> Marcia Karp wrote:
> 
> Yes, Peter, the OED also has wilcuma as the first form of welcome in
> English.  You're welcome was the it I was glossing.
> These histories are interesting, don't you think?

William Empson's greatness as a literary critic was  closely tied to his
love of the OED. This may be a false memory, but I thin he occasionally
referred to it simply as "The Great Book."

Carrol