Obf. VI. bitrary formation, the cause of whofe origin it is impoffible to affign. Thus the Prefident de

BROSSES: Elles font elles même racines primitives; mais je n'ai pas trouvé qu'il fut poffible d'affigner la cause de leur origine: tellement que j'en crois la formation purement arbitraire. Je penfe de même des particles, des articles, des pronoms, des relatifs, des conjonctions, &c. Traité fur la Formation Méchanique des Langues. Vol. II. p.187,188. Paris, 1765. Our own language indeed, as far as relates to the conjunctions, has lately been ably and fatisfactorily vindicated by Mr. J. HORNE, (in a Letter to JOHN DUNNING, Efq.) from that general charge of barbarifm, from which the author of the Inquiry hopes to vindicate the Greek, by endeavouring to explain on one hand the origin of the prepofitions and particles, as

fore, lefs fatisfactory. It feems to be another flattering confirmation of the new fyftem propofed in the Inquiry, that by it the Greek and Latin Prepofitions are all eafily reducible to the fame general principles as the other parts of Speech, and may be fhewn to be derived from verbs expreffive of the general Idea of Motion.

deducible

was the pri

deducible from the general idea of motion; and on the other, to fhew what was the mitive fymbol of perfonal relation, whence adopted, and how gradually refolved and formed into the feveral claffes of pronouns.

AND fo much for the prefent by way of Defo profufion to the Inquiry.

It is hoped that no apology will be thought neceffary for the above remarks, as they seem not to be out of their place, but connected with the study of Antiquities, and indeed a curious part of it, in which, as it seems much yet remains to be difcuffed by diligent Inquirers into the Antiquities of Language. There cannot be greater encouragement to fuch Inquiries, than the very ingenious and happy attempt on one part of our own language by Mr. Horne. In reading which we cannot but regret, that the praises due to the Author's ingenuity and learning are nearly cancelled by the illiberality of his cenfures paffed on fome of the most celebrated

11

P

Obf. VI.

Obf. VI. brated characters of the present age, his predeceffors on the fubject of Grammar.

The utility of thefe difcuffions has been fufficiently fhewn and enlarged upon by the authors before quoted. (Obfervation V. p. 61, &c. But as all verbal and Philological inquiries are often and perhaps haftily condemned, from not paying fufficient attention to their real nature and end, as laborious trifles, and fit only to employ the idle uninteresting leisure of a dull grammarian, I will take the liberty to finish this Observation

One of the advantages refulting from the grammatical analyfis of language is the diftinction and connexion of dif ferent Ideas expreffed by fimilar words, and the discrimination of words written with the fame letters but expreffive of different Ideas. Dr. PRIESTLEY (in his Obfervations on Education, p. 45.) fays, "that the knowledge of one language, "and the comparing it with another is a very useful exer"cife, and is an excellent introduction to that most impor66 tant knowledge which relates to the accurate diftin&ion of "ideas, which are expreffed in words." Dr. Priestley will forgive me if I do not accede to the cenfure, contained in the next fentence, of the Greek Philofophy: the very reverse of which cenfure, I apprehend, is true in the judgement of thofe, who are most converfant with the works of the Greek Philofophers, and with the language, in which they are writ ten; or with the writings of the two celebrated interpreters of ancient Philofophy, Mr. HARRIS, and Lord MONBODDO.

with a paffage from the conclufion of the Obf. VI. abovementioned letter. "I have often thought

"it was a lucky mistake, (for it was a mif

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take,) which Mr. LOCKE made when he "called his book, an Effay on Human Underftanding. For fome part of the inefti"mable benefit of that book has, merely " on account of its title, reached to many "thousands more than, I fear, it would have " done, had he called it, (what it is merely,) "a grammatical Effay, or a Treatise on Words, "or on Language. The human Mind, or "the human Understanding appears to be a grand and noble theme and noble theme; and all men, " even the moft infufficient, conceive That "to be a proper object of their contempla"plation: whilft Inquiries into the nature "of Language (through which alone they "can obtain any knowledge beyond the

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beafts,) are fallen into fuch extreme difre"pute, that even thofe, "who have neither "the accent of chriftian, pagan nor man," "do yet imagine Words to be infinitely be"neath the concern of their exalted Un"derstanding."