREVIATIONS.
Aiol = Aiol et Mirabel und Elie de Saint Gille: zwei Altfranzosische Heldengedichte, herausgegeben von W. Foerster. Heilbronn, 1876-1882.
Alex. - La Vie de Saint Alexis: Poeme du XIe Siecle et Renouvellements des
XIIe, XIIIe et XIVe SiBcles, publies avec prefaces, variantes, notes et
glossaire par G. Paris et L. Pannier. Reproduction Autorisde de P'Edition de 1872. Paris, 1887.
Am. Am. — Amis et Amiles und Jourdaine de Blaivies: Zwei Altfranzosische
Heldengedichte des Kerlingischen Sagenkreises, zum ersten Male herausgegeben von Dr. C. Hofmann. Erlangen, 1852.
Auc. -Aucassin und Nicolete, mit Paradigmen und Glossar von H. Suchier.
Vierte Auflage. Paderborn, 1899.
Bast. = Li Bastars de Buillon (faisant suite au roman de Baudoin de Sebourg):
Poeme du XIVe siecle, publi6 pour la premiere fois par A. Scheler.
Bruxelles, 1877.
Berte= Li Roumans de Berte aus Grans Pies par Adenes ii Rois: Poeme publi6
avec notes et variantes par A. Scheler. Bruxelles, 1874.
Brun= Brun de la Montaigne: Roman d'Aventure, publi6 pour la premiere fois
par P. Meyer. Paris, 1875.
B. Comm. = Bueves de Commarchis par Adenes li Rois: Chanson de Geste,
publide pour la premiere fois et annotee par A. Scheler. Bruxelles, 1874.
Ch. II. esp. = Li Chevaliers as Deus Espees: Altfranz6sischer Abenteuerroman,
zum ersten mal herausgegeben von W. Foerster. Halle, 1877.
Cleom. = Li Roumans de Cleomades par Adenes li Rois, publie pour la premiere
fois par A. van Hasselt. Tome Premier. Bruxelles, 1865.
Clig. = Cliges von Christian von Troyes, zum ersten male herausgegeben von W.
Foerster. Halle, 1884.
Dial. Gr.  Li Dialoge Gregoire lo Pape: Altfranz6sische Uebersetzung des XII.
Jahrhunderts der Dialogen des Papstes Gregor, zum ersten Male herausgegeben von W. Foerster. Halle, 1876.
Enf. Og   Les Enfances Ogier par Adenes li Rois: Poeme publi6 pour la premiere fois par A. Scheler. Bruxelles, 1874.
Erec = Erec und Enide von Christian von Troyes, herausgegeben von W. Foerster.
Halle, 1890.
Esp. = L'Espurgatoire Seint Patriz of Marie de France: an Old-French Poem
of the Twelfth Century, published by T. A Jenkins. Philadelphia, 1894.
V




vi


Abbreviations.


Fab. = Poesies de Marie de France, Poete Anglo-Normand du XIIIe Siecle; ou
Recueil de Lais, Fables et Autres Productions de Cette Femme C6lbre,
par B. de Roquefort. 2 vols. Paris, 1832.
Guil. B. D. = Le Besant de Dieu von Guillaume le Clerc de Normandie, mit
einer Einleitung fiber den Dichter und Seine Sammtlichen Werke, herausgegeben von E. Martin. Halle, 1869.
Ille - Ille und Galeron von Walter von Arras: Altfranzosischer Abenteuerroman
des XII. Jahrhunderts, herausgegeben von W. Foerster. Halle, 1891.
Jeh. B1. = (Euvres Poetiques de Philippe de Remi Sire de Beaumanoir, publiees
par H. Suchier. Paris, 1885. P. II, Jehan et Blonde.
Lais =Die Lais der Marie de France, herausgegeben von K. Warnke. Halle,
1885.
Lyon. Yz. = Lyoner Yzopet: Altfranz6sische Ubersetzung des XIII. Jahrhunderts
in der Mundart der Franche-Comte, zum ersten mal herausgegeben von W.
Foerster. Heilbronn, 1882.
Manek. =- Euvres Po6tiques de Philippe de Remi Sire de Beaumanoir, publiees
par H. Suchier. Paris, 1884. P. I, La Manekine.
Pant.-=Le Dit de la Panthere d'Amours de Nicole de Margival: Poeme du
XIIIe Siecle, publie par H. A. Todd. Paris, 1883.
Poemre Mor. = Pomme Morale: Altfranz6sisches Gedicht aus den ersten Jahren
des XIII. Jahrhunderts, zum ersten male vollstandig herausgegeben von
W. Cloetta. Erlangen, 1886.
Prov. Vil.=-Li Proverbe au Vilain, die Sprichwirter des Gemeinen Mannes:
Altfranz6sische Dichtung, herausgegeben von A. Tobler. Leipzig, 1895.
Reimpr. = Reimpredigt, herausgegeben von H. Suchier. Halle, 1879.
Rich. = Richars li Biaus, zum ersten Male herausgegeben von Dr. W. Foerster.
Wien, 1874.
Rol= La Chanson de Roland: Texte Critique, Traduction et Commentaire,
Graminaire et Glossaire, par L. Gautier. Tours, 1887.
S. Aub. = Vie de Seint Auban: a Poem in Norman-French Ascribed to Matthew
Paris, now for the first time edited by R. Atkinson. London, 1876.
S. S. Bern. = Li Sermon Saint Bernart: Alteste Franz6sische Ubersetzung der
Lateinischen Predigten Bernhards von Clairvaux, zum ersten mal vollstandig herausgegeben von W. Foerster. Erlangen, 1885.
Venus= De Venus la Deesse d'Amor: Altfranz6sisches Minnegedicht aus dem
XIII. Jahrhundert, zum ersten Male herausgegeben von W. Foerster.
Bonn, 1880.
Vr. An. - Li Dis dou Vrai Aniel, Die Parabel von dem Achten Ringe:
Franzosische Dichtung des Dreizehnten Jahrhunderts, zum ersten male
herausgegeben von A. Tobler. Zweite Auflage. Leipzig, 1884.
Yvain-= Der Lwenritter (Yvain) von Christian von Troyes, herausgegeben von
W. Foerster. Halle, 1887.




CONTENTS.
PAGE.
PREFATORY NOTE...............................................................  iii
ABBREVIATIONS...........................................................................  V
CONTENTS..............................................................  vii
A.
BASIC CONSTRUCTIONS.
The idea of place paramount.........................................................  1
1. The preposition d in expressions where space-division is brought about  1
by noticeable natural limits (ad fontem cervus, cum bibisset, restitit) 
(a) Parts of the body..................................................  1
(b) Various diversities of nature.......................................  5
-Noticeable natural limits in temporal space..................................  7
2. The preposition a in expressions where space-division is brought about  9
by noticeable artificial limits (ad urbem cum esset, audivit) 2............
(a) Class-names of places...................................................  9
(b) Proper names of places.......................................  12
-Noticeable artificial limits in temporal space...............................  14
(a) Class-names of epochs.........................................  14
(b) Proper names of epochs..........................................  17
B.
INTERMEDIARY CONSTRUCTIONS.
The idea of place subordinate.......................................................  19
1. The preposition 2 in expressions where space-division is brought about
by a characterizing aught (ad senatum stare)3..............................  21
-A characterizing aught in temporal space......................................  25
2. The preposition d in expressions where space-division is brought about
by a characterizing action (primus ad pcenitentiam) 4......................  29
-A characterizing action in temporal space...................................  31
1 Phedrus, 1. 12. 3.
2 Cicero, Actio in Verrem Secunda, 2. 8. ~ 21.
3 Cicero, Academicse Qusestiones, 2. 45.
4 Tacitus, Annales, 1. 28.
vii




viii                             Contents.
c.
DEVELOPMENTS.
The disappearance of the idea of place................................................  34
1. The preposition d in expressions of intensity (perpotavit ad vesperam) '...  37
(a) Intensity measured on a scale borrowed from space-divisions.  39
(b) Intensity measured on a scale peculiar to itself..................  41
-The expression of temporal intensity................................................  44
2. The preposition a in expressions of modality (ad strepitum citharce
cessantem ducere somnum) 2...................................................  46
(a) Modality suggested by the aid of the divisions of space......  50
(b) Modality suggested by the aid of predicated modalityby  means peculiar to  itself.......................................  53
-The expression of temporal modality................................................  61
3. The preposition 2 in expressions of appurtenance (regionem quse ad
Aduatucos adiacet) s...................................................  65
(a) Appurtenance employed to designate possession.................  68
(b) Appurtenance employed to designate a characteristic.........  71
-The expression of temporal appurtenance...............................   74
BIBLIOGRAPHY........................................................................  76
LIFE........C.....,.....................................   79
1Cicero, in M. Antonium, Oratio Philippica, 2. 77.
Horatius, Epistulae, 1. 2. 31.
Caesar, De Bello Gallico, 6. 33.




THE PREPOSITION A.
THE RELATION OF ITS MEANINGS STUDIED IN
OLD FRENCH.
A.
BASIC CONSTRUCTIONS.
THE IDEA OF PLACE, PARAMOUNT.
1. The preposition a" in expressions where spacedivision is brought about by noticeable natural
limits: the preposition and its object designate
that part of space where action or aught is represented as being.
(a.)
Parts of the Body.
For the division of space, it is easy to think that
man in his language took himself as point of departure. Aught or action is first then, on the right
hand or the left; in the face or at the back; a sword
thrust is four fingers deep, a ditch is three armlengths wide, or a wall is as high as the height of
a man. These are general space-divisions, and the
parts of the body play here an incidental role-one
resulting from mere convenience.




2                    The Preposition A.
There are, however, inseparable from the usage
just mentioned, divisions of space where the parts
of the body are not incidental units of convenience,
but peculiar necessities; as, with     verbs of wearing,
carrying, wounding, kissing,    etc.  The   prepositional
treatment of the parts of the body used with these
verbs is diverse in Old French, and in many cases
totally different from what we find in the modern
language; as, blescier parmi la quisse, al cuer; porter,
alcune rien   en la teste, el col; baisier alcun en la
bouche, etc., etc.
The following examples will show the role played
by the preposition a in these general and particular
divisions of space that depend on parts of the body:
Dist Blancandrins: Par ceste meie destre  E par la barbe ki
a tpiz me ventelet, L'ost des Franceis verrez sempres desfaire:
Franc s'en irunt en France la lur tere. Rol. 48.
Trop avez este a genouz,   Relevez sus, jel vos comant, Et
soiiez des ore an avant De ma cort et de moi privez, Qu'a buen
port estes arivez. Cliges, 380.
Li cent qui vienent a eslais Gardent a destre.1. poi a mont,
Les.xx. coisirent sor le pont. Illoec atendent lor neveu Ille, le
bon, le bel, le preu. Ille, 368.
Mes mout i orent po este, Quant il virent un chevalier
Venir arme sor un destrier, L'escu au col, la lance el poing.
-La reine le vit de loing.-  Delez lui chevauchoit a destre
Une pucele de grant estre,   Et devant aus sor un roncin
Venoit uns nains tot le chemin, Et ot an sa main aportee
Une escorgiee an son noee. Erec, 141, 143.
D'altre part, vers le su, a destre, Li mustrerent perillus
estre: U il le meinent a oiz Gries pleintes e dolurs e criz.
Esp. 933.
Cui est li asnes, a la coue li court, ce dit li vilains.
Prov. Vil. 47.




The Preposition A1.


3


Comander vos vuel et priier  Que ja n'an aiiez au cuer ire,
Ne por lui ne leissiez a dire  Chose qui nos pleise a oir  Se de
m'amor volez joir,  Si comanciez tot de rechief! Yvain, 137.
At chief, as piez e as coster Aveit vint cirges alumez.
Lais, Yon. 507.
Aucassins fu armes sor son ceval, si con vos aves oi et entendu.
Dix! con li sist Ii escus au cot et li hiaumes u cief et li renge
de s'espee sor le senestre hance! Auc. 10, 2.
Lors s'adouba la maisnie Charlon,    Vestent haubers, lacent
elmes reons,  Ceingent espees as senestres girons,     Montent
es selles des destriers arragons, A lor cols pendent les escus
as lyons  Et en lor poins les roiaus confanons.
Am. Am. 213, 215.
II est uenus al lit i gist ses peres, Et Elies l'apele, caint
li l'espee  Qui tant estoit trenchans et longe et lee; Moyses, li
hermites, i'ot aportee, Qui.xv. ans tons entiers l'auoit gardee,
Souent l'auoit forbie et ressuee,  Qu'el ne fu enruinie ne tressalee.
Et Elies li a at flanc seree, Mais la resne ert ronpue et
renoee. Aiol, 519.
Quar el grant ermitage teilz ermites manoit,  Qui plus pres de
cinc liwes gote d'aiwe n'avoit. Danz Moyses par nuit a son cot
li portoit,  Si faisoit il cascon qui mestier en avoit.
Poeme mor, 63 c.
Cil as.ij. espees coisist  Haut et droit et il l'a feru  Si ke
l'escu li a cousu   Au brac, et le brac a Vtaisele.
Ch. II. esp. 1773.
Mais la encontre Libertins soi ius esternanz en terre et abaissiez
a ses piez disoit ce estre de sa culpe, nient auoir esteit de la
cruelteit del abeit ce ke il auoit soffert. Dial. Gr. 14, 18.
Per corroz sibloit ]a colueure, Por son uenin plus fort esmueure.
En siblant son oste menace, A lui se ioint, au col lo lace,
A ses denz uenimous lo mort, En poul de tens lou giete mort.
Lyon, Ys. 590.
Merchis li ai requis, con cil qui mout s'esmaie, A  genous,




4


The Preposition A.


iointes mains, qu'ele encure ma plaie, Car ie sui tos certains,.
n'aurai garison uraie, Se de moi n'a merci et pitie et manaie,
Venus, 71 b.
Lia e repruva, laidit e escharni, Gesk'au sanc espandre de
escurgies bati, Des paumes a la face criieument feri, En un
fust dresc6, autre entravers parmi, A clous le afferma, encroa
e pendi, De espines curuna, a hoivre fel tendi; Par despit
disoient a genoilluns devant li:-S. Aub. 235, 239.
Bele fille, or ne vous desplace, Fait ii rois, chou que vous
voeil dire, Ne ja n'en aies au cuer ire. Manek. 512.
Deseur l'esponde s'est assise, S'a desur son front sa main mise,
Et puis at pous, si sent ses vaines  Qui se remuevent mais a
paines. Jeh. B1. 1179.
Cent chevalier m'i ont mis a destrucion  Et moi navre ou
cors, s'en ai au cuer fri9on. B. Comm. 184.
Je croi qu'il soient orendroit compaignon  En paradis lez
Dieu a son giron. Enf. Og. 257.
Sagement et bel chevauchoient, Corn gent qui d'armes duit
estoient, Les batailles l'une apr&s l'autre, Le petit pas, lance
sor fautre, Escus as couls, hiaumes laciez. Cleom. 617.
Ha! sire Diex, fait ele, corn sui en male esploite, D'anui et de
paour sui au cuer si destroite, Et car me secorez, mere Dieu
beneoite! Berte, 777.
Sire, ie sui de toi enchainte, De tel coroie m'a diex chainte
Dont i'ai au cuer mout tres grant ioie. Rich. 95..III. chevaliers por li conduire, Si que nul ne li peiist nuire,
Avoit entour li, l'un a destre,  Li autres estoit a senestre;
Et li tiers, etc. Pant. 279, 280.
Et au senestre 16s es Huon Dodekin, Et li troi vesque
sont al6 vers le marin. Bast. 232.
Car se li anfes est ostez de sa maison  I1 en aura au cuer
en brief temps marison. Brun, 91.




The Preposition A.


5


(b.)
Various Diversities of Nature.
The next step for language in the division of space,
after having utilized the parts of the body, was
undoubtedly to seize upon the various diversities of
nature and press them into service as a multiple
scale of measurement: a thing was on the top or at
the bottom; on the mountain or in the plain; on the
side, or in the front, or in the rear; in a tree or on
the grass; in port or lost at sea; on a river or at a
spring, etc., etc.
These, it is true, might be subdivided; but in
accordance with the spirit of the classification proposed, it seems more logical to group into a single
class all that met the gaze of a primitive maker of
language, when he lifted his eyes from himself.
Caries me mandet, ki France ad en baillie, Que me remembre
de la sue grant ire;  'est de Basan e sun frere Basilie, Dunt
pris les chiefs as puis de Haltoie. Rol. 491.
Les nes sont chargiees au port. Cliges, 235.
Li cent qui vienent a eslais Gardent a destre.1. poi a mont,
Les.xx. coisirent sor le pont. Ille, 368.
Aussi iert Enide plus bele Que nule dame ne pucele Qui
fust trovee an tot le monde, Qui le cerchast a la reonde;
Erec, 2416.
Quant manjiient seignour, Gargon et lecheour Fors de l'ostel
remaignent Et gaitent aus pertuis;   Et quant on uevre l'uis,
Enz par force s'enpaignent. Teus s'enbat come chiens, qui vit
come hon, ce dit li vilains. Prov. Vil. 134.
A V'arbre vi le bacin pandre Del plus fin or qui fust a
vandre  Onques ancor an nule foire. Yvain, 419.




6


The Preposition A.


Pres de eel munt a une part   Par grant cunseil e par esguart
Une cite fist faire uns reis Qui esteit sire des Pistreis.
Lais, 2 Am. 11.
Sire, nos estiiens orains ci entre prime et tier6e, si mangi6ns
no pain a ceste fontaine, ausi con nos faisons ore.
Auc. 22, 30.
Ce dist dou Leu e dou Aignel Qui beveient a un rossel;
Li Lox a la sorse beveit E li Aigniaus a vaut esteit.
Fab. II. 2, 3, 4.
Se nol voz ranz recreant et mate, Faitez moi pendre et
au vent encroer. Am. Am. 763.
Sa lance fu si longe, ne pot en l'abitacle, Ains remest par
dehors atl  ent et a t'orage. Aiol, 92.
Ankor n'astoit a terre que li pastres lo voit Qui la gardoit
berbis, que Moyses queroit. Lors soi prent a la fuie, car bien
lo conissoit, Et a teil barbarin qui soi combateroit?
Poeme Mor. 33 a.
Si jeo donqes le rei lessasse E un vilain servir alasse, Qui
mult grant honte me feist E chescun jor bien me batist E me
feist ses boes garder  Son fien mener e carier  E   me peust
malveisement   E  me vestist plus povrement   E  me feist la
hors al freit, Tant corn le fort yver durreit, Por ses bestes
garder remaindre, Qui devreit ma mesaise plaindre?
Guil. B. D. 543.
Chescuns tenoit diuerse uoie, Au dessus boit de la fontaigne
Li lous de pansee mal sainne, Li aigneax de simple coraige
Beuoit au desoz dou riuaige. Lyon. Ys. 67, 70.
Nos faisons ui chier freire l'encommencement de l'auent. cuy
nons est asseiz renommeiz et conuiz al munde.
Sr. S. Bern. 1, 2.
Enmi eel pre ot un arbre mout bel, De mainte guise i cantoient
oisel, Al pie de Itarbre par deles le tuel Ot une tombe d'un
gentil damoisel. Venus, 252 c.
Uns chevalers gentilz, ki ala trainant Auban A martire au
puier le pendant, Ki Aracle avoit nun, e cist out le cumant




The Preposition A.


7


De decoler Auban receii du tirant, Quant veit le miracle Jesu
tesmoniant,  E  les resuscitez ki venant Deu louant, A2
sabelun iI nuls unc hor ala avant, Chiet as piez Auban, si
engette sun brant, E dist en haute voiz, les sarrazins ouant:S. Aub. 798, 803.
Amours a au mont maint message; Ce sont li oel dont
cascuns voit, Et cascuns cuers en ses ex croit, Et la ou il veut
les envoie, Et convient que du tout les croie. Manek. 1420.
De Nerbonne s'en istrent li chevalier a plain, En une praerie
seur la riviere au placin; B. Comm. 111.
Mainte ensaigne desvolep6e  Y   ot an   vent, et maint
penon; Cleom. 605.
Cel jour fist moult lait tans et de froide maniere, Et Berte
gist a dens par deseur la bruiere; Berte, 608.
Li bons roys Bauduins, a l'aduret corage, A choisi la chite,
dessus le mer ombrage, Qui couroit a lun les; la i ot biau
rivage. Bast. 82.
Si chevauchoit plus fort qu'oissiaus ne vole a vent.
Brun, 63.
-Noticeable natural limits in temporal space.
In temporal space, nature again furnishes the basis
for divisions: the morning, the coming of the sun,
and the evening, the going of the sun, was the first
day. The day was where there was light and men
fought until they came to night.     So, too, the seasons
of the year were, as it were, a presence, a coming or
a going.   Thus it is seen that thought and language
devised no new system for dividing time, but chose
rather to regard it as something palpable: the span
of life, a space of time.
Here then with these natural limits of temporal
space, we will not be surprised to find a continuing
the functions peculiar to its locative-adverb origin.




8


The Preposition  1.


A  l'matinet, quant primes apert l'albe; Esveilliez est ii
emperere Carles. Rol. 2845.
A  la nuit de la cort s'an anble  Cliges et de tote la jant,N'i ot chevalier ne serjant Qui onques seiist qu'il devint,Ne fina jusqu'a Jehan vint Qui de quanqu'il puet le consoille.
Cliges, 6172.
Un jor de Pasque, au tans novel,    A Caradigan son chastel
Ot li rois Artus cort tenue. Erec, 27.
Nus ne puet deservir Gr6 en felon servir, Souvent l'avons
veu. Servirs trop pou i vaut; Qui une foiz li faut, Si a
trestout perdu. Anu   espre loe on le jour, au matin son
oste, ce dit li vilains. Prov. Vil. 12.
ILi perrons iert d'une esmeraude, Perciez aussi cor une boz,
Et ot quatre rubiz dessoz Plus flanboianz et plus vermauz
Que n'est au matin li solauz    Quant il apert an oriant.
Yvain, 428.
El demain a la matinee      Li sire lieve a l'ajurnee   E
dit qu'il vuelt aler chacier. Lais, Yon. 301.
Passent les vaus et les mons Et les viles et les bors. A la
mer vinrent at joy,   Si desgendent u sablon les le rivage.
Auc. 27, 17.
Icelle nuit i jut li gentiz horn  Et au matin s'en vint en
Pre Noiron. Am. Am. 65.
Hier at soir, por mes pechiez ki ce faisoient, moi hortoi a un
escamel de dessoz les piez, et si soffri ceste chose.
Dial. Gr. 14, 25.
E il vendra si sodement Certes, que nus ne savum quant,
Au   matin    ou au coc chantant Ou a      mienuit ou at
seir: Guil. B. D. 50, 51.
A l'autre koeure qui pendoit par engin  Auoit saietes, li fer
erent d'or fin; Qui en ert naures al soir et atl   atin,  Ce
fait amors torner a sa maniere enclin. Venus, 249 c.
Ne beit mais des bons vins gisantz en sun celer, De riche
vaissele a servant butuiller; N'a mais deliciuses viandes a




The Preposition A.


9


manger; Prisun ad obscure pur sale e pur soler, Manicles e
buies en liu de buus d'or cler; X plume ne A cotun ne a pailles
d'utre mer, De soie coiltes pointes n'a mais lit an chucher;
Feim ad e sei e freit au soir e au disner, Pur lit ad
roche bise si dure cum acier. S. Aub. 683.
Cascuns oisiaus en son latin  Cante doucement an matin
Pour la saison qui est novele. Manek. 2164.
Ce fu a une matinee.    Cleom. 603.
Trop sui abandonn6e, par Dieu qui est sans fin, Mais che
fait bonne amours qui m'en donne doctrin, Qui chi m'a fait
venir, che est sans mal engin, Mais j'estoie navr6e d'un grief
dart acherin, Dont amours me frapoit au    vespre et au
matin    Tellement, biaus dous sire, que ne sai medechin  Dont
je peiisse avoir garison ne doctrin,  Si m'en couvient morir
ains le mois de juing. -Non fera, douche amie, dist li roys
Bauduin, Car je vous garirai ains que nuis prenge fin.
Bast. 2633.
2. The preposition a in expressions where spacedivision is brought about by noticeable artificial
limits:
(a.)
Class-names of Places.
We have seen how language divided up space
when man stood alone as it were with nothing before
him save the heavens, the earth, and the sea. His
industry has, however, in the meantime, brought
about great changes in his social condition and
hence in his language: he now lives in a house, he
eats and plays at a table, he sleeps in a bed, and
from   a window   he looks out and      thinks of love.
He has built bridges over the stream, and          castles




10                   The Preposition A1.
with walls have sprung up to protect him and his
augmented riches.
In short, we have now for the division of space
all the class-names of places that go to make up a
community: in a country, we have the counties; in
a county, we have the cities; in a city, the houses;
in a house, the rooms; in a room, the bed, the
window, the table and the door.-Let us see in what
measure the preposition a is employed with these.
Sur palies blancs siedent cil chevalier, As tables juent pur
els esbaneier, E as eschecs li plus saive e li vieill; E
escremissent cil bacheler legier. Rol. 111, 112.
Par moi meismes le sai bien: Car onques n'an poi savoir rien
Par losange ne par parole, S'an ai mout este a escole Et par
maintes foiz losangiee; Meis toz jorz mr'an sui estrangiee, Si le
me feit chier conparer, Qu'or an sai plus que bues d'arer.
Cliges, 1028.
Et par 0ou est il tant am6s  Qu'il est as armes chevaliers
et a V'ostel li mains parliers  Qui onques en ceval montast.
Ne cuidi6s mie qu'il contast Cose qui li fust avenue.
Ille, 216.
Au roi an ala congi6 prandre  Que a sa cort, ne li grevast,
Ses noces feire li leissast. Erec, 1921.
Demain iert li prestre trai'z  E par la femme malbailliz  Qu'il
a pur sa fille tenue, Quant a sun lit 'avra eiie  Einz le midi
que chascuns l'oie. Esp. 2248.
Quant je sui a la    court   Dont touz li biens me sourt,
Si sui come en liiens; Tart m'est que hors en sole  Et par piis
revoie  Mes arnis anciiens. Li chiens se lieve de son soue dormir
Et va au bourc colee recoillir, ce dit li vilains. Prov. Vil. 61.
A  Vluis de la chanbre defers   Fu Dodinez et Sagremors
Et Keus et mes sire Gauvains. Yvain, 53.
Pres del chastel enz el boscage A la chapele a Vermitage
La a fet faire sun mustier  E ses maisuns edifier.
Lais, El. 1136.




The Preposition A.


11


Or dient et content et fablent que li quens Bougars de Valence
faisoit guere au conte Garin de Biaucaire si grande et si
mervelleuse et si mortel, qu'il ne fust uns seux jors ajornes
qu'il ne fust as portes et as murs et as bares de le vile
a.c. cevaliers et a.x. mile sergens a pie et a ceval. Auc. 2, 4.
Geo fui or ainz a un cunte      U il ot mult gent assanble,
U grant Pule fust en esveil, En grant noise et grant trepeill,
D'un briez qui vint de par le Roi, Fab. LII., 11.
A Tranes vint Amiles de Clermont Et va querrant dant Ami
le baron. Mont Chevrol puie tant que il vint en som, Tant que
il vint a Bore c'on dist au pont.  Am. Am. 62.
Des or s'en ua Aiols, s'a pris congie, En un bos en entra
grant et plenier, De.v. lieues plenieres n'auoit plaisie  Ne uile
ne recet por herbergier For seul a Vermitage c'auoit laisie.
Aiol, 560.
Quant il ot la grant messe oie    Et la roine au grant
moustier     Et tuit li autre cheualier,   Les dames et les
damoisieles, Dont il i ot asses de beles, Li rois reuint en ses
maisons. Ch. II., esp. 57.
Az queiz disoit icil: Hier al soir, por mes pechiez ki ce
faisoient, moi hortoi a un  escamel de dessoz les piez, et si
soffri ceste chose. Dial. Gr. 15, 1.
Deus, qui ert a cele bore vis Qu'il veie la procession Aler
par grant devocion,   Flors e rains de palmes porter    E  a
portes oires entrer! Guil. B. D. 2612.
Cilz quatres qui sont aiostey  Au chemin se sont arostey.
Lyon Ys. 290.
Tens est chier freire ke li iugemenz encomenst a la maison
nostre signor. Sr. S. Bern. 17, 11.
A  t'autre koeure qui pendoit par engin      Auoit saietes,
li fer erent d'or fin; Qui en ert naures al soir et al matin,
Ce fait amors torner a sa maniere enclin. Venus, 249 a.
E le seingnur seant at uis de sun ostal, Nobile citoien en
atur festival, robe d'or batfie e nusches de aesmal.
S. Aub. 18.




12


The Preposition A.


Au lit est du tout acouciee. Manek. 95.
Se lontans tel vie menast, Ses afaires mout bien alast; Mais
amours li mua son siege, Plus court le tint que leu a piege.
Jeh. Bl. 422.
Es pros devant Nerbonne sont Franc a la quintaine. A   la
cite n'ot dame ne fille a chastelaine  Qui ne s'en isse fors cler
chantant con seraine; Richement sont vestues de cendaus tains
en graine  Et de tr&s nobles dras fais de delie laine; Mainte en
i ot plus bele c'onques ne fu Elaine. B. Comm. 135.
Par cel seignour qui nus fist a s'ymage, Ne remanra en plain
ne en boscage, Ne en montaigne, en val ne en rivage, NIa
bourc n'a vile, n'en fort, tour n'en manage, Se ne s'en fuit
coume beste sauvage. En. Og. 391.
De li se departi la male chamberiere, En une autre chambre
entre l'orde vielle sorciere, Vers le jardin le roi bien pres de
la riviere; Sa fille y a trouvee, cui la male mors fiere, A urne
fenestrele qui est faite de piere. Berte, 343.
La dame fait de baume enoindre, A      une glise le fait
ioindre  Pries d'un autel et fait sus faire.1. biel tombiel,
puis s'en repaire, Rich. 118.
As bailles de la ville es pres, sus le verdour, Estoient
Sarrazin ordenet a lor tour: Bast. 186.
Quant li mesage fu au perron descendus I1 entra en la
porte et ou palais lassus; Tout droit en la cuissine est tout
errant venus. Brun, 394.
(b.)
Proper Names of Places.
As we have seen, with new         objects brought into
existence by man's needs, came new names and
hence greater facility for the expression in language
of the idea of place.      In the preceding division of
our work we went over the class-names of places




The Preposition   1.


that go to constitute a single community. Communities, however, grew in number; one found there
were other villages besides one's own-the village;
other ports besides the one that sheltered one's
fisher bark. The giving of names came into usage
to avoid confusion; and counties, cities, rivers, mountains and even the bell in the steeple was christened
and became personified. The preposition a continues
here its old functions in the expression of situation.
Dreit a La/lice rejuint li sons edrers. Elex. 38 e.
Quant cascuns iert a sun meillur repaire, Caries serat ad
Ais, a sa capele; A seint Michiel tiendrat mult halte feste.
Rol. 52.
Et font demander et anquerre, Se li rois est an Angleterre.
L'an lor dit qu'il est a Guincestre, Cliges, 291.
M-out fu a grant honor voee  A Rome au jour que fu d6ee
Et la dame et de son per. Ille, 90.
Un jor de Pasque, au tans novel, A Caradyiga    son chastel
Ot li rois Artus cort tenue. Erec, 28.,
Mout est loing de Rome, qui a Paris jupe, ce dit li vilains.
Prov. Vil. 169.
La corz fu a Carduel an Gales. Yvain, 7.
En Bretaigne a NVantes maneit Une dame qui mult valeit.
Lais, Chait. 9.
A Biaucaire sous la tor Estoit Aucassins un jor.
Auc. 39, 1.
Huimais orrez de ces II compaingnons, Corn il servirent
a Paris a Charlon   Par lor grant compaingnie.
Am. Am. 17.
I1 plot a dameldieu qui onques ne menti, Que mors fu
Karlemaines et a Ais enfouis, A Loeys remest li tere et li
pais, Li traitor de France Font de guere entrepris. Aiol, 24.




14                   The Preposition A.
Entre les crestiiens, el novel testament, Sainz Sixtes fut
a Rome uus de la sainte gent. Poeme mor. 495 b.
A Disnadaron seiorna      Bien.viij. iors,...
Ch. II., esp. 11191.
Ki fut neiz de franche lingie de la contreie    Nursie, et
a Romme fut doneiz a liberaz estuides de lettres de son
pere et de sa mere. Dial. Gr. 55, 7.
A Beruic tout droit au port Fu bien garnie (sc. sa nef) a
bon esfort. Manek. 2531.
Sa tere estoit a Dantmartin,    Illuec estoit soir et matin.
Jeh. B1. 65.
Droit ens ou point d'este que pre sont plus herbu, K'oiseillon
chantent cler parmi maint gaut fueillu, Furent moult Sarrazin
d'assaillir esmeiu  Nostre gent crestienne qui a  VNerbonne
fu; B. Comm. 1536.
A Sustre fu Charles et ses barnes; Enf. Og. 1878.
Moult ot en Virgile sage homme      Et soutieu; car il fist
a Romme       Une chose moult engingneuse, Moult soutieu et
moult merveilleuse. Cleom. 1724.
Et sa fille ot non Berte en France, mais Aliste  Fu nonm6e
en baptesme et fu nee a Valgiste. Berte, 2221.
Une nuit, en temps de moissons,     Estoie en mon lit a
Soissons,    Forment du cuer pensif,... Pant. 48.
Li roys Bauduins fu     a  MJiekes ou palais, Servis fu
noblement de vins et d'entremais. Bast. 2365.
-Noticeable artificial limits in temporal space.
(a,)
Class Names of Epochs.
The multiplication of time-division follows the
course laid out by the division of space. In the




The Preposition A.


15


natural limits of time we saw the primitive divisions
brought about by the diversities of nature: day meant
light, and at the moment the light came, Aucassins
had gotten as far as the sea.
We now     come to study the artificial divisions of
time, where day, for instance, has acquired        a new
meaning: Cliges says that no        day, while he live,
will he ever be dubbed a knight unless it be king
Arthur who girds for him the sword. Here we
have the life of a man divided into units that Cliges
calls  days; that is, as in     space, where we have
already seen class-names of places spring up to aid
in the expression of situation, so in time, epochs
are recognized and become class-names of times.
Such are: minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years;
and more general still: term, time, epoch, point,
age, life, etc., etc.
Bons fut li siecles at tens ancienor, Quer feit i ert e justise
et amor, Si ert credance, dont or n'i at nul prot: Tot est
mudez, perdude at sa color; Ja mais n'iert tels corn fut as
anceisors. Alex. 1 a.
En Fun qui serat, Ja rien ne voldrat, N'ait a volent6;
En l'altre plorrunt, Que ja mais n'avrunt Bien a nul
ee. Reimpr. 106 f.
Ja n'avrai armee la face Ne hiaume el chief, jel vos plevis,
A nul jor que je soie vis, Tant que li rois Artus me 9aingne
L'espee, se feire le daingne; Que d'autrui ne vuel armes prandre.
Cliges, 118.
Mout fu a grant honor voee A Rome au jour que fu d6ee
Et la dame et de son per. Ille. 90.
Quant li riches pramet Au povre et il le met De rien en
esperance, Bien cuide oil savoir Que ii le doie avoir Au
terme, sanz doutance. Plus apareilliee chose remaint, ce dit
li vilains. Prov. Vil. 7.




16


The Preposition A.


Artus, li buens rois de Bretaingne, La cui proesce nos
ansaingne Que nos soiiens preu et cortois, Tint cort si riche
come rois A cele feste qui tant coste, Qu'an doit clamer la
pantecoste. Yvain, 5.
At jur que cil orent num6, Li barun furent asemble.
Lais, Lan. 417.
Or m'afies vos, fait Auscassins, que a nul jor, que    vos
aies a vivre, ne porres men pere faire honte ne destorbier de
sen cors ne de sen avoir, que vos ne li faeies? Auc. 10, 66.
Li cuens s'esveille, toute mue la chiere, Et dist li quens:
"qui iez tu envoisie, Qui a tele hore iez delez moi couchie?
Si tu iez fame espeuse nosoie  Ou fille Karle qui France a en
baillie, Je te conjur de deu le fil Marie, Ma douce amie,
retorne t'an arriere."  Am. Am. 675.
A  un   altre tens altressi por une cause del monstier par
lo comant del abeit, ki uint apres son maistre  Honoreit, s'en
alat Libertins a Rauenne. Dial. Gr. 12, 8.
Iain muez ma poure faue rore, Qu'estre en peril a chescune
hore. Lyon. Ys. 712.
A tant s'est sur un lit coucies. Jh. Bl. 496.
Dame fu bele et sage, plaisans et simple et gaie, A son tans
ne fu mieudre, blonde, brune ne bale; Je n'ier ja en eel point,
pour mesaise que j'aie, Se de li oi parler, que mes cuers ne
s'apaie. B. Comm. 43.
Enfans ot, mais ne sai pas quans;  Mais bien sai que a celui
tans   Ot en Espaigne une pucele  Qui avoit non done Ynabele.
Cleom. 102..Iii. iours cheuauchent par le boz  Et au    quart iour
issirent fors. Rich. 3788.
Tout a   ce point ainsi m'avint      Qu'avec moi li diex
d'Amours vint, Qui de la mort me respita; Pant. 725.
Quant li varles l'oi, Dieu prist a reclamer De l'evur qu'il
ii fist a celle eure encontrer, Car il n'eiist peii ja si tost
retorner  A Butor son seigneur que tant devoit amer.
Brun, 202.




The Preposition   1.


17


(b.)
Proper Names of Epochs.
Epochs, like places, were personified with a name.
Special hours    were   recognized, and    called midday,
midnight, first, second, third, etc.  Days were set apart
as sacred to certain gods, and received their names;
months finally, and even years and centuries get
proper names and drop their article.
The following will show the use of the preposition
$ with proper names of epochs:
Quant cascuns iert a sun meillur repaire, Carles serat ad Ais,
A sa capele; A seint Michiel tiendrat mult halte feste.
Rol. 53.
Li rois le don li otroia  Et par son reaume anvea  Toz les
rois et les contes querre, Ceus qui de lui tenoient terre; Que
nul tant hardi n'i eiist Qu'a la pantecoste ne fust.
Erec, 1928.
At demain, si cum il soleit, Leva li prestre e ala dreit
El cimetire e a veii Un enfant qui getez i fu. Esp. 2217.
Quant cil prince s'aprestent  Et lour conpaignons vestent
A pasque o a noely Apres eus vienent tant         Escuier et
serjant  Qui vuelent autretel.  Qui cuir voit taillier, corroie
demande, ce dit li vilains. Prov. Vii. 126.
Sire, fait Aucassins, grans mercis! Si ferai jou. I1 s'enble
de la sale s'avale les degres si vient en lestable ou ses cevaus
estoit. II fait metre le sele et le frain, il met pie en estrier si
monte et ist del castel, et erra tant qu'il vint a le forest et
cevauca tant qu'il vint a le fontaine et trove les pastoriax au
point de none, s'avoient une cape estendue sor 'erbe si
mangoient lor pain et faisoient mout tresgrant joie.
Auc. 20, 31.
2




18


Thp,! P/rcn.Q;nn n  ~Inl, 21


"Par celle foi que tu dois deu porter, Veiz tu home qui me
puist resambler?"  Dist li paumiers: "laissiez moi porpanser.
Oie," dist il, "or m'en sui ramenbrez; Je fui a Sine ac pasques
en este, I1 n'a tel ville en la crestiente, Devant moi vint uns
Frans si conraez, Amis a non, si est de Clermont nes  Et quiert
Amile, bien a II ans passez."  Am. Am. 97.
Bien aues oi dire et as uns et as autres Que.xiiii. ans estut
Elies el boscage, Courechous et dolans et poures et malades;
Qu'il ne pooit leuer a Noel ne as Pasques,      Al ior de
Pentecouste ne as festes plus hautes, N'onques ne pot uestir
ne cemise ne braies. Aiol, 81, 82.
Vn iour a les baillius mandes  Et ses clers dont il ot asses;
Et quant il denant lui les uit, Tost lor a commande et dit,
Ke par tout laissaissent sauoir  A tous ceus ki sous son pooir
Tenoient fief ne seignourie De lui, kil ne laissaissent mie
K'a Pentecouste ne uenissent A Cardueil et se li tenissent
Compaignie. Ki n'i uenroit, De uoir seust k'il fourferoit Tout
sans pardon et sans pitie L'amour de lui et tout son fie.
Ch. II., esp. 45.
E il vendra si sodement Certes, que nus ne savum    quant,
Au matin ou au coc chantant Ou a mienuit ou al seir:
Guil. B. D. 51.
Ceste foire son paiemant Aura au iour dou iugemant,
Quant dex les mauais punira   Et les bons reguierdonera.
Lyon. Ys. 924.
Des angles est portez eu ciel li esperitz, Purs e esmirables cum
cristals politz, Raant cum solailz ki flamboie a midiz;
S. Aub. 902.
A  un noel troevent le roy    Et tous ses barons avoec soi,
Ou il tenoit grant court pleniere. Manek. 279.
A une Pentecouste i ot fait assembler Dames et chevaliers
kanc'on en pot trouver, Car andeus ses neveus i vuelt armes
donner, Gerart et Guielin, qui moult font a loer; Pour lor
amour en fist cent autres adouber. B. Comm. 57.




The Preposition )A.


19


A vlendemain, "quant li aube creva, Rois Karahues sor
son cheval monta, II et li sien se partirent de la, A grant
plenty de gent les convoia Ogiers et Namles, tant que raisons
porta. Enf. Og. 4630.
Puis crie: "Saint Sepulcre, Sarrazin fel et ort, Au jour
d'ui paieres un dolereus escot!"  Bast. 310.
Seigneurs, ou moys d'avril que li bois sont fuelli, VYoletes
partout espanissent ausi, Et que point la verde herbe et li pre
sont foilli, A celui temps avint, tout droit a.j. juedi, Qu'il
estoit.j. haus horn et d'estat seignori, Sire de la Montaigne, ainsi
nomer 1oiY; Brun, 29.
B.
INTERMEDIARY CONSTRUCTIONS.
THE IDEA OF PLACE, SUBORDINATE.
Space is a relative idea that springs into thoughtexistence at the suggestion of an infinity; that is,
space is as much of infinity as we can measure.
And just as all space must be located in attaching
it to infinity, so space-divisions depend on an implied
zone which re-divides space, as the zone of space
did that of infinity.
An angel passes the whole night at Charlemagne's
head: here the zone of the angel's watching is
marked off by a man's body; and on this scale of
measurement, the head is a degree. So too if the
soldiers camp in the plain, it is because they have
come down from     the mountain; or if the birds fly
in the air, it is because there are beasts of the
earth and of the water,-a measure of three scales.
So too when Nicolete looks out at her stone-girded
window, or Guenelon is hanged at Aix, the actions
are represented as taking place at certain scales in




20               The Preposition A.
the measurement of the two respective zones: a
prison-house, and France.
This is the basis of space-division, and the use
here of the preposition a, I have called its basic
construction. Here the divisions of space are marked
off mathematically by names of fixed places, by
relations that are invariable among themselves.
Thought, however, needed a wider range for its
complete expression of the different conceptions of
space. Fixed names could not be invented for divisions of space that were of a shifting nature, and
language must need find some other differentiating
means.   Thus, there are space-divisions that are
characterized by the presence of an aught. We wish,
for instance, that some one were au diable; and by
this, we mean: we wish that some one were in that
place which is characterized by the presence of the
devil; namely, hell. Li vilains used freely this
method of dividing space. To animals he ascribes
a position equal almost to his own: he grants them
speech, and gives them rulers and laws. His sphere
and that of animals are, as it were, two juxta-posed
kingdoms. 'Homes' is where men live and move
and have their being; 'bestes,' where the wily fox,
the slothful sheep or cruel raven, moulds circumstances. A man comes to 'bestes' and notes with
amazement, there, the curious happenings, much as
if he were a tourist. Or an animal endeavors in
his kingdom to bring about reforms that 'il a apris
a homes' (not from men, but among them). Plants,
too, come in for their division of space; and ii vilains
goes or comes to ' kerbes' and in this sighing kingdom,
he asks advice of the members, in regard to their
medicinal or other properties.




The Preposition.A.


21


There are also variable divisions of space that
are characterized by an action; as, the 'going out'
and 'coming in' for instance. Here, as in the case
of the characterizing aught, there is no fixed quantity
to aid in bringing about a mathematical division.
We have only the indefinite idea of a 'going' or
'coming' which corresponds as it were to an infinity;
and a less indefinite idea of an 'exit' or 'entrance.'
Language, however, did not hesitate to seize upon
these indefinite space-names of a characterizing action
and substitute them for definite space-names; just
as in the case of the characterizing aught, the generic
name was used to express the place frequented by
this class. Thus, the defeat of Roland and the twelve
peers of France took place at their exit from Spain
as well as at the gates of Spain; a statue too can
be placed at the beginning of a street as well as at
the head of a street.
Here, then, in these intermediary constructions,
between the pure expression of situation in space
and the expression of intensity, modality and appurtenance, we will study the use of the preposition a:
1) In expressions where space-division is brought
about by a characterizing aught.
2) In expressions where space-division is brought
about by a characterizing action.
1.
The preposition a in expressions where space-division
is brought about by a characterizing aught.
Desor la terre ne 'povrent mais tenir: Voilent ou non si
l'laissent enfodir, Prenent congiet al cors saint Alexis:  E
si li preient que d'els aiet mercit; At son seinor il lor seit
bons plaidiz. Alex. 120 e.




22                   The Preposition 1.
Et truit li Grejois remes furent El tref la reine as puceles,
Mout parolent li doze a eles; Meis Alixandres mot ne dist.
Cliges, 1373.
Biax sire Dix! quel deus sera    Se Bruns remaint a cex
de la. Nel garira tous ]'ors del monde     Que li fel provos
nel confonde. Or le gart Dix, li fix Marie, Qui mainte gent
ara garie. Ille, 583.
De la cort le roi Artu sui, Bien ai este trois anz a lui.
Je ne sai s'an ceste contree Vint onques nule renomee Ne de
mon pere ne de moi; Erec, 654.
Vus veistes tuz les turmenz  As chaitis qui furent dedenz:
Tels as greignurs, tels as menurs,       Solunc les oevres des
plusurs. Esp. 1732-3.
Princes qui doit valoir, Qui met en nonchaloir  Et son ome
et son oste,  Si voisin le traissent,  Maintenant l'envaissent
Et de riere et d'encoste.  A mwo pastour lous chie laine, ce
dit li vilains. Prov. Vil. 26.
Einsi sont acorde briemant.  Et la dame ot son parlemant
Devant tenu a ses barows        Et dit: De ci nos an irons
An cele sale, etc. Yvain, 2039.
Fix, fait li peres, ce ne poroit estre. Nicolete laise ester; que
ce est une caitive qui fi amenee d'estrange terre, si l'acata li
visquens de ceste vile as Sarasins si l'amena en ceste vile,
si 'a levee et bautisie et faite sa fillole, si li donra un de ces jors
un baceler qui du pain li gaaignera par honor. Auc. 2, 30.
D'un Lairon cunte qui ala     Berbiz embler, que il espia
Dedenz la faude a un Vilain;     Ensanle od li porta un pain,
Au chien voleit ce pain baillier, Qui la faude deveit gueitier.
Fab. xxviir. 3.
La gentiz damme a le conte apelle. "Sire," fait elle, "bien sai
que vos pansez. Or voldriez iestre a Paris la cite, Au conte
Amile le glouton parjure, La fille Karle baisier et acoler Dont
li miens cors est cheuz en vilte. Males nouvelles m'en pusse l'on
conter, A mal putaige soit li siens cors livrez!"
Am. Am. 884.




The Preposition A.


23,


Ilh eissit de 1'enclostre, ses vestimenz canjat, D'orguilhos dras
del secle son cors aparilhat, Son palefroit amblant coinntement
acemmat, Vint a l'osteil la dame, deleiz li s'ajostat. Ne s'i
travilhat guaires, tost s'i pot acointier, Car il faisoit semblant
k'a li volsist pechir. En la chambre 1'en mainet cant ele ot son
lowir: Lowiers at fait mainte anrme en enfer trebuchir.
Poeme mor. 145 b.
Cheualiers, fustes uous au roi?   Saues uous, s'il tenra de
moi Sa tere et me fera homage   Et fesistes uous le message  De
sa barbe auoir?"  " Oil, sire, etc."  Ch. II. esp. 365.
Lo queil soi siwant menat a l'entreie del cortil, et les iotes cui
cil desiroit par larrecin en uoies porteir, donat a lui od grande
dulzor disanz: Va ten, et ci apres ne faces mie larrecin; mais
cant tu as mestier, dunkes entre za a moi, et les iotes cui tu
trauilhoies a pechiet tolir, ge les donrai a toi deuotement.
Dial. Gr. 16, 15.
Alez, malveis! alez, alez, Vus maldiz, vus maleurez, Qui
unques ne me herbergastes     Ne a mangier ne me donastes,
Qui onques bien ne me feistes, Quant nu e povre me veistes:
Alez languir el feu durable,  Qui est as angles au diable
Aparaille sanz finement Des le premier comencement.
Guil. B. D. 398.
Aprenneiz a mi ke ie suys sueys et humles de cuer. En cez
paroles poons aperzoiure dous humiliteiz. L'une de conessance;
l'atre d'affection cui il ci apelet de cuer. Li primiere est quant
nos conessons ke nos uns nianz sommes. Et cestei humiliteit
aprennons nos a nos meismes et per nostre propre enfermeteit.
Li seconde est per kai nos forchachons la glore del munde.  Et
cestei aprennons nos de luy. Car il humiliat luy meismes et si
prist la forme del serf. Ki s'en fuit quant om lo quist por estre
roi. Et ki de son espoine greit soffrit a tanz laiz et a tanz
reproches et a si hontols torment cum lo torment de la croix.
Sr. S. Bern. 17, 25 and 29.
Ie le uos pri, les grans et les petis, Departes uos, si requeres
uos nis, A nos femeles demenes uos delis, Ia en poi d'ore
estera miedis. Venus, 25 c.




24                   The Preposition A.
Entre les seintz martirs fluriz e curune  Of ses eslitz l'acoilt li
Deus de majestY, E en la mesnee Auban est atitle, Le regne a
recever ki ja n'ert termin6. E li las dolentz ki I'a martiriz6, En
la prisun est tuz jurs au maufe,  Sanz rangun u rescusse retenu
e damne. S. Aub. 1023.
Vous avez bien oye l'ochoison, Pourquoi Ogiers fu menez en
prison  A Saint Omer au chastelain Huon;        Trois ans i fu,
vraiement le set on. Enf. Og. 264.
Lors se feri Marcadigas  Si anemis on plus grant tas. Moult
durement les assailloit;  Car de tres grant vaillance estoit Et de
tres grant apensement. Souvent avoit l'ueill a sa gent. Quant
aucun en veoit retraire, Ne vous sarois je pas retraire Comment
les savoit ravoiier Et a droit d'armes ensaigner. Cleom. 874.
Li raisons en donne a entendre C'on use cha jus de trois lois,
Dont es deus gist mout d'iestrelois:  Li sarrasin en tienent l'une,
S'aourent Mahon et le lune; Et li jiiis ont le seconde. Drois est
que le tierche desponde: Chou est li lois as crestiens,   De
coi ii rois chelestiens  Nous a par rechevoir baptesme  Et par le
saint prechieus cresme  Oste des mains as anemis;
Vr. An. 289..Xx. ans ia ensamble este orent, C'onques enfant auoir ne porelnt
La dame en estoit mout dolente, Car mout estoit et bielle et gente.
Et li sirez si fort l'amoit Que ia dame adiez l'apieloit. Mais
tant firent andoi priiere  A dieu et au baron saint Piere  Que li
rois si iut a sa femme Qui la fache ot clere con gemme, Qu'il
engenrra une puchielle, Ains hons de char ne uit tant bielle.
Rich. 85.
Bauduins de Sebourc, et si bastart meschin, Aprocha le chite as
bailles de sapin; Illoeques s'assambla auprinche Corsabrin.
Bast. 236.
Sire, dit li varles, pour quoy vous mantiroie? Quant courtoissie
ai pris, se je ne m'en louoie  J'en vauroie trop mainz et a vous
l'embleroie. Brun, 325.




The Preposition A.


-A   characterizing aught in temporal space.
That epochs should be colored so strongly by the
presence of an aught that the mere mentioning of
the name of the aught evoke the epoch, is perfectly
natural; language, however, has labored under difficulties in regard to this construction: difficulties
arising from  what the reader must have already
remarked here before; namely, the ease with which
space and time can be confused. If we say, for
instance, "They did that at Rome," at Rome can be
construed as representing either a local or temporal
idea. The meaning can be either: "In Rome, not
elsewhere in the world at that time, not at Carthage,
for instance, they did that;" or, "At the time when
Rome was the absorbing name of locality for the
world, they did that-gladiators fought among themselves and with beasts, for instance."
And so it happens that unfettered language always
uses a temporal reinforcement in such phrases where
the idea of time is intended; as, at the time of Rome,
or in the days of the Romans, etc. Rhythm, however, taxes language to its utmost: all of its latent
capabilities and furthest possibilities are brought out
and made to serve their turn by this ruthless master;
and this it is that keeps out decay and makes of
language a living thing.
Thus we have in Alexis, 1:
Bons fut li siecles al tens ancienor, Quer feit i ert e justise
et amor, Si ert credance, dont or n'i at nul prot: Tot est mudez,
perdude at sa color; Ja mais n'iert tels corn fut as anceisors.
In the first verse we have 'at the time of the
ancients;' in the last, the poet calls upon the lan



26                The Preposition i.
guage for all its force and says simply: 'at (with)
the fathers.' Here the article in as cannot be the
determinating article, inasmuch as it is in the plural
and hence can have no relation to tels. In the second
strophe too of the same poem we find:
Al tens Noe et al tens Abraham, Et al David etc.,
Where Prof. Paris, in the second verse, has seen
fit to write 'al David,' understanding the article
here as the determinating article, which would read
in English: 'At the time of Noah and at the time
of Abraham, And at that of David, etc.' That this
is the meaning of the verse is improbable; that
Prof. Paris has chosen the right reading is open to
question. As to the reading: the Ms. S. offers the
reading 'a Davi,' and even if this MS. be not so
reliable as those with al, it should be remarked that
the 'a David' comes immediately below an ' al tens'
and after a series of the same syntactical sequence,
which could easily have influenced the introduction
of the article. Supposing however that the form
edited is authentic, even then it is by no means
necessary to understand the article here as of a
determinating character. First, the same construction in the foregoing strophe, where the article of
'as anceisors' can not be read as determinating,
militates against this view. And then it must be
remembered, too, that the casts obliquus in Old French
is a grammatical institution, not a linguistic sentiment. The casus obliquus of Old French, even when
the article is interposed, was felt as an adjective
construction, much as compound words are felt in
English and German to-day. 'Al tens Abraham'
was then felt as ' in the Abraham-time;' that Abraham




The Preposition A.


27


is found placed after tens is explained when we
remember that this is the ordinary position of the
attributive modifier in French. Now then, supposing
always that the article with 'a David' is authentic,
the thought would run in English: 'At the Noah-time
and at the Abraham-time And at the David,-whom
God loved so much;' here the omission becomes
clear, and especially so in view of the fact that if
tens were there, it might be confused grammatically
with the logical object of God's loving. Finally, it
seems to me that the question might almost be
asked whether indeed the French language has or
ever has had a determinating article.
It certainly has not taken root in French as it
has in other of the Romance tongues, as in Spanish,
for instance. And as to the isolated examples that
are held by grammarians to exist in French, it is
possible that science has been too scientific in explaining them as such. Even the feminine article
of the fate days which Prof. Tobler was the first,1
I believe, to call a determinating article, is perhaps nothing more than the relic of a simply timeworn-down la fete,-much as adouber a chevalier could
be considered  as worn   down from    adouber a loi
chevalier.
Another use of the characterizing aught in temporal
space, and one too, peculiarly appropriate to the
discussion of the real meaning of the verses cited
above from the Alexis, is where an aught characterizes a time, but only at certain intervals which are
set forth in language by means of an attributive
1 Notes from Prof. Tobler's lectures on Historical Syntax, as far back as 1886,
expose this view.




28                 The Preposition A.
modifier. Thus, we find in Old French expressions
like:
E ii vendra si sodement Certes, que nus ne savum quant, Au
matin ou au coc chantant Ou a mienuit ou al seir.1
Or:
Guardent aval vers la marine; La nef virent al flot muntant, Qui el hafne veneit siglant; Ne veient rien qui la
cunduie.2
Or:
Apres l'aube aparant luisoit la lune clere.3
Here, the chantant, muntant, etc., can not be taken
as a verb, a participle, and coc, flot, etc., understood
as a casus obliquus depending thereon; this would
be an easy way to solve the construction, but the
difficulty cannot be got rid of in this way. Chantant,
muntant, etc., are adjectives, and this is shown by
the fact that their logical importance is subordinate
to that of the accompanying substantive. The prime
idea in the expression, the one that gives color to
the whole, is cock, tide. We rise for instance with
the cock or the lark; the boat comes in with the
tide; not with the 'crowing,' the 'singing,' or the
'coming in' respectively.    That is, if the forms in
question are participles, they must be interpreted
participially in giving them the sense of continued
action that a present participle always has; as, in
S. Aub., 1185, for instance, where it reads:
" Veez ci la croit Auban, ke il au muriant Teinst en sun
sauc demeine de sun cors esculant." -
'here is Auban's cross that he, while dying, held in
his own blood a-flowing from      his body.' If, now,
we give this participial meaning to the forms in


1 Guil. B. D, 50.


1 Lais. Guig. 267.


3 Berte, 552




The Preposition 1.


29


question, we are at once at a distance from the
logical thought; we do not rise while a cock is crowing, but when (which latter with the meaning 'at the
moment of,' cannot be expressed by any verb-form,
since the idea of action excludes the idea of a point
in time) the cock crows. The preposition a with
the so-called infinitive can express this 'when,' but
we have then a real substantive before us; nor is
the Lord, apprehended by Guillaume le Clerc, to
make his appearance heralded by cocks that crow, but
rather at that moment, more so, than any other moment,
characterized by the cock, namely when he crows.
The construction under discussion is rare, being,
as I remarked above, one of those cases where a
possibility of language is utilized to satisfy the
requirements of speech.
2.
The preposition a in expressions where spacedivision is brought about by a characterizing
action.
Quant cascuns iert a sun meillur repaire, Carles serat
ad Ais, a sa capele; A seint Michiel tiendrat mult halte feste.
Rol. 51.
A celjugement 0 tant avrat gent Serum assemble, La charn
tote nue; Ja nen iert vestue, Car nu fumes ne. Reimpr. 112.
Quant cil voient qu'il sont forclos, Si se remainnent a repos,
Car par assaut, ce voient bien, N'i porroient forfeire rien.
Cliges 2006.
Tables et napes, pains et vins Tost fu aparelliez et mis, Si
se sont au soper assis. Erec 498.
Si cum li chaitif en turment Sunt travailli6 plus lungement
Pur les granz pechiez que il firent, Tant cum il el siecle vesqui



30


The Preposition A.


rent, Si sunt li altre meins pene  Qui meins firent d'iniquite;Si est de nus qui sumes ci: Solunc o9 qu'avum deservi, Devuns
ici plus demurer, Einz a greignur joie munter; Que tut serruns
nus delivre  De tutes peines e salve. Ne poiuns nus mie uncore
estre  A la grant leesce celestre.    Esp. 1784.
J'ai oi corroucier  Maint ome et manecier  Autrui pour son
contraire; Mais tout ce remanoit, Ja soit ce qu'il senbloit Qu'il
en vousist plus faire. A petite pluie chiet granz venz, ce dit
li vilains. Prov. Vil. 67.
Quant je le vi tot seul venant, Mon cheval restrains maintenant
N'au monter demore ne fis; Et cil come mautalantis      Vint
plus tost qu'uns alerions, Fiers par sanblant come lions, Et si
haut com il pot crier  Me comanga a desfier. Yvain, 485.
A t'eissue de la cit N'ot pas demie liwe ale, Quant ele oi les
seins suner E le doel el chastel lever Pur lur seignur qui se moreit.
Lais, Yon. 447.
Mais en infer voil jou aler; car en infer vont li bel clerc, et li bel
cevalier qui sont mort as tornois et as rices gueres, et li
boin sergant et li franc home. Aveuc ciax voil jou aler.
Auc. 6, 34.
Au finement de cest escrit, K'en Romanz ai turn6 et dit,
Me numeral par remembraunce; Marie ai num, si sui de Fraunce.
Fab. Concl. 1.
Se vient Hardrez li fel, qu'il m'en encust, A  la bataille
serommez moi et lui, Coperai lui le chief de sor le bu  Voir n'en
estordra mie. Am. Am. 1036.
At mangier sont assis sans plus de demorer, Asses out
uenison de cerf et de seingler. Aio], 1763.
Quant Moyses fut faiz des larrons li princiers, AI tolir, at
tueir fut toz jors li promiers, Car del cors eret fors et des
membres legiers. Or oiez deablie ke fist li aversiers:
Poeme mor. 31 b.
Vn ior ot au digner li rois   Mangie et sist encore au dois,
Car sa coustume estoit iteus; Ch. II. esp. 1887.




The Preposition 2A.


31


Elleuos ie toi siurai, quant ge aurai l'oeure emplie, car un poi i
remaint.  Mais icil Iuliens li defenderes ki astoit enuoiez, il soi
merueilhieuet durement queiz chose ce astoit ke ses serianz demoreuet a repairier: quant elleuos il uoit retornant son seriant,
en son col foin del preit aportant. Dial. Gr. 22, 14.
Au passer de un pund A li flotz fu bruant, Sunt chaeth e
peritz chevalers e sergantz; Quant Auban ad 90 veii, s'a dit en
suspirant:-' Deus, ki horn furmer deignas A tun semblant, Cel
mal kar restorez!' es-le-vus relevant E le flot tut secchi, dunt cist
vunt Deu loant. S. Aub. 1153.
Al mangier seoit la dansele. Manek. 299.
Renaus de Montarmier et Navari le ber  Et maint autre grant
prince furent a Vadestrer;    B. Comm. 67.
Un petitet ont leur voie eschiv6e, Droit a Ventree d'une
forest ram6e Sont arest6 assez pros d'une pree. Enf. Og. 146.
De ce ne se veut plus targier Que chevaliers ne soit sans faille;
Car estre veut a la bataille:   Ce ne lairoit pour tout l'avoir
C'on li porroit ramentevoir. Cleom. 468.
De dampnement sont raviestu   Tout chil ki en sont enyvr6;
Au jugement seront ir6, Li plus gais sera amiiis.
Vr. An. 308.
Li rois en uot aler.i. iour, Que plus ne uot iestre a seiour;r
Aler en uot a sonc sa terre V doi conte faisoient guerre.
Rich. 214.
Ainsi qu'en eel penser estoie, Un po regardai devers destre;
Ilec une beste vi nestre A Vtentree d'une valee Qui estoit
d'orties fermee, De ronces et de fors espines: Pant. 85.
Si tost que li varles a veu 1'asemblee, II a point le cheval par
telle randonnee, Que li chevaus s'en va comme beste dervee  Si
qu'il ne fist c'un saut a  'Vissir de la pree. Brun. 266.
-A    characterizing action in temporal space.
In the preceding division of our work, we have
seen how one may be ' at the killing,' at the dinner,'




32                  The Preposition A.
'at the judgment,' at the battle,' 'at the entry,' etc.,
etc.; that is, be at a point in space that receives a
special character from an action that takes place at
it. Language then found no better way of differentiating this point in space than by naming it with
the abstract name of the characterizing action-this
was peculiarly exact.
In time, the same phenomenon is to be observed.
Here a space of time, rendered conspicuous by an
action, is cristalized as it were into a point, and
made to serve as a dot on the scale of general
temporal measurement.
This space of characterized time may be of a
definite  nature, as the moment taken       up in the
enunciation of a word (parole, mot), or in the striking of a blow (coup), or of a much longer duration;
as, 'to have two children at one pregnancy (porteiire);' or it may be of an abstract indefiniteness;
as, 'the time when one will return, die, meet,' etc.
The role of the preposition a in these expressions
may be observed in the following examples:
"Seignurs baruns, suef pas alez tenant. Cist paien vunt grant
martirie querant; Encoi avrum un eschec bel e gent: Nuls reis
de France n'out unques si vaillant."  A cez paroles vunt les
oz ajustant. Rol. 1169.
Par po qu'Alixandres n'anrage, Quant de sa jant voit tel
dormage, Qui si est morte et afeblie; Meis au vangier pas
ne s'oblie: Une esparre longue et pesant A lez lui trovee an
presant, S'an va si ferir un gloton, Que ne li valut un boton
Ne li escuz ne li haubers, Qu'a terre ne le port anvers.
Cliges. 2042.
Au tier9 jor droit a tVenserir Vint la novele a Galeron.
Ille, 1722.




The Preposition A.


A la prise del cerf ein9ois  Vint que nus des autres li rois,
Le blanc cerf ot desfet et pris. Erec, 279.
Seignurs, a  'eissue del cors,   Quant les almes s'en issent
fors, Li bon angele i sunt en present; Li mal i vienent ensement.
Esp. 49.
Celui tieng je pour sot  Qui au premerain mot          Son
marchi6 prent et fait, Et celui qui s'amie, Se c'est que l'escondie,
Au premerain mot lait. Au premier coup ne chiet pas
li chaisnes, ce dit li vilains. Prov. Vil. 5.
Et je li donrai au retor  Quanqu'il voudra que je ii doingne.
Yvain, 1840.
E il e el s'en sunt huniz.   Nus savum   bien qu'il i afiert:
Unques ne fu ne ja nen iert Ne n'avendra cele aventure, Qu'a
une sule porteilre Une femme dous enfanz ait, Si dui hume
ne li unt fait. Lais, Fr. 40.
Aucassins ot du baisier Qu'il ara au repairier. Auc. 9, 2.
A-val l'aige n'est pas alee  Cuntre la radur est turnee, A sa
mort ne fist-ele mie  Ce que ne volt faire a sa vie.
IFab. xcvi. 49.
Et dist li rois: " Ou sont dont li ostaige??  A icel mot plus
de soissante en saillent Couzin ou frere, tuit furent d'un paraige.
Am. Am. 768.
Et ie uous en dira la uerite: Bien brochies ]e destrier par les
costes  Et baisies uostre espiel, si le branles,  Tant con ceuals
peut rendre, uers lui uenes, Grant cop sor son escu se li dones,
Que lui et le ceual acrauentes,   Al recerqier des rens
souent tornes, Monioie le Karlon haut escries Et souent et menu
grans cos feres; Par che seres cremus et redoutes, Autretel fist
uos peres que chi uees. Aiol, 300.
L'emfant qui comence son plor, De dolur vient, en dolur entre.
Se il fust au partir del ventre   Porte maintenant au tumbel,
Ceo li deust estre mult biel. Guil. B. D. 246.
D'une cose fisent grant sens: Laiens ne vaurrent demourer,
3




34                   The Preposition A.
C'on ne les oist au plourer,   Ains sont venu en un vergier
Ou il avoit maint biau perier. Jeh. B1. 1806.
Ogier son fill en ostage livra, Mais au livrer un petit lermoia.
Enf. Og. 220.
Bien vous puis dire au premier mot Que nule d'eles teche
n'ot Qui ne fust toute de bont6. Cleom. 285.
A cui c'on le fesist touchier, De tous maus faisoit adouchier;
Nis an mort; quant on le portoit A l'aniel, il resuschitoit.
Vr. An. 53.
La vielle li dist lors belement tire a tire  Que droit au point
dou jour couvient qu'ele s'atire Et que moult sagement delez le
roi se vire, Berte, 396.
Car quant ce uint au iour nomme, Que li.ix. mois furent passe,
Qu'enfanter dut ichelle dame, A Vlenfanter si rendi ame  Ne
pot plus endurer la painne Qu'elle ot soufierte la semainne, Ains
rendi ame, si fu morte. Rich. 110.
Au retour le ferai encruer corn mastin. Bast. 224.
La dame en delivra.j. jour a t'anuitier,  Et quant delivre
en fu n'i ot que esleescier. Brun, 43.
C.
DEVELOPMENTS.
THE DISAPPEARANCE OF THE IDEA OF PLACE.
Because prepositions in themselves are thought
to have no meaning, because they seemingly drift at
large, taking on now one shade of thought-expression,
then   another, from    surrounding   verbs and    nouns,
grammarians in their treatment of them, have considered  them    more   as  linguistic  comets   than   as
living, law-abiding words.




The Preposition A.


35


In summoning up the prepositional means at the
disposal of its language in order that it may choose
for expression, what test does thought apply which
influences the choice of one preposition rather than
another? Surely, the same as that used in the
choice of the words that do possess an intrinsic
meaning; that is, the basic meaning of the word is
set up before the amplitude of the thought, and
the preposition is chosen whose capacity fits.
Now, if this be true, that the preposition d has a
central, basic, nucleus idea that decides its use, how
can it come about that this preposition can mean to
and from, and with and against, according as the
school-grammars tell us?  The same word cannot
mean white and black, for with this, language
would end.
These misleading statements made by grammarians
in regard to the Old-French a are suggested by two
causes; first, because, as we have already noticed,
the prepositions, and especially the French preposition d, is regarded as a lawless phenomenon capable
of appearing clothed in any and all significations;
and secondly, because the chief task of the grammarian of Old French is generally the paralleling
of the language either with Modern French or with
a foreign tongue-which process, it must be admitted,
is for the moment a forced necessity. However, it
must be remembered that the purpose of language
is to picture thought, and that the fundamental law
of all syntax is, if we find a construction varying,
in the case of the same word, in two languages,
or in two epochs of the same language, we have
here sure evidence that the thought, the sentiment
of the two constructions is different.




36               The Preposition A.
Now, then, it happens that certain linguistic sentiments die in a language, or are present in one but
absent in another tongue. Under what enormous
difficulties does the work of paralleling go on in
these cases,-not only words, but thought must be
translated! And the preposition ', —whether it be
that it represents a fundamental sound constantly
repeated in verb-flexion and other words and hence
familiar and loved by the people, or whether it be
from other causes-is the preposition oftenest found
on the Old-French page.   To-day, this is not the
case.  Sentiments have died, and their linguistic
constructions with d, after having lived on a few
generations from the force of speech-habit, either
disappeared entirely and were forgotten, or else were
relegated to some mountain hearth, where a shade
of the old sentiment still lingered in the less changed
customs.
Examples of some of these dead sentiments can
be noted in some of the citations I have classed
under the title of 'Space-divisions brought about by
a characterizing aught.'
Thus we saw there ' acheter alcune rien a Sarrazins,
where the d would be translated in English with
) from, or in Modern French by de. The sentiment
' here has not entirely died out in Modern French
(although the construction has), since we still say:
'acheter quelque chose chez un tel (meaning at some
one's shop). That the sentiment, however, is dying
is shown here by the encroachments of de; as, 'acheter
quelque chose de chez un tel.' Then again, 'embler
alcune rien a alcun,' where another English from
7 and Modern French de would be used. 'Voler chez
quelqu'un' is only used to-day when we wish to..':~.
/+O 2. sv 4 i~~~~~~~~l 11; '', Ad | '' 1! ' i or,' 1; 2 ' I@ t,~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~,




The Preposition A.


37


bring out the locality of the theft; it seems however
to have been the current sentiment in Old French
for stealing; possibly, because in those days theft
could only be committed at one's house, as the carry- 
ing around of jewels, etc., was mostly confined to  '
those set in the hilts of swords, to which a somewhat
dangerous reminder was attached. Then, 'apprendre
a moi,' the words of the Christ, which have formed
the ironical stock example for the school-grammars,
since the time of Orelli, to show how a means from.?
In the Old-French time, however, they learned about
as often ' at the feet of' (= d  chez) a grammarian,
as they did from (de) one. Indeed in the example
I cited from Ser. S. Bern. the verb occurs construed
twice with a (moi, nous-memes) and once with de
(lui, where Ihi -Christ).
I believe, then, that there is a connective thread
of meaning between all the different usages of the
preposition a, and that if this thread be followed
it leads back invariably to the idea of place. This
local idea in expressions of situation has been
exhausted in the examples of the preceding pages.
We come now to study the cases where a trailing
off-shoot, as it were, of the idea of situation has
taken root in the language and built itself up into
a new life and into an individual existence.
The first of these to be mentioned is:
1. The preposition a in expressions of intensity.
This construction, in its incipiency, stands close
indeed to the parent stock; the only difference being
that in the one, as we have already seen, situation
is marked by a point, while in the other, intensity,




38                The Preposition Ai.
situation is regarded as extended from one point to
another, that is, by a succession of points; and over
this whole space the preposition d extends its jurisdiction, since the point of departure, which indeed
need not be expressed, marks only a beginning
without any idea of a continuation into space. Thus
Marie de France, in an example cited below, talks
of the unfortunate beings who lie, nailed to the
earth with burning nails: "From  their head to their
feet" (des chies des i qu'as piez), she says, "so
thickly were all their members nailed, that never
could you have laid a finger down, unless you touched
a nail."  Here a comes in as usual to mark the
situation, the place where the nails were nailed; but
instead of defining a single spot, it must needs here
extend its compass over all that space situated between the head and the feet, if indeed the real
situation be defined. This it did, but the effect, we
would almost say, was unlooked for; since, instead of
expressing the idea of locality, the result was an expression of extent, of quantity, of the ' how-muchness'
of things,-of intensity. No longer do we heed the
situation of the nail, but the meaning flashed to us by
a is the intensity to which the nailing operation was
raised. A, following the bent of its nature, had offered
itself to express situation, and if another thought resulted, it was not the fault of the preposition.
This may be said to be the first off-shoot of the
meaning of the preposition d that became an independent construction.  That it borrowed its first
scale from its old associates, the divisions of space,
is self-evident; with these the creation of a new
construction was achieved and added to the language
stock. What growth the construction made in its




The Preposition tA.


39


own particular field independent of its origin, from
its own accumulated vitality, we will see in the next
chapter; for the moment let us study its incipiency:
(a.)
Intensity Measured on a Scale Borrowed from
Space-Divisions.
Caries chevalchet e les vals e les munz,  Entresqu'ad Ais ne
voelt prendre sujurn. Rol. 3696.
Tant corn il a des la chevece  Jusqu'aufermail d'antroverture, Vi del piz nu sanz coverture  Plus blanc que n'est Ila nois
negiee. Cliges, 843.
Res a res de la coife blanche L'espee contre val desgant,
L'escu jusqu'a la bocle fant, Et del hauberc lez le cost6 Li
a plus d'un espan ost6. Erec, 942.
De tute maniere d'ee I aveit gent trop grant plent6; E jurent
adenz e envers, Fichiez en terre od clous de fers  Ardanz, des
chies des i qu'as piez   Par tuz les membres sunt fichiez  Si
espes que nuls n'i mettreit Sun dei qu'a clou n'i tuchereit.
Esp. 1041.
De la forest an une lande Antrai et vi une bretesche Al demie
iue galesche: Se tant i ot, plus n'i ot pas. Yvain, 192.
Entre ses braz a pris l'enfant, Des i qu'al fraisne vint
corant. Lais, Fr. 172.
Or estoit li for&s pres a eii. arbalestees, qui bien duroit.xxx. liues de lone et de le, si i avoit bestes sauvages et serpentine.
Auc. 16, 28.
D'un Gresillon dist la meniere Qui dusqu'a une fromi6ere
El tans d'yvers esteit alez. Fab. xix., 2.
Monte el cheval, quant la selle fu mise, Passe les terres et les
grans manandies, Jusqu'a Nivelle ne cesse ne ne fine.
Am. Am. 292.




40                    The Preposition A.
Ce senefient, sire, li ostoir blanc, Que prendront compaingie a
uostre enfaant,  S'en iront en Espaigne tout droitement  Dessi
a Panpelunee    y le chite grant. Aiol, 421.
Ilh trespassat noiant une aigue forte et leie, De l'une rive
a lVatre avoit une liweie; Ses dras ot sor son chief, entre ses
denz sa speie, Si droit s'en alat oltre que poi fist ('avaleie.
Poeme mor. 32 b.
Lors monte et il est auques tart, Li rois monte de l'autre part
Et bien.c. cheualiers auoeques, Si l'ont conuoie d'ilueques Dusc'a
Vissue de la porte,  Ne le quident uiue ne morte  Ia mais ueoir
en lor eages, Si dient ke c'est grans damages. Ch. II. esp. 635.
O tu uirgine uerge tres haltisme cum halt tu eslieues ta sainte
ceruiz.  eniosk'a  celui ki el trone siet 1'eshalces.  eniosk'a
signor de maiesteit. S. S. Bern. 10, 6.
Dunt fei ke dei Palladei e Diene la bele, Ki prechera desore
mais de cele lei nuvele, Aeurer frai u enfrundrer de teste u de
cervele.  E ceu tafur, si quis deiist estre de ci k'a Burdele,
Prendre le frai e fors sacher du ventre la buele. S. Aub. 1264.
Que ferai dont? Je ne sai quoi.   Or ne sai jou consel de moi,
Le mains malvais je ne sai faire. MAais puiLs que je voi que contraire  Me puet avenir des deus voies, Ne le lairai plus toutesvoies  Morir par si cruel tourment.  N'a pas dusqu'a la mer
granment:   La le menrai a mie nuit, Qui qu'il soit bel ne qu'il
anuit. Manek. 914.
"Jehan, estes vous mout bleci6s?  Fait ele; "' Comment vous
est il?  " Certes, damie," fait il, " oil. Ne sai comment fui atrapes,
Je me sui dusk'a Vos colpes."  Jh. B1. 600.
Gerars sist sor ferrant qui vint de Terrasconne, Et Guis sist
sor morel, n'ot tel jusqu'a Baionne.  B. Comm. 211.
Et li message chevauchent durement  Dusqu'a Paris, n'i font
delaiement. Enf. Og. 346.
Cil ert sires des Toulousans. C'ert adont uns roiaumes grans.
De Bourdiaus d'nsqu'a7?1ontpellier      Ot toute la terre a
baillier.  Cleom. 689.




The Preposition 2A.


41


Quant Pepins tint l'espiel, n'i volt plus demorer: Vers le lion
s'en va, n'ot talent d'arrester; Apertement li va Pepins tel cop
donner, Devant en la poitrine bien le sot aviser, L'espiel jusk'a
la crois li fait el cors coler. Berte, 68.
Le cheual point lues d'une part A une branche d'un pumier
Qui d'uu haut mur ot fait sommier, Si s'estent iusc'a deuers
terre, Nul millour ne peust on querre. Rich. 315.
Li mesage s'en vint errant sans plus atendre Tout quanque ses
chevaus pot corre ne destendre; De ci qu'a la Mlontaigne
oncques ne volt descendre. Brun, 366.
(b.)
Intensity Measured on a Scale Peculiar to Itself.
In the last group of examples, we have seen the
preposition a used in the expression of the intensity
of a ' going,' 'coming,' 'wounding,'' seeing,' finding,'
'being,' etc., etc., etc.; that is, of all the intensities
that can be measured on space-divisions. By this
time the construction has achieved existence; the
new meaning of the preposition is now strong and
ready to be admitted into all expressions of intensity;
that is, to all expressions that may serve as answer
to the question how much?      This is an ample field.
Mental actions are to be measured, the value of
objects to be told, numbers to be counted, etc., etc.,
etc. Here space-divisions can no longer be used as
a scale, but a does not now need the support of this
crutch; it joins itself indiscriminately to whatever
scale that pure intensity may invent, and with what
results, the following will show:
Quant o9 veit Guenes qu'ore s'en rit Rollanz, Dune ad tel
doel, pur poi d'ire ne fent, A bien petit que il ne pert le sens,
4
"'":..
e "  ~*l 




42                    The Preposi tiorA
E dit 'a l'Cunte: "Jo ne VHs aim nient; Sur mci avez turnet fals
jugement.", Rol. 326.
Bien est Alixaudres venuz, Car a rilen qu'il vuelle nie faut,
iNan la cort n'a baron si haut, Qui bol no 1'apiaut et acuelle.
Cliges, 389.
IDe la gorge ne di je pas QUe vers ii nle soit cristaus trobies.
Et ii cos est a quatre aobles Plus blans qu'ivoires soz la
trece. Ibid. 840.
Ele a pooir a grant plente, Mais ole a plus de volent6;
Plus puet que nule quo on truist Et si vout plus qu'ele no puist.
Illo, 103.
IDe tute maniere We'e I vit genz a si grant plente Qu'1il
cuidout bien que nuls vivanz El munt n'en peiust ve~ir tanz!1
1Esp. 1600.
Quantj'ai d'aucun regart, Au mieum que puis me gart, Quo
je par lui no muire;.Mais cii qui nuit et jour Est o moi a sojour,
Me puet grever et nuiire. Ja no vorrez si miauvais larron con le
priv6, Ce dit ii vilains. Prov. Vii. 190.
Mos or i a mout 1)0 des suens, Quo a bien pres i'ont tuit
leissiee, S'an est arnors mout abeissioe. Yvain, 19.
Gelus esteit a.Iesmesure; Car ceo purporto la nature Que
tuit li vieji seient gelus; Mult het chascuns quo ii seit ens.
Lais, Guig. 213.
C'est fantosmes, u  o dites; qu'il n'a si cioro beste en &este
forest, ne &'rf ne lion ne songler, dont uns des mouebros vaille plus
de dex deniers u de trois anr plus, et vos parle's de si grant avoir!
Auc. 18, 28.
Enmi ce pr'i- en un wassel Soriens or andels mun vueil; La"
ai-jeo la moie mansiuin U tuz bicn sunt a yr( ut Joisu t.
Fab. mi. 40.
Vers Jul se tomne quant ii i'ot ravis6, Par tel vcrtu se sont
entracole, Taut fort so baisont, et estrain~ruent soef, A poi ne
s$ont estaint et define'; Lor estrier roinpeult si sont che'u ci pr6.
Am. Amu. 1.81.




The Preposition -A.


43


Traies as boins osteus d'anchiserie, Mangies a grant plente
par signorie, Ne beues mie trop de uin sor lie. Aiol, 216.
Qve ke li rois ensi pensoit, Estes uous en le sale droit Vn
nain petit a desmesure,     Ki uenus ert grant ambleure  De
mout loing et a grant esploit Sour une mule ki estoit Plus
blanche ke n'est nois negie. Ch. II. esp. 391.
Quar a moins de grieue recoit    Les cops, qui deuant s'an
poruoit. Lyon. Ys. 1051.
Et por ceu est digne chose ke li malades s'enforst a moens de
leueir lo chief. S. S. Bern. 6, 32.
Amans auoit a non li amans, ie uos di, Qui por cele Florie
mainte paine soffri. Ce fu trop a son grief, quant il onques le ui,
A poi qu'il ne morut d'amor qu'il ot en lui. Venus, 58 d.
Ne prisa mais noz dens a valur dun qant': Batuz e debrisez
e defule e senglant Cum mort le lessames au pe du munt gisant.
S. Aub. 1162.
Et ses peres Jehan conforte De sa mere qui estoit morte, Quide
c'autre max ne le touce; Mais il est navres d'une entouce.
Nepourquant au plus bel qu'il puet Pour le gent conforter
l'estuet; Bien perchoit au samblant s'amie  Qu'ele est dedens le
cuer marie, Se l'anuis a Jehan demeure. Jb. B1. 1779.
Li amustans de Cordes fu forment corroucies, Quant il oi
Buevon, a pon n'est enragis. " Vassal," fait il, "fols estes et
moult outrecuidi6s, Quant vous mes prisons estes et me contraliies."  B. Comm. 651.
Chascuns ne fist pas ce qu'il vot, Ains fist chascuns au miex
qu'il pot. Cleom. 1290.
Ne li aniaus n'estoit prisies, Ains iert quass&  et debrisies
Et estoit mis en noncaloir, Dont on se devoit bien doloir; Ne
se viertus n'avoit poissanche, Tant que dieus donna connoissanche
A vaillans prinches dusc'a trois,   Ki mout eurent les cuers
destrois, Quant il perchurent l'arrierage, Le grant meschief et
le damage De l'enfant ki iert fourmen6s. Vr. An. 251.
"Va tost, n'aiies pas demoure, De ce pieument et du moure
A grant plante nous en aporte."    Rich. 273.




44                   The Preposition  1.
Tout ce que j'avoie veii Li dis, au miex que j'ai peii.
Pant. 314.
Dont keurent crestien jusques a trente et troi,   Saudoine
ont assali et de lance et d'espoi; Mais dis mile paien, qui furent
de sa loy, Sont venu a Saudoine parmi le sablonnoy. Bast. 278.
Tant chevaiicha de jor et de nuit ensement Qu'il trouva des
barons du seigneur jusqu'a cent,   Et les assembla touz a.j.
avesprement,  Puis leur dit en oiant bel et courtoissement:
"Seigneur, etc."  Brun, 69.
-The expression of temporal intensity.
Here the same state of affairs exists as we have
seen  for space proper.      The following     are my    examples:
Quant veit li pedre que mais n'avrat enfant Mais que cel sol
que il par amat tant, Done se porpenset del siecle a en avant:
Or volt que prenget muilier a son vivant, Done li achatet
filie d'un noble franc. Alex. 8 d.
-  Sire," dist Guenes, " go ad tut fait Rollanz:  Ne lamerai a
trestut mun vivant,      Ne Olivier pur go qu'est sis cumpainz,
Les duze Pers, pur go qu'il l'aiment tant. Rol. 284.
Desqu'al tens    Yioe  Fut l'iniquit;  Si fort aiinee, Que
n'aveit amor Sers a son seignor, Ne fei n'ert guardee.
Reimpr. 14 a.
Meis qui qu'an eit duel ne pesance,  Ne qui que li tort a
anfance, Et qui que li blasme et deslot, Li vaslez am, plus
tost que pot Comande ses nes aprester, Que il n'a cure d'arester
An son pais plus longuemant. Cliges, 228.
Cevalerie que on vent Par jangler menu et sovent, Ne puet
au lone a bien venir; Car mll n'en daigne sovenir. Ille, 229.
"Sire," fet la reine au roi, " Antandez un petit a moi! Se cist
baron loent mon dit, Metez cest beisier an respit Jusqula tierz
jor qu'Erec revaingne."  Erec, 339.




The Preposition A.


45


Li hon suefre sa honte, Lone tens n'en tient nul conte, Puis
venge ses talanz.  Mainte bontez est faite  Que on a puis retraite
Des iluec a set anz. Viez plaie cuit, et viez dete aide, Ce dit
li vilains. Prov. Vil. 29.
I1 viaut estre jusqu'a tierz jor  An Broceliande....
Yvain, 696.
Ele n'osa mie parfont entrer por les bestes sauvages et por le
serpentine si se quatist en un espes buisson, et soumax li prist, si
s'endormi dusqu'au demain       a haute prime, que li pastorel
is9irent de la vile et jeterent lor bestes entre le bos et la riviere, si
se traient d'une part a une mout bele fontaine qui estoit au cief de
la forest, si estendirent une cape se missent lor pain sus. Auc. 18, 5.
Laienz se tinrent li traitor prouve, La nuit i jurent desci a
Vlajorner.    Am. Am. 339.
Puis a tant sa uoie tenue  K'ele a la capiele coisie, Mais ele ne
la passe mie, Ains descent et est ens entree Et s'a ens auoec li
menee   Sa mule au plus tost k'ele pot.     Ch. II. esp. 729.
Et certes ie ne dote pas buens hommes auoir esteit, nekedent
ensenges et uertuz quide ie d'eaz u nient estre faites u eles sont
ioskes a or ensi par silence taues, ke nos ne sauons, se eles faites
sont u non. Dial. Gr. 7, 6.
E tuz ses eirs depuis enca  Que cele guerre comenca   Furent
en paine e en dolur,  Desqu'a tant que lesalveor, Qui descendi
del sain al pere Vesti char en la virge mere E vint reaindre les
chaitifs, Qui aveient este futis  E en tenebrose prison, Dom il
les traist a guareison. Guil. B. D. 130.
La cusenzon del cors mettons anzois en respit eniosk'a eel tens
et cee ior.  k'il uenrat por reformeir lo cors.. S. Bern. 20, 5.
"Dame," dist li amans, "por deu uos proi merci,    De lui ne
uoeil partir, mieus aim ma uie eisi,  Et languir a tos i ors par
foi le uos afi, Que ie de ses amors fusse tot departi.  Venus, 141 c.
Jo, ki a ceu tens estoie mescreant sarrazin, De ceste estoire vi le
cumengail e fin, Despuis ke Auban regut en sun palois perrin  Sun
oste Amphibal, trespassant pelerin,  Gesk'a tant k'il firent mis




46                   The Preposition A.
en sarcu mnarbrin, Of les paens estoie de la loi Apolin, Pallaide,
e Diene, e Phebun, e Jovin,  Ki sunt dampne diable en enfer
susterin, (Mes le honur Jesu crest, e cist vunt en declin;) La
geste ai, cum la vi, escrit en parchemin. S. Aub. 1815.
Quant li rois voit que si baron  Voelent qu'il face dusqu'en son
Tout lor bon et lor volent6, Si leur a respit demande, Sans plus,
dusc'a tl candelter;    Adonc si reviegnent arrier, Si lor dira
qu'il volra faire, U de l'escondire ou du faire. Manek. 371.
Mais si grant doute a de falir  Dusk'au dire n'ose salir,
Ains dist: " Grans mercis, dame douce, Mout est vostre parole
douce."  Jh. Bl. 740.
De leur teches vous parlerai Au plus briement que ie porrai.
Cleom. 284.
Ilueques demorai de lors jusqu'au mardi,  Tant que la vraie
estoire emportai avoec mi Si comme Berte fu en la forest par li,
Oui mainte grosse paine endura et soufri: L'estoire iert si rim6e,
par foi le vous plevi,  Que li mesentendant en seront abaubi.
Et li bien entendant en seront esjoi. Berte, 15.
"La seres bien iusc'a celle eure,  Que reuenrai sans grant
demeure."  Rich. 225.
Li rois en jure Dieu, qui en le crois fu mis, Jamais ne retourra,
tant que ses corps soit vis, Jusqu'a trant qu'il ara aquite le pais.
Bast. 48.
2. The preposition d in expressions of modality.
The idea of modality is a vague abstraction that
language cannot express. Only after a more or less
lengthy   process   of deductive    reasoning, in    which
language is left far behind, do we come to the point
where we can answer the seemingly simple question
how?
A child answers readily the question of a where? and
a when?; but at how?, there is a moment of embarrassment, an assembling of thoughts, and when finally we




The Preposition     A1.


47


do get a reply, it is couched in local and temporal terms,
from which he hopes that we will glean a meaning other
than that his words convey, and better than this indeed
language has never been able to do.
We ask for instance: "How shall I carry this box? ',
and the answer comes: " On your back "; here, where =
modality. Again: "fIow did you know it was an ass?"
-"By his voice"; here, when - modality.    Again:
" How did you break your leg? "-'" I was walking on
the ice, when I slipped and fell "; here, where + when =
modality.
It might appear at first sight that language has direct
expression of modality in the case of the quality and
quantity adverbs: well, badly, sweetly, slowly, rapidly,
etc., etc., etc. This, however, is not the case, since in
all these expressions we make a predication, and a
predication must ever be identified with a substantive
idea, with an aught-never with an action. 'Sweetly',
for instance, is logically no answer at all to the question:
" How does she sing? "; since that which is sweet, is the
aught, the singing; not the action, the to-sing.
The earliest grammarians, and since them the term
has stuck, called a certain phase of verb-flexion, modality
(modus). Thus, they said that the ' to-be' in the
expression 'he is there' represented one modus of this
verb, and that that in ' Iwish he were there' represented
another. Here again, however, no modus is expressed,
but when - modality. That is, verb-moods are nothing
but tense-expressions, but temporal words, that suggest
to the mind a kind of modality.
In English, the modal weres, mays, cans, nmights,
coulds, woulds, and shoulds, betray easily their temporal
basis, as does in French the conditional. And even in
the French Subjunctive one has no difficulty in feeling




48                The Preposition A.
the temporal swing. Between ' il est la' and 'je voudrais
qu'il.fut l ' there exists only a temporal difference; in
the latter expression the idea of futurity is so strongly
set forth that the present, which is the base of reality,
is lost sight of; and the mind, left to grapple with this
intense futurity, naturally draws therefrom the suggestion of a doubt, a possibility, that constitutes for the
word the distinction of a modus. That we take a suggestion, and not an intrinsic meaning, is shown further
by the fact that this same fit can bring about or suggest
exactly the same modus when it has a diametrically
opposed meaning; as, in: 'j'aurais voulu (or je voulais)
qTfil fit li'; here it is intensified past time that brings
the possibility, the doubt, and hence the modality. Further, when the language of to-day persists in using the
present of the Subjunctive after imperfects and conditionals, as well as after presents,-and this in spite of
the anathemas of a generation of grammarians-we
have before us living proof that the present Subjunctive,
like what we have already seen for the imperfect, is
modus only through suggestion. For if the mind received from the present Subjunctive an impression of
an intrinsic meaning, it could never be used in so
widely divergent instances.
Mood-forms, then, may be called linguistic lenses
that receive from an expressed or unexpressed (as in
the case of the imperative) independent verb the idea
of temporality which they transmit magnified and intensified to such an extent that the mind gleans therefrom
the suggestion of a modality. This is nothing more
than what we saw with ' on his back', 'by his voice ', etc.
Language having, then, nothing but space-makeshifts for the expression of modality, the question now
arises what are the make-shifts that French, the lan



The Preposition A.


49


guage in question, has employed towards this end.
Of the prepositions-for it is this kind of expression
that particularly interests us now-French has used them
all in expressions of modality, since in all of them is to
be found the idea of space. That a should be used here
more frequently than the other prepositions is consequent upon its intrinsic meaning: ' il a un fardeau au
dos', and the line of least resistance for the expression
of modality, is to continue and say: ' il le porte au dos';
' he wipes his hands, or the blood, on a cloth', where the
word-position brings out the idea of place; change now
the word-position so as to accent cloth, and the mind is
able to catch an idea of modality,-here, means, which
English and Modern French would introduce by with,
avec. Old French, however, kept on with her muchbeloved particle, saying simply: ' a un drap li osterent
le sane'. Again, a man holds a bird in his two hands:
from rage, then and there, he would wring its neck.
In English or Modern French he would do it with-,
in Old French not so, but: 'le col li rumpt a ses dous
meins'. Even in English we have kept some of the
place prepositions in expressions of instrumental modality; as, 'to torture on the rack', which means: 'to
torture with the rack '.
That is, with these expressions where the idea of
place and the idea of modality are equally mingled, we
stand again present at the birth of a new meaning for
the preposition a, the modal meaning. The examples
I cite to illustrate this stage of the development could
have been grouped into two classes: first, those where
the spirit of to-day can detect the presence of the local
idea; as, 'on foot', (a pied), 'on horse-back', (a cheval),
'on the rack' (approximately  a glaive), ' on the back
(au dos), 'in the hands' (aux mains)', 'in the heart'
5




50                  The Preposition A.
(au coeur), etc., etc., etc.; and then those where we can
no longer feel this presence of place; as, 'with the
sword' (a 1'epee), etc.  But we have no reason to believe that Old French did not also feel even here the
local idea; on the other hand, stray expressions that
have come down to us, like 'put to the sword' (passer
au fil de l'epee), for instance, would lead us to imply the
presence, in that time there, of the local idea in all
cases where a enters into the expression of instrumental
and means-modality.-I have also classed indiscriminately with this stage the expressions of material by
means of which an action or aught is achieved.      Thus,
we still say 'to write in blood', when we mean 'to write
with blood'; or 'wrought in gold', when we mean
'wrought from gold', etc., etc., etc.  This is so perfectly
in accord with the spirit of the whole class that I have
thought a subdivision of the examples useless.
(a.)
Modality suggested by the aid of the divisions of space.
Ad encensiers, ad ories chandelabres       Clerc revestut
en albes et en chapes Metent le cors enz el sarcou de marbre,
Alquant i chantent, li pluisor getent lairmes: Ja le lor voil de lui
ne desevrassent. Alex. 117 a.
" Je l'ocirai a mun espiet trentchanta   Se Mahummet me
voelt estre guarant. Rol. 867.
Meis il n'i ont trovee pas La voie sainne ne le pas, Car li real
lor contredient, Qui mout fieremant les desfient Et la traison
lor reprochent, Asfers des lances s'antraprochent, [Si que
les esclicent et fraingnent, As espees s'antraconpaingnent,]  Si
s'antrabatent et adantent, Li un les autres acravantent, Et ausi
fieremant ou plus Corent li un as autres sus, Con li lion a proie
corent, Qui quanqu'il ataingnent devorent. Cliges, 1748-50.




The Preposition 1.


51


Tant mainte dame ai ja trovee, Qui de grans biens est esprovee.
Moi ne caut; car n'i a celi Qui s'aparaut de rien a li, Ne que li
coevres a fin or. Ille, 37.
Chauces ot de paile chauciees, Mout bien feites et bien tailliees,
Et fu es estriers afichiez, Uns esperons a or chauciez;    Ne
n'ot arme o lui aportee  Fors que tant solemant s'espee.
Erec, 102.
Icist palais aveit en sei  Entur, une entiere parei,  Faite a
piliers e a archiees,        A   vulsurs e a wandiches:
Cloistre resemblout envirun,  Cum a gent de religiun.
Esp. 689, 690.
Mainte chose ai donee,    Mise et abandonee,    Dont je me
repentoie; Se ne l'eusse mise,  Ja ne m'en repentisse  Et j'en
eusse joie. Mainz hon jete a ses piez ce qu'il tient a ses mains,
Ce dit li vilains. Prov. Vil. 59.
Car quant j'an puis une tenir As poinz que j'ai et durs et
forz, Si la destraing par les deus corz  Que les autres de peor
tranblent  Et tot anviron moi s'assanblent Aussi con por merci
crier, Ne nus ne s'i porroit fier  Fors moi, s'antr'eles l'estoit mis,
Que maintenant ne fust ocis.
Yvain, 347.
Si tost cum. il vint al palais E li Bisclavret 1'aperceut, De plain
eslais vers lui curut:  As denz le prist, vers lui le trait.  Ja li
eiist mult grant laid fait, Ne fust li reis ki l'apela, D'une verge
le mana9a. Lais, Biscl. 199.
Sire visquens, c'aves vos fait de Nicolete, ma tresdouce amie, le
riens en tot le mont que je plus amoie?  Aves le me vos tolue ne
enblee?  Sa6ies bien que, se je en muir, faide vous en sera
demandee, et ce sera bien drois. Que vos m'aros ocis a vos deus
mains, car vos m'av6s tolu la riens en cest mont que je plus
amoie. Auc. 6, 12.
Li Vilains l'a A-val git6e  Si li a la langue cup6e, Puis
demanda k'avis li fu  E qu'el en avoit entendu?  Se li prez fu od
fax fauchiez U s'il fu od forces tranchiez? La Vielle ne pot pas
paller  A ses doiz li prist a mounstrer  Qu'as forces l'aveithum trenchi6 Que fax ne l'aveit pas fauchie.
Fab. xcv, 26, 27.




52                   The Preposition  1.
Le conte Amile vit en mi leu ester;  Ne'l vit ainz mais si le
connut assez  As bonnes armes dont il iert adoubez     Et as
nouvelles que on li ot cont6. Am. Am. 173.
Mais quant Elies uint premiers en l'ermitage, Dolans fu de sa
lance qui ne pot ester saue, A Vlespee trenchant dont li brans
d'achier taille En recaupa li ber.iii. pies et une panrme Tant
que ele pot bien entrer en l'abitacle; Quant il en ot oste et
recaupe grant mase, Ne trouast on en France issi longe d'une
aune. Aiol, 95.
Quar el grant ermitage teilz ermites manoit, Qui plus pres de
cinc liwes gote d'aiwe n'avoit. Danz Moyses par nuit a son cot
li portoit, Si faisoit il cascon qui mestier en avoit.
Poeame mor. 63 c.
Dedens la sale pas n'entra  A cheucal ancois ariesta  Defors,
s'est descendus a piet. Ch. II. esp. 176.
Et elleuos el siwant ior dessuz meisme lPalbe del ior, uint uns
serianz a Iulien auoc une epistele a un cheual forment
lasseit de curs, en la queile epistele a lui fut comandeit, ke il
lo serf de deu n'osast pas atochier u mouoir de son monstier.
Dial. Gr. 23, 15.
A  son fort bee li pous trauaille    En un femier por sa
uitaille. Lyon. Ys. 29.
De fin or fu la cauechure mout gentilment ouree, Et a pieres
de grant uertus tot enuiron brousdee. Li archon sont d'un
blanc yuoire tailliet a triforee,  Trestot de l'ueure Salemon
mout sotilment ouree. Venus, 214 b, c.
Lia e repruva, laidit e escharni, Gesk'au sane espandre de
escurgies bati, Des paumes 'a la face criieument feri, En un fust
dresc6, autre entravers parmi, A clos le affermnza encroa e
pendi, De espines curuna, a boivre fel tendi. S. Aub. 237.
Cele part sont ale sans point d'arrestison;   Le chevalier
trouverent si con en pasrnoison, Aymeris l'esventoit au pan
don siglaton,    Et Guillaume d'Orenge l'essue a son giron.
B. Comm. 174-175.




The Preposition A.


53


Un message as V rois transmist Et de par lui savoir leur fist
K'a I d'aus combatre vorroit Le quel que il miex lor plairoit,
Ou au plus vaillant de lor gent Cors a cors, et par tel couvent
Que, se cil a cui combatroit   Par ses armes le conqueroit,
K'Espaigne lairoit A tous jours  Ne mais n'i seroit ses retours.
Cleom. 384.
" Dame," ce dist Tybers, c grans biens vous est creiis, Bertain
avons ocise a nos brans esinolus."   Berte, 684.
Si redirons d'un cheualier Hardi as armes et mout fier.
Rich. 310.
Et li tiers, qui bien avenoit, Estoit a pie et si menoit Par
les resnes le damoisel. Pant. 282.
6" Vassaus ", che dist Saudoines, " comment av s a non? Car
bien sanles tiers prinches au vis et au menton."
Bast. 547.
Quant li.iiij. murdrier ont choisi le mesage, Qui s'en aloit
tous seus a pie par le boscage, Ils sont a lui venu pour paier son
truage, Et li ont dit: "Amis, enten a no lengage; I1 te faut
aquiter a nous de ton passage."  Brun, 135.
(b.)
Modality Suggested by the Aid of Predicated Modality;
or in Other Words, by Means Peculiar to Itself.
In the preceding division, of our work we saw the
preposition a used with parts of the body, with natural
and artificial limits of nature, just as indeed we saw
in  'Basic Constructions' (pp. 1-19).       One essential
difference, however, was seen to exist between these
two groups; for while in the one we took the expression literally and construed 'on the rack' as something
situated on a rack, in     the   other we went outside
the domain of word-signification and gathered up a
meaning of modality: 'with the rack.'




54               The Preposition A..
That is, just as we have seen its local meaning
inveigle the preposition a into the establishing of a
meaning of intensity, so here, commencing with the
divisions of space, another off-shoot of the preposition
has taken root in the language and grown strong into
the suggested expression of modality.
Now, we have already remarked that one of the
favorite make-shifts that language employs for the
suggestion of modality is the quantity and quality
words; that is, those that embody a predication. We
make a predication of an aught (never of an action)
and give to this predication a name; as, joy, grief,
quickness, abundance, etc., etc., etc. And then language,
utilizing this name of the predication, says, for instance:
'he has joy,' in which there is absolutely no literal
meaning, but from which the mind draws a conclusion
of modality.
This means of modality-suggestion was then multiplied to such an extent by the formation of predicated
adverb and predicated adjective expressions, that it can
be said to form the basis, the principal element in
modality-expression for all language.
Once, then, that the preposition a had entered the
border land of modality, enticed by its local meaning,
and had become associated there, in the minds of the
people, with modality-expression, we would naturally
expect it to keep on and enter this especially chosen
field of modality, unless indeed some check, some
clash occurred with its original parent-meaning. Now
instead of there being a clash, there was a great propitiousness,-and this, because language in endeavoring
to grasp neatly the import of these names of predication,
had, happily for the destinies of our preposition, associated them with space! Grief, what is it?-a place, a




The Preposition A.


55


world, a somewhere: doest thou that, and thou shalt
surely come to grief; and then the rich man, as int a
castle, lives in (not from, with or by) plenty.
The road then is not only clear but especially easy
for the passage of a to the expression of pure modality.
Constructions, however, do not develop by jumps; but
from the beginning to the end, the growth is as a chain,
each link of which, by looking, we can find. And from
the concrete divisions of space, to the names of abstract
predications, there is quite a distance. What are the
connecting links, then, between these two points?
In this passage of a' from the divisions of space to
the names of predication, we have a change from the
concrete to the abstract, and for the purpose of reconstituting the stages of the passage we will set before
us the three elements of the construction and study the
changes that take place in each, the one in its relation
to the other. All three elements (the a-phrase, the
verb, and the suggested idea) may, at the beginning,in 'carry on the back,' for instance,-be said to be of a
concrete nature, that is, belonging to the physical class
of ideas. The 'on the back' is physical, and the
modal idea resulting, though naturally abstract in itself,
is here of a physical or concrete nature. Now, we
would naturally expect that ' the idea' would be the
first of these three elements to become completely
abstract or spiritual, and for this stage, those examples
are valid that have the other two elements still concrete or physical, but the idea entirely removed from
the physical world; as, for instance, in the following
example from Lais, Yon. 89: Yonec's mother is
miserable with the old man to whom she has been
married against her will; she complains that she
cannot go to church, nor speak with people, nor have




56                 The Preposition A.
any other pleasure; and then worked into a fury at
these reflections, she breaks out:
' Maleeit seient mi parent E li altre comunalment, Ki a cest
gelus me donerent  E de sun cors me marierent! A forte
corde trai e tir! I ne purra ja mes murir; Quant il dut
estre baptiziez, Si fu el flum d'enfern plungiez; Dur sunt li
nerf, dures les veines, Qui de vif sane sunt tutes pleines."
Here the t-phrase and the verb are perfectly physical
and the idea perfectly spiritual.  The next one of the
three elements to enter the non-physical world is the
verb: as, in   Lais, Chait. 97: "a esperun Choisi
chescuns sun cumpaignun" where the idea is abstract
and the verb is abstract, but the a-phrase still concrete.
And now the a-phrase itself becomes abstract, but as
if it were not yet entirely strong, it appears first joined
to physical verbs; as, in Lais, Guig. 201: Guigemar,
wounded grievously, and mystified by the prophecies
of the dying hind, throws himself on a bed that he has
found in a boat down by the sea; he rests a little
while, and then stung anew by the pain, he rises with
the intention of making his way home; he finds, however, that the boat (guided by invisible hands) has left
the shore and is now on the high sea; he feels that he is
lost, he does not know what to do, and:
"N'est merveille se il s'esmaie, Kar grant dolor out en sa
plaie. Suffrir li estuet F'aventure. A Deu prie qu'en prenge
cure, Qu'a sun poeir lVatneiht a port, E sil defende de
la mort."
Here the t-phrase is abstract, but the verb is entirely
physical, and even the idea has a tinge of the physical,
as if to lend support to ta in its new venture.
Another hybrid construction that should also be




The Preposition A.


57


classified among those that make up this passage of
the preposition a from concrete to abstract expression
is where the idea of instrumental modality (which
properly is peculiar to physical ideas, and hence to be
sought for among the space-divisions) is continued
beyond its proper domain, thus again reinforcing a in
the accomplishing of its duties on foreign soil.
I allude to expressions like: apeler a halte voiz.
When this locution is compared with suivre a mult halz
criz, for instance, one can but be struck by the fact that
the modality of the first example is expressed much
more primitively than in the second. Modern language, indeed, still conserves the first; as,' to call out
in a loud voice,' where the voice is looked upon as the
medium through which the calling is done, and the
local preposition is used to suggest modality. In the
last example   (suivre a mult halz criz), however,
no such correspondence of idea occurs between the
d-phrase and the verb; and the use of a here represents an advanced state of development from     the
original idea. Both expressions, however, belong to the
semi-physical group, coming in between the divisions
of space and the divisions of predicated abstractions.
And then after these stages of the passage we come
upon hosts of examples of a with pure predications,
which show what bountiful life the new construction
has acquired.  Such are: a aise, a grant amour, a
anguisse, a grant bruit, a damage, a delit, a delivre, a
descouvert, a desroi, a grant destreit, a escient, a grant
espleit, a grant force, a gas, a gre, a grant haskiee, a
grant honour, a hunte, a joie, a loisir, a mal, a grant
martire, a paine, a peril, a quois, a rebours, a seur, a
seurtez, a sujur, a tort, a tristour, and many others.




58                   The Preposition A.
The following examples will document what has
been said:
"Filz Alexis, de la toe charn tendre! A quel dolor deduit as
ta jovente! Por quei m' fuiz? ja t' portai en mon ventre; E
Deus le set que tote sui dolente: Ja mais n'ierc liede por home
ne por femme."  Alex. 91 b.
Li emperere en tient sun chief enclin; De sa parole ne fut mie
hastifs, Sa custume est qu'il parolet a leisir.  Rol. 141.
Li plus forz de nos, Li plus orgoillos Vit un mult poi d'ore;
Quant mielz quidet vivre  E estre a delivre,  La mort li cort
sore. Reimpr. 63 e.
" Biaus fiz, feit il, leissier ne doi, Puis qu'a enor tandre vos
voi, Que ne face vostre pleisir. Cliges, 180.
Mout fu a grcant honor voee    A Rome au jour que fu doee
Et la dame et de son per. Ille, 89.
"Que chascuns desresnier voudroit, Ou fust a tort ou fust
a droit, Que cele qui li atalante Est la plus bele et la plus
jante." Erec, 56.
Se alcuns en fust revenuz A joie serreit receiiz. Esp. 496.
A paines trueve l'on    Traitour ne felon  Qui tiegne nule
loi. De fil a felon pere  Ne faire ton conpere; Ja ne te tendra
foi. De put uef put oisel, Ce dit li vilains. Prov. Vil. 14.
" Dame, se nos ne gaeignons," Fet Keus, " an vostre conpaignie,
Gardez que nos n'i perdiens mie! Je ne cuit avoir chose dite
Qui me doie estre a mnal escrite, Et je vos pri, teisiez vos an!
Il n'a corteisie ne san  An plet d'oiseuse maintenir."
Yvain, 96.
Ele le pleint a mult halt cri.  Lais, 2 Am. 222.
Enon diu! fait il, je vous afie quanqu6 il vous plaist. I1 li
afie, et Aucassins le fait monter sor un ceval, et il monte sor un
autre si le conduist tant qu'il fu a sauvete.  Auc. 10, 81.




The Preposition 21.


59


Une grant gate demenda   Sur une taule l'adenta, Une suriz
a desoz mise; Puis kemanda qu'en nule guise   Au vileins qu'il
ni adesast  Ne que desoz ne regardast, Car il voit pres a un
mustier  A oroisun pur deus proier. Fab. XLVI. 20.
Droit a Paris a sa voie torn6e; II escria la gent en mi la pree,
Si s'escria a sa vois qu'il ot clere:    "Que ditez voz, sire
drois empereres?"  Am. Am. 405.
Loeys, li fieus Karle, mal gueredon len fist, II li toli sa tere
et chou qu'il dut tenir  Et le cacha de Franche a paine et a
essil  Par le conseil Makaire que ia dieus nen ait, Vn mauais
losengier, un quiuer de put lin. Aiol, 46.
Tant ont de lod deliz, d'avoir tant d'abundance, Qu'il n'unt
de lor pechiez nule reconissance, Trop funt d'averseries et pechent
a fiance,   Ceaz n'avient onkes maiz ne de mal u'unt dotance.
PoBme mor. 73 c.
Vns ualles biaus et gros et grans    Et apers et plains a
droiture De toutes biautes ke nature  Puet en un cors d'omme
asseoir, Et si ne pooit pas auoir Plus de.ij. ans auoeques.xx.
D'eage, deuant le roi uint Et dist: etc. Ch. II. esp. 1507.
La queile cant ele ot esgardeit lo serf de deu, ele esprise par
l'amor de son filh tint par lo frain lo iument de Libertin, et si dist
a serement:     En nule maniere ne t'en iras, se tu n' auras
susciteit mon filh. Dial. Gr. 12, 15.
Seignors, si or volez entendre,  Se deu plaist, vus porrez
aprendre Aucune veie profitable Por venir a si haute table  Des
noces, ou nul n'entera Qui a dreit vestu ne serra De covenable
vesteure: Car l'om n'i ad d'autre grant cure. Guil. B. D. 76.
Li lous es consoillours acorde; Quar tuit tirent a une corde
Et il sont genz senz conscience, Que de rapine font cheuance.
Lyon. Ys. 210.
Por ceu si uos di iu chier freire. ke miez ualt ke nos repoigniens
ancuen bien si nos l'auons. ke ceu ke nos lailliens mostrant. tot
ensi cum li mendit ki ne mostrent mies lor preciouses uestures
quant il demandent 'almone f anz mostrent lor dras dexiriez et lor




60                    The Preposition A.
menbres de mei nuzf ou ancune enfermeteit sil lFontf por ceu
ke li cuer de ceos kes uaront soyent plus tost enclineit uers ols ea
pitiet. S. S. Bern. 17, 8.
Apres canta la calandres a doce nois et bele:   "Hai, urais
amans loiax, con quisant estincele  Vos a uostre amie trait el cuer
sos la mamele. Dames, por deu, c'or li aidies! mestrait a sa
merele."  Venus, 128 a.
Quant ad la croiz veiie e le crucifi en sun, Ben veit ke signifie
la entaille e la fatun: X genoilluns se met par grant devociun;
De ses errurs fait veraie cunfessiun, A leroies e suspirs fait
ad sa uraissun, A. jointes meins a dit e a weimentiszn":
-  De mes pecchez demant, beus sire Deus, pardun."
S. Aub. 327, 328,
Et Diex, qui tous les biens avance, Mist en li quanque mettre
i dut  Nature, qui pas ne recrut,  Anchois i mist tout a devise
Biaute, bonte, sens et francise. Manek. 75.
A grant joie et a grant deport       Cevaucierent tant qu'il i
vinrent, Duskes la petit sejor tinrent. Jh. Bl. 178.
De Nerbonne s'en istrent li chevalier a plain,  En une praerie
seur la riviere au plain; Chascuns des chevaliers tint sa lance en
sa main.  B. Comm. 110.
"Seignour," dist ele, "pour Dieu ralez vous ent, Le demorer ne
lo pas longuement;  Dites Charlon, oiant toute sa gent, Gaufrois
nel crient un espi de forment, Ne ne feroit pour lui, ce dist,
noient;  S'il ne li siet, s'en praigne vengemeDt.  Des couvenances
que li ot en couvent   Li dux Gaufrois oP Danemarche apent,
Tres bien li dites que il moult s'en repent Et moult le tient a
grant abaissement.        Enf. Og. 327.
Quant cele nouvele oy ot, Au plus tost que il onques pot
S'esmut pour aler cele part K'a envis quitteroit sa part De
deffendre ce dont devoit Estre sires quant Dien plairoit.
Cleom. 426.
Mais il estoit a mnort hiis   De ses freres, pour che mieus
L'amoit li peres de ses fieus. Vr. An. 84.




The Preposition A.


61


Richement fu vestue d'un riche drap d'Octrente; Tel coronne
ot el chief qui moult li atalante, Cent mile mars valoit et plus,
a droite vente. Berte, 275.
"A grant seurte i seres, Quanque uorrez, i aueres."
Rich. 227.
Entre les autres voi venir.I. home qui bien maintenir Se sot
a guise d'ome noble, Et de ci en Constentinoble  N'ot plus
bel nul, je croi, de li, Por coi assez plus m'abely A bien regarder
sa figure. Et sa biaute et sa faiture. Pant. 227.
Or chevauchent les os, a moult riche barnage.
Bast. 79.
La ot.j. chevalier com apeloit Grifon, Qui leur a dit en haut:
Biax seigneur compaignon, Pensons du chevauchier, alons ent
au dongon; Nous avons bien oy le message a bandon     Qui
nous dit de l'enfant la noble nassion, Pensons de l'esploitier sans
nule arestoison  De ci qu'a la Montaigne, a Dieu benelson; Conseillon noseigneur que est enciens hon, Car il en a mestier, selonc
m'entencion."  Brun, 97.
-The expression of temporal modality.
Temporal modality is suggested in two ways: either
by employing the old make-shift of predication, or by
the suppression of the article. As examples of the first
instance may be taken: a bonne, mauvaise, forte, etc.,
Jeure; of the second, a tens, a nuit, a tous jours, etc.,
etc., etc.
That the suppression of the article with temporal
expressions should bring about a suggestion of modality
is easy to understand; inasmuch as here time is no
longer pitted against time and hence divided and
definite, but temporality is contrasted with locality in
such an indefinite way that the mind is no longer able
to apply the regular time-measurements and get a satis



62


The Preposition A.


factory answer to the question when? but finds that it
must leave time and go to locality for its measurement.
This brings about the old state of affairs of a when
+ where    modality. Thus, if we say 'in the time'
the mind has at once the conception of many different
' times' and the consciousness that a special one of these
is to be considered; in other words, that time is to be
measured with time. But if we say 'in time' the state
of things is entirely different. We no longer find a
measurement implied in the temporal expression itself,
and since this is the case we must wait until space
produces this measurement, for what is not time must
be space. Hence to the ' in time' must be added or
implied the 'for what thing' as measurement, which is
far removed from temporality being of a purely local
nature.
What is true for time, is true for its divisions.
A nuit, a jour, a point, a veoir, a cheoir, etc., etc., etc.,
are to a la nuit, al jour, al point, al veoir, al cheoir, etc.,
as a tens is to al tens. That is, in the case of the first
(a nuit) we do not have one night chosen from many
nights for the time of the scene, not time measured with
time, but we have night, this one, that one or many,
dependent on some local idea; as theft or whatever
clandestine proceedings, for instance.
I have found for temporal modality the following
examples:
Li emperere chevalchet ir6ement, E li Franceis curugus e
dolent; N'i ad celui ne plurt e se dement, E preient Deu que
guarisset Rollant Jusque il viengent el' camp cumunement: Ensembl'od lui i ferrunt veirement. De go qui calt? KIar ne lur
valt nient: Demurent trop, n'i poedent estre a tens.
Rol. 1841.




The Preposition A.


63


Ja fust trop grevains li escoz, Que issir les an covenist, Se
ceste janz sor aus venist; Meis il n'i vindrent mie a tans.
Cliges, 2001.
Cevalerie que on vent Par jangler menu et sovent, Ne puet
au lone a bien venir; Car nul n'en daigne sovenir. Ille, 229.
Par deus anz l'a il ja eii, Qu'onques chalangiez ne li fu; Mes
se il ancor oan l'a, A to jorz desresni6 l'aura. Erec, 598.
Quant oi trestout perdu, Li cuens tout esperdu  Me trova en
Hainou;    A  la bone oure i ving,    Car a grant chose ting
Ce qu'il tenoit a pou. Buer jeune le jour, qui la nuit est saous,
Ce dit li vilains. Prov. Vil. 84.
Plaindre se doit qui est batuz: Et je me plaing, si ai reison,
Que vos m'avez de ma meison   Chacie afoudre et apluie.
Yvain, 505.
(Par fei, fet ele, mal m'estait! Jo sui cheiie en malves plait!
Ieo eim le novel soldeier, Eliduc, le bon chevalier; Unkes
a nuit nen oi repos Ne pur dormir les oilz ne clos.
Lais, El. 341.
"Dame," dist il, "entendez ma raison, A nuit sonjai une
fiere avison, Que je estoie a Paris a Charlon, Si combatoit li
ber a un lyon."  Am. Am. 867.
"E, dieus! che dist li enfes, quel brief chi a! Makaires de
Losane le comperra, Se il m'atent a cop, le chief perdra, Mes
honors et mes teres me rendera."  Aiol, 469.
Et ce ne doit om mie de tot en tot blameir, Car enssi puet li
hom lo bien aconstumeir  Et soi de jor en jor en l'amur deu fermeir K'a derrains ne ne vult ne ne s'en puet turneir.
Pobme mor. 23 d.
Durement a a ce pense, Puis dist en bas: "Diex! ke ferai,
Quant ie ia mais ne uoi ne sai Nule rescousse de ma tiere? A tart
mouura mais pour moi guerre  Li rois Artus, car i'ai perdue  Ma
terre, mais n'ert deffendue  Par lui ne n'ert a la rescousse.
Ch. II. esp. 558.




64


The Preposition tA.


Bone uiande ai danz la cruise, Sou que folie ne te nuise. Se tu
la uuez trop haut leuer. A cheoir se porroit creuer.
Lyon. Ys. 764.
Li altre sunt ki forment sunt cusencenols de remettre ancune
creature en paix quant il la noient un     petit escandalizieie.
et paisiule sembleroient estre si ceu nen estoit c'um les puet plus
a tart et plus a poines acoysier ke toz les altres.
S. S. Bern. 19, 6.
Tains fu et pales et tos descolores. "Oures" dist il "terre, si
m'engloutes! Con a fort cure fui de ma mere nes, Quant por
amors sui si mal atornes. Venus, 56 c.
Trespassable est li mundz e tute sa beute  Cum est la flur du
champ u cum 1'erbe du pre; Mes, ki sert Deu e fait la sie volunt6
E murt en sun servise, a bonure fu ne:      Cist regnera eu ciel
sanz fin curun6. S. Aub. 351.
Tout furent lie de sa venue; Li rois boinement le salue. La
pucele respont a point   Que Damediex boin jor lor doinst.
Manek. 781.
Douch tans faisoit, comme en este; Asses avoient de clart6,
Car la lune clere leur luist,  Qui a veoir pas ne leur nuit.
Jh. B1. 1812.
Amustans ", fait il, "sire, pourquoi vous torment6s? Laissi6s
A Buevon dire toutes ses volentes, Car, se j'en sui creiis, pas ne le
destruir6s, Ne lui ne nul des autres, se croire me voul6s;  Mais
tout droit a Barbastre la les envoieres, Car s'en ceste besoigne de
vostre gent perdes  Que la gent de Nerbonne aient enprisonn6s,
Tousjours quatre des vostres pour un des lor raures; Tout
a tacns au destruire, se il vous plaist, venres."  B. Comm. 703.
Lors out la chose tout a point devisee, Coument sera a roy
Charlon moustree. Enf. Og. 177.
K'Espaigne lairoit a tons jours Ne mais n'i seroit ses retours.
Cleom. 387.
A mauvais hoir l'abandonna, Et a mauvais hoir est
venus. Vr. An. 200-201.




The Preposition 1A.


65


" Seignor," ce dist la vielle, A" alez vous atorner, Et je irai la
chose tout a point aprester, Et lors ferez vous ce que vorrai
conmander."  Berte, 514.
Hideuse fu li noise qui la fu chellui jour, De cors et d'olifans,
de trompes, de tabour, Des navres qui gisoient en maint lieu par
l'estour.  La fierent l'un a l'autre en moustrant telle irour
Qu'a veoir seulement elissies grant hisdour; Pieton et chevalier
et tout li haut seignour Estoient tout souilliet de sane et de
suour. Bast. 361.
3. The preposition a in expressions of appurtenance.
An expression of appurtenance or possession comes
into existence at the instance of a desire to differentiate
one aught from another. Were language so rich that
proper names existed for each and every unity of each
and every class, possessive locutions would not exist.
Name-giving, however, did not nor could not go this
far; and language met the requirements of thought as
best it could; namely, by sticking on to an aught that
had a nomen proprium the aught that did not have one,
making thus one name serve a double purpose.
A remarkable cathedral, for instance, existed somewhere for which language had been too poor to give a
name; the city around it, however, had been differentiated from all other cities by the baptizing of it,
Reims; and now since language had not found for the
cathedral a 'St. Peters' or a 'Santa Croce,' it did the
next best thing it could towards differentiation and
said: 'The Reims Cathedral,' or 'the Cathedral of
Reims,' or 'the Cathedral at Reims,' all of which
expressions mean: The cathedral that the personified
aught, 'Reims,' numbers among her possessions. It is
6




66


The Preposition A.


thus that the preposition 2, commencing, as it always
does, with the idea of place, takes up a new role: the
expression of appurtenance.
Now grammarians have a peculiar way of viewing
at times linguistic facts in all other but linguistic
lights. Thus in the case of the present construction,
for instance, 'la Cathedrale a Reims' is looked upon as
one construction and ' la maison a Jean,' for instance,
as another. A Jean, they say, is a personal appurtenance, or possession; while d Reims is non-personal or
thing-appurtenance, and means simply where. A Reims,
then, is regarded as a construction that needs no explanation, inasmuch as 'j'ai ete d Reims,'-meaning: 'I
have been at Reims,' —was said previously and hence
paved the way for ' the Cathedral at Reims.' A Jean,
however, they think, does need an explanation inasmuch as the a Jean in 'j'ai ete a Jean' (a possible Old
French expression equivalent to the Modern French
'j'ai ete chez Jean,') and the 'maison a Jean' have a
different signification, the latter meaning possession,
the former something else.... If, however, we lay
aside logical deductions and confine ourselves strictly
to conclusions drawn from grammatical premises, no
such difference of signification is seen to exist between
a Reims and ac Jean, and one construction becomes as
easy as the other and identical with the other.
For logic Reims is a place; for language it is a
person, otherwise it would not have a nomen proprium.
The moment that an aught receives a name then and
there it enters into all the rights and privileges of
persons, inasmuch as it has been personified, whether
this aught be a sword, a church, an animal, a ship, or
what not. These rights and privileges are recognized
at once by the language, but the logic-save in the




The Preposition  1.


67


minds of those who gave the name, and who hence feel
the sentiment-continues to feel the aught's existence as
it did before the personification. Paris, for language,
has a heart that throbs; for logic it is a spot in space.
Durandal for Roland was a companion of arms; for
us it is only his sword.
The cathedral then a Reims is not 'where' since for
language Reims is not a place. Reims is as much a
person as Jean; and if Jean possesses, so does Reims.
What indeed is possession?-a possession is that which
one has, holds, or carries on himself; that which we
can control, direct or govern; that is to say, possession
is that which is in our reach, that which is immediately
near to us-and here we come back to the space-idea.
Reims, then, mighty in her personification, watches over
and guards jealously the beautiful structure that stands
within her walls and is her own....  Jean can do no
more for the house.
Now it might be said at this point that since local
appurtenance and personal appurtenance had been
merged into one, into personal appurtenance, that all
the difficulties surrounding the explanation of the latter
had been extended to both groups, and that our last
condition is worse than the first. This, however, is not
the case. We saw in the 'Intermediary Constructions'
(pp. 21-24) a use of the preposition a, where an aught
characterized space and lent its name to it. Thus one
was seen to be ' at the devil,' or 'at the king,' or 'at the
maidens,' etc., etc., etc. Now if we suppress the localidea-giving verb, and instead of saying 'li chevaliers
est al roi (- le chevalier est chez le roi),' we have simply
before our mind the scope of differentiation and say
'li chevaliers al roi,' the idea of possession is obliged
to be the result of the expression, since possession is




68


The Preposition  1.


proximity.  The fact that in Modern French the
preposition chez has absorbed from a the entire expression of verbal proximity, leaving it only the substantive
proximity (-possession), should not influence us to
separate grammatically chez l'homme and a l'homme.
It is probable that the fortuitous encroachments of this
chez have done more than anything else towards the
isolating of the d of possession and making it seem as an
independent construction. The Old French, however,
we have just seen, supplies the connective link that is
missing in the modern language. The cathedral, then,
at Reims, is a cathedral chez Reims; and the 'maison a
Jean,' is a ' maison chez Jean.'
Again, too, when the language refuses to make a
dative of the possessive a it ratifies the theory that
possession here is purely a local idea; for if there were
an idea of mental operation or interest we would surely
have had: ' la maison, elle lui est'-a construction
that the language has never permitted. Again, too,
the very ease with which the local proximity has been
recognized in expressions like a Reims, etc.,-so much
so indeed that the real idea is lost sight of-only adds
additional evidence to show that the possessive a is
merely another offshoot of the old local meaning.
The following are the examples I have at hand:
(a)
Appurtenance Employed to Designate Possession.
Fut la pucelle de molt halt parentet, Filie ad un comte
de Rome la citet: N'at plus enfant, lei volt molt honorer.
Ensemble en vont li dui pedre parler, Lor dous enfanz volent
faire asembler. Alex. 9 b.




The Preposition A.


69


"Seignurs baruns, a Carlemagne irez; I1 est a Vlsiege a
Cordres la citet."  Rol. 71.
Car bien sanblez, et je le cuit Que vos soiiez, fit a hauz
homes. Cliges, 365.
Illes ot conpaignie gente  Que il amaine od lui de France;
Petit prisent mes nul sofrance, T1 voient que li flex leur frere
Porte les armes a son pere,     Tout ausi faites connissances.
Ille, 489.
La reine Ganievre i cort Et s'i vint meismes li rois, Keus et
Percevaus li Galois Et mes sire Gauvains apres, Et Torz li fiz
au roi Ares;     Lucans i fu li botelliers; Mout i ot de buens
chevaliers. Erec, 1528.
En eel an meismes trovai  Un evesque a que jo parlai. Nevuz
fu at tierz Seint Patriz    Qui cumpainz ert Seint Malachiz.
Esp. 2073.
A paines trueve l'on  Traitour ne felon  Qui tienge nule loi.
De fit a felon pere   Ne faire ton conpere; Ja ne te tendra foi.
De puet uef put oisel, Ce dit li vilains. Prov. Vil. 14.
Si grant cop con je poi ferir, Li donai, qu'onques ne m'an
fains, El conble de l'escu l'atains, Si i mis tote ma puissance
Si qu'an pieces vola ma lance; Et la soe remest antiere, Qu'ele
n'estoit mie legiere, Ainz iert plus grosse au mien cuidier  Que
nule lance a chevalier; Qu'onques mes si grosse ne vi.
Yvain, 536.
Al hafne vient a Toteneis.     Lais, El. 809.
De ce n'as tu que faire, et se tu fenme vix avoir, je te donrai
Ie file a un roi u a un      conte. II n'a si rice home en
France, se tu vix sa fille avoir que tu ne l'aies. Auc. 2, 33-34.
As proudomes et aus loiax  Avient suvent damage et max  De
la cumpaingnie as feluns;        Mauveis en est li guereduns.
Fab. LXXIX. 41.


Or en irons a la cort a Paris. Am. Am. 195.




70


7The Preposition A1......... et li commande Ke il face mettre la siele  Sour la
mule a la damoisiele. Ch. II. esp. 622.
Et a la foie a l'aoisement de mon dolor ce est aioint, ke la uie
des alcanz ki lo present secle de tote lur pense deguerpirent a
memoire a moi est rapeleie. Dial. Gr. 6, 21.
Furent en paine e en dolur, Desqu'a tant que le salveor, Qui
descendi del sain at pere  Vesti char en la virge mere  E vint
reaindre les chaitifs. Guil. B. I. 131.
D'entor lo ny lo feu alume, lous les pucins a l'aigle
enfume. Lyon. Ys. 740.
Nos conissons trois de ses auenemenz. lPun as hommes.
'atre ens hommes. lo tierz encontre les hommes.
S. S. Bern. 13, 1.
Por ma bealte m'ama si com ie croi, Gentils horn fu et si fu
fils a roi."   "Comment fu mors?"     "I1 fu ocis por moi."
"Por uous? coment? qui ce fist et porcoi? '  Venus, 255, b.
Mut est 1i Deus as crestiens de grant seignurie, Ki lie k'a
pleisir li vent e ki li plest, deslie. S. Aub. 1462.
Fille a maint roy et a maint conte       Virent, dont il ne
tinrent conte. Manek. 261.
En une nef as marceans       Arriva au Douvre Jehans.
Jh. Bl. 111.
Sire, moult vous devroie amer se je sage ere, Quant a conte
sui fenme et a ces enfans mere. B. Comm. 106.
Apres ont tant esploitig et erre Que en la terre as Danois
sont entr6, Mais de Gaufroi n'i out mie trouve. Enf. Og. 294.
Je n'en sai autre cose estraire, L'aniel aiiient a deffaire,  A
z'enfant ont les ieus creves. Vr. An. 387.
" Sire, je en sai une, par le cors St. Omer, Fille au roi de
RHongrie moult l'ai oiY loer, II n'a si bele fenme dega ne delf.
mer; Berte la debonaire, ainsi l'oi nonmer. Berte, 107.




The Preposition A.               71
Cheveux ot qui bien li seoient, Et aussi comme or reluisoient;
Et avoit robe d'un dyapre, Non pas trop rude ne trop aspre,
Mais si bon comme len pot faire; Je n'en sai nul de tel afaire
N'il n'en est nul, mien escient; Ouvrez de pelles d'Orient
Ert, a bestes et a oysiaus. Pant. 255.
Dedens Jherusalem laissierent un baron  Pour garder le chit6
et le noble roion, Et le moullier au roy, qui Margalie ot
non. Bast. 27.
La joune dame qui fu fame au chevalier,       Porta le
bacheler dont vous m'oies noncier, Qui por amer ot puis maint
divers enconbrier. Brun, 40.
(b)
Appurtenance Employed to Designate a Characteristic.
Remembering then, always, the sentiment that gave
rise to the expression of possession, namely, the desire
for aught-differentiation, we come now to one of the
most interesting developments of the preposition d.
In the preceding chapter, we saw an aught differentiated by the attaching of it to another of a greater
comparative importance: a port by a city, a bed by a
maiden, a cloak by a knight, etc., etc.; that is, the more
insignificant and unknown aught became known through
its proximity to a more important and already differentiated aught.
But now, if by chance the aught possessed-which in
itself is the least important-has a striking characteristic which differentiates it from other aughts of the
same class, the position of the two elements may become
diametrically changed, and that one which in reality
possesses the other, is represented as the object possessed. Thus we have seen, for instance, la robe al chevalier; if now, on account of some peculiarity, the robe




72


The Preposition A.


is already differentiated, if it is vermeille, for instance,
the knight to whom in reality the cloak belongs, is
differentiated, he himself, from other knights by the
remarkableness of his cloak, and represented as belonging to, or known by his proximity to it; and we
have le chevalier a la robe vermeille.
Nor is it necessary that a quality-word be always
the means by which the lesser aught is raised to such
distinction: quantity-words accomplish this purpose
just as well. A man has a wife, for instance, and he is
the possessor; if, however, he have twelve wives, he is
differentiated from other like owners by the number of
his possessions and we have le vallet aux douzefames.
So, too, in military terms when the leader has a
remarkable number of men he is differentiated by
this and we find him making an attack a.c. mile, a
cent, etc., chevalier.  Here also must be classed the
tout-construction, where the differentiation of the
lesser element is brought about by tout, another
quantity-word. Thus, 'Hoiax vos vient a tote s'ost,'
where ost, which in reality belongs to Hoiax, becomes
differentiated on account of its entirety; and to such
an extent, indeed, that it differentiates the leader, who
ordinarily comes with only a part.
I have collected the following examples of this
construction:
Enz el' vergier s'en alez li reis, Ses meillurs humes enmeinet
ensembl'od sei; E Blancandrins i vint a 1V canut peil,
E Jurfaleus k'est sis fils e sis heirs. Rol. 503.
" Signor," fait il, "armes vos tost!  boiax vos vient a tote
s'ost A.v. cens chevaliers arm6s. Ille, 985-986.


Por la pucele au chainse blanc,        Qui le cuer ot jantil et




The Preposition A1.


73


franc,  La fille an povre vavasor,  S'esjoissent tuit li pluisor;
Et por Yder dolant estoient Sa pucele et cil qui l'amoient.
Erec, 1075.
"En Salerne ai une parente, Riche fewmme est, mult a
grant rente."     Lais, 2 Am. 104.
Or dient et content et fablent que li quens Bougars de Valence
faisoit guere au conte Garin de Biaucaire si grande et si mervelleuse
et si mortel, qu'il ne fust uns seux jors ajornes qunil ne fust as
portes et as murs et as bares de le vile a 6ent cevaliers et a
dis mile sergens a pie et a ceval; si li argoit sa terre et
gastoit son pais et ocioit ses homes. Auc. 2, 4-5.
Dedenz l'yawe le fist garder  Puis li cumance A demander K'il
voit dedens; cil li a di Que soue ymage meisme vi. Pur ce, fetele, n'es tu pas  Dans cele cuve a tuz tes dras,  Si tu i vois
une sanlanche  Tu ne dois pas avoir creanche  En tes ouell qui
mentent suvent. Fab. XL, 24.
Lors s'adouba la maisnie Charlon, Vestent haubers, lacent
elmes reons, Ceingent esp6es as senestres girons, Montent es
selles des destriers arragons, A lor cols pendent les escus as
lyons   Et en lor poins les roiaus confanons. Am. Am. 215.
Et par desus tout ce uous mande   Con cil ki uous assaut de
guerre K'il est entres en uostre terre A tout.x. mile cheualiers Bien eslis estre les forriers Ki bien guerroient a deuise,
Et si a la roine assise, Ce sacies, de Garadigan, Si ne s'em partira
oan  Pour pooir d'omme ki soit uis  Deuant k'il ait tout le pais.
Ch. ii. esp. 257.
" Dex te saut, frere!" au port sauaige  Dit li asnes au fol
uisaige.    Lyon. Yz. 606.
Ne belt mais des bons vins gisantz en sun celer, De riche vaissele
A servant butuiller; N'a mais deliciuses viandes h manger; Prisun
ad obscure pur sale e pur soler, Manicles e buies en liu de buus
d'or cler; A plume ne a coton ne a pailles d'utre mer,
De sole coiltes pointes n'a mais lit au chucher; Feim ad e sei e
freit au seir e au disner, Pur lit ad roche bise si dure cum acier.
S. Aub. 681.




74


The Preposition 21.


A tant furent les tables mises Et dessus les hestols assises,
Si s'assist li quens premerains  Et puis li autre qui ains ains,
Et Jehans servi de trencier Sa damoisele au cors legier.
Jh. B1. 246.
Aymeris et Guillaume et Bueves au cuer vrai Estoient a
Nerbonne; huimais nul mal n'arai Quantje si faite gent ci endroit
nonm6 ai: Preu furent et preudome. B. Comm. 30.
Quant Namles ot la nouvele escout6e Que Gaufrois vient,
grant joie en a menee; Contre lui va a maisnie privee.
Enf. Og. 140.
N'ai pas nomm6 tous les enfans Qu'ot Marcadigas li gentis
De done Ynabele au cler vis. Cleom. 258.
A un moine courtois con nonmoit Savari, M'acointai telement,
Damedieu en graci, Que le livre as estoires me moustra, et
g'i vi L'estoire de Bertain, et de Pepin aussi Comment n'en quel
maniere le lion assailli. Berte, 10.
Avoekes lui avoit Tangre et Buiemon, Corbarant d'Oliferne, a le clere fasson. Bast. 13.
" Sire," dit li varles, "je vieng de haut pais, A cent chevatiers sui qui sont en ces larris, Qui viennent a vo mant comme
gent de haut pris."  Et quant Butor l'oy, si en fu esjols,  Si
donna au varlet mile mars d'or masis. Brun, 452.
-The expression of temporal appurtenance.
Locutions of appurtenance may, in rare instances, be
said to express temporality; as, 'Ja mais n'iert tels
com fut as anceisors,' Alex. 1 e; or, 'Custume fu as
anciins,' Lais, Prol. 9 and Mil. 63.  As the reader has
already remarked, however, I have thought it best to
place this construction with the others cited under the
title of ' A characterizing aught in temporal space' (page
25). In as anceisors, as anciens, etc., I can hardly find




The Preposition A.            75
for the preposition a developed meaning of possession,
but rather the primitive expression of the where:
'among the ancients,' 'with our fathers,' etc. The fact,
however, that both ideas are here represented (no
matter whether we may choose for the predominance of
the one or of the other) only brings to light again the
intimate relations that exist between the idea of place
and the idea of possession in the a-formula of appurtenance.




BIBLIOGRAPHY.
The following bibliography represents the works that have influenced me in
the preparation of the present dissertation. It must be said, however, by way of
explanation, that in giving the bibliography in the first part of my treatise on
the preposition 4, I anticipate to some extent the second part which is devoted
to the discussion of the meaning of the preposition a with words that express the
Direction of the verbal idea. It is here, in the second part, where those who
have expressed themselves upon the preposition a are the most at variance; and
it is here, too, that I differ more widely from my predecessors, and hence where
I shall have frequent occasion to refer the reader to the above-mentioned works.
Yet, inasmuch as the present dissertation upon the preposition 4 in the expressions of Situation is nothing more than a prefatory exposition of the principles
that underlie and govern the treatment of the preposition 4 in expressions of
Direction, I have thought it more logical to give at the start the bibliography
upon which this larger and more important second part is based, although the
bibliography in question does not directly concern the expression of Situation, on
which indeed nothing of note has been written.
Bourciez, E.-De Prapositione ad Casvali in Latinitate jEvi Merovingici. Paris,
1886. Dissertation.
Burguy, G. F.-Grammaire de la Langue d'Oil, ou Grammaire des Dialectes
Frangais au XIIe et XIIIe Siecles.  Tome II. Troisieme Edition.
Berlin, 1882.
Darmesteter, A.-Cours de Grammaire Historique de la Langue Fran9aise.
Quatrieme Partie, publi6e par les soins de M. L. Sudre. Paris, 1897.
Diez, Fr.-Grammatik der Romanischen Sprachen. Dritter Teil. Fuinfte Auflage. Bonn, 1882.
ftienne, E.-Essai de Grammaire de l'Ancien Frangais. Paris, 1895.
Engel, E.-Uber den Gebrauch der Pripositionen bei Joinville.  Heidelberg,
1884. Programme.
Gessner, E. —tude sur l'Origine des Prepositions Frangaises. Berlin, 1858.
Programme.
Godefroy, F.-Dictionnaire de l'Ancienne Langue Fran9aise. Tome I. Paris,
1881.
Littrd, E.-Dictionnaire de la Langue Franpaise. Tome I. Paris, 1873.
Lorenz, C.-Uber die Verba die den Infinitiv mit 2 und de Regieren. Waren,
1879. Programme.
76




Bbiography.                            77
Lundehn, A. G.-Bemerkungen liber den Ursprung und die Bedeutung der
Doppelten Pr~ipositionen der Franz6sischen Sprache. Stolp, 1864. Programme.
Miitzner, E.-Franz~isische Grammatik. Dritte Auflage. Berlin, 1885.
Miitzner, E.-Syntax der Neufranz6sischen Sprache: Emn Beitrag zur geschiclitlich-vergleichenden Sprachforschung. Erster Theil. Berlin, 1843. Zweiter Theil. Berlin, 1845.
Orelli, C. von.-Altfrainzbsische Grammnatik (Formenlehre), mit vielen Conjecturen und Bericlitigungen. Zweite Auflage. Zurich, 1848.
Soltmann, H.-Der Inflnitiv mit der Priiposition a, im Altfranz6sisclien. Heilbronn, 1881. Dissertation.
Tobler, A.-Vermischte Beitriige zur Franz~sisclien Gramnmatik, gesammelt,
durchgesehen und vermehrt. (Erste Reihe.) Leipzig, 1886. Zweite Reihe.
Leipzig, 1894.
Wueder, 0.-liber den Gebrauch der Prilpositionen im Franz6sischen, and
Engliscehn. DMeln, 1875. Programme.








LIFE.


I, RICHARD HENRY WILSON, was born the sixth day of
March, 1870, in Christian County, Kentucky. In June, 1892,
I took the degree of A. B. at the Johns Hopkins University of
Baltimore, after having passed the examinations incident to the
Classical course. From June, 1892, to October, 1895, I studied
abroad, passing during this time three scholastic years at the
University of Paris in the study of French literature, six
months in Spain and six months in Italy in the study of the
spoken languages of these two countries. The scholastic year of
1895-1896 I spent at the Johns Hopkins University in the study
of Romance Philology, after which I went to the University of
Berlin where I studied for a year the Syntax of the French
Language. In October, 1897, I returned to the Johns Hopkins
University, where I have followed with profit Professor Elliott's
lectures on French Dialects and those on Dante. During this
year I have also had the honor of holding the post of Assistant
under Professor Elliott, to whom I take this opportunity of
acknowledging my indebtedness for the guidance he has exercised
over these six of my student-years.


BALTIMORE, June, 1898.




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