The Origins of Old Germanic Studies in Low Countries

496 Pages·1999·25.154 MB·English

by  Kees Dekker

BRILL'S STUDIES
IN
INTELLECTUAL HISTORY
General Editor
A J. VANDERJAGT, University of Groningen
Editorial Board
M. COLISH, Oberlin College
J.I. ISRAEL, University College, London
J.D. NORTH, University of Groningen
H.A. OBERMAN, University of Arizona, Tucson
R.H. POPKIN, Washington University, St. Louis-UCLA
VOLUME 92
KtG/
THE ORIGINS OF
OLD GERMANIC STUDIES IN
THE LOW COUNTRIES
BY
KEES DEKKER
y
y s
BRILL
LEIDEN · BOSTON · KÖLN
1999
This book is printed on acid-free paper.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Dekker, Cornells, 1961—
The origins of Old Germanic studies in the Low Countries / by Kees
Dekker.
p. cm. — (Brill's studies in intellectual history, ISSN
0920-8607 ; v. 92)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 9004110313 (cloth : alk. paper)
1. Vliet, Jan van, 1622-1666. 2. Philologists—Netherlands-
-Biography. 3. Germanists—Netherlands—Biography. 4. Germanic
languages—Study and teaching—Netherlands—History—17th century.
5. Germanic languages—History. I. Title. II. Series.
PD64.V55D46 1998
410'.92—dc21
[b] 98-41715
CIP
Die Deutsche Bibliothek - CIP-Einheitsaufhahme
Dekker, Kees:
The origins of old Germanic studies in the low countries / by Kees
Dekker. - Leiden ; Boston ; Köln : Brill, 1998
(Brill's studies in intellectual history ; Vol. 92)
ISBN 90-04-11031-3
ISSN 0920-8607
ISBN 90 04 11031 3
© Copynght 1999 by Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, Vie Netherlands
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PRINTED IN THE NETHERLANDS
CONTENTS
Acknowledgements ix
List of abbreviations xi
Introduction 1
1. The state of the art 2
2. Methodological considerations 4
3. Contents of the chapters 6
Chapter One The study of Old Germanic languages: the
beginnings 9
1. Humanism and method 9
2. Manuscripts 13
3. Feelings of national identity 24
4. The Reformation 29
5. The art of printing 34
6. The Leiden philological tradition 41
7. The study of language 43
7.1. Classical philology 44
7.2. Comparative language studies 46
7.3. Literacy and eloquence 52
8. Concluding remarks 55
Chapter Two Jan van Vliet (1622-1666): vicissitudes
of a philologist 58
1. Youth and parentage (1622-1637) 58
2. University and grand tour (1637-1643) 61
3. Marriage and early career (1643-1647) 66
4. Gathering storms and migration (1647-1650) 73
5. England, sorrow, and recovery (1651-1654) 76
6. Historian and philologist (1654-1659) 83
7. Breda and royalism 86
8. Germanic philology and Francis Junius (1659-1665) 90
9. Bankruptcy and death (1665-1666) 104
10. Concluding remarks 108
VI CONTENTS
Chapter Three Van Vliet's philological kitchen: the primary
ingredients Ill
1. Manuscripts and incunables 112
2. Printed books 122
3. Excerpts 131
4. Glossaries 135
5. Miscellaneous studies 140
6. Published works 147
7. Final remarks 158
Chapter Four Hactenus mihi fere inaudita: sources and
references 160
1. Old English 161
2. Old High German 169
3. Gothic 175
4. Frisian 178
5. Dutch 179
6. Scandinavian 182
7. Special groups 183
8. Concluding remarks 185
Chapter Five Contemporary scholars and influences 189
1. The native language 191
2. History and law 198
3. Vredius, Boxhorn, and De Laet 205
4. Vossius, Grotius, and Salmasius 218
5. Casaubon and Ménage 231
6. Ole Worm 236
7. Concluding remarks 238
Chapter Six Van Vliet's Germanic studies 240
1. Scope 241
1.1. Languages and names 242
1.2. Gothic 242
1.3. Runic 244
1.4. Ancient German 245
1.5. Anglo-Saxon 248
1.6. Frisian 251
1.7. Dutch 252
CONTENTS vii
1.8. Comparison with Junius 257
2. Motivation 264
2.1. Attitude to the Germanic languages 264
2.2. Cognatio verborum, or origo versus etymologia 270
2.3. Universal language 281
2.4. Empiricism 287
3. Method 296
3.1. Treatment of Junius's material 296
3.2. Sound and meaning 305
3.3. Onomastics, toponymy, and history 321
3.4. Emendatio 325
3.5. Concluding remarks 334
Chapter Seven After Van Vliet 338
1. England 339
2. Lambert ten Kate 342
3. 't Vader ons 346
4. Frisian proverbs 349
5. Concluding remarks 351
Chapter Eight Retrospect 352
1. Humanism 352
2. Words 353
3. The vernacular 355
4. From the Batavian myth to the Gothic myth 357
5. Knowledge, views, and theories 359
Appendix One Jan van Vliet's correspondence 361
1. Letters by Jan van Vliet 361
2. Letters to Jan van Vliet 380
Appendix Two Van Vliet's dedication to Magnus de la Gardie . . 388
Appendix Three Inventory of Van Vliet's printed works 430
Bibliography 433
Index 471