It is obvious that the readiest way of distinguishing between the two is to call the one "Scottish" and the other "English," ignoring accuracy for the sake of practical convenience.

This is precisely what happened in course of time, and the new nomenclature would have done no harm if the study of Middle English had been at all general.

But such was not the case, and the history of our literature was so much neglected that even those who should have been well informed knew no better than others.

The chief modern example is the well-known case of that most important and valuable book entitled _An Etymological Dictionary of the Scottish Language_, by John Jamieson, D.D., first published in Edinburgh in 1808.

There is no great harm in the title, if for "Language" we read "Dialect"; but this great and monumental work was unluckily preceded by a "Dissertation on the Origin of the Scottish Language," in which wholly mistaken and wrongheaded views are supported with great ingenuity and much show of learning.