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Obf. V. Ideas is to be traced in the words through which the Ideas are conveyed, fo the origin of Language is referable to the fame fource from whence our Ideas are derived, namely, natural and external objects.

VI.

There is not perhaps a subject more curious, or which affords more interesting spe culation to the mind, than the origin of language. Nor is it a theory merely amufing to the imagination; but at the fame that it pleases the fancy by abstracting it from prefent modes and habits, it may be attended with confequences very beneficial to the practical knowledge and acquifition of the nobleft dialect of human speech. With the history of language in general fome writers have connected the hiftory of the human mind, and the origin of its ideas; which has been executed in fome measure by the French writers on this subject, and more especially by Lord

MON

MONBODDO; but no writer, that I know, Obf. VI. has profeffed to trace the origin, progress, and connexion of Ideas, through the medium of any particular language, in which they are expreffed. To attempt this is the subject of an Inquiry founded on a grammatical Analysis of the GREEK Language; of which inquiry it is the purpose of this Observation to give some account; after having premised a few words on the origin of Language in general, and having taken a nearer view of that fubject, than was done in the preceding Obfervation.

Man, we are told, had a language from the beginning: for he converfed with God, and gave to every animal its particular name. But how came man by language? He must either have had it by Inspiration, ready formed from his Creator; or have derived it, by the exertion of thofe faculties of the mind, which were implanted in him, as a rational creature, from natural and external objects, with which he was furrounded. Scripture is filent on the means by which it was acquired. We

are

Obf. VI.

are not therefore warranted to affirm, that it was received by Inspiration; and there is no internal evidence in language to lead us to fuch a fuppofition. On this fide then of the question, we have nothing but uncertainty. But on a subject, the causes of which are fo remote, nothing is more convenient than to refer them to Infpiration, and to recur to that eafy and comprehenfive argument,

Διος δε τελειετο βουλη

that is, man enjoyed the great privilege of speech, which distinguished him at first, and ftill continues to distinguish him, as a rational creature, fo eminently from, the brute creation, without exerting those reasoning faculties, by which he was in other refpects enabled to raise himself so much above their level. Inspiration then feems to have been an argument adopted and made neceffary by the difficulty of accounting for it otherwise. And the name of Inspiration carries with it an awfulness, which forbids the unhallowed approach of inquifitive difcuffion.

But

But as was observed we are not warranted Obf. VI. from Scripture to affirm, that Man received his language by Inspiration. We are therefore free to fearch for another origin. Now if we suppose that it was derived from natural and external objects, there are in language numberless internal proofs to justify such a fuppofition; and we shall further have the pleasure of observing, that in this case alfo Man's reason was not given him in vain.

The fame all-wife and benificent Creator, who gave the mind to will, and the band to execute: gave alfo the mind to form and compare ideas, and the organs of speech to utter them. As the firft Man came not into the world with the debility and imperfections of infancy, it is probable that the inftruments of will, mechanical and organic, were moved by a like inftantaneous, and as it were involuntary impulfe. His language, it is likewife probable, was fimple, monotonous, and, in great measure, monosyllabic*:

* Certum eft linguas omnes, quæ monofyllabis conftant, cæteris effe antiquiores. SALMASIUS de re Hellenistica, p. 390.

He

Obf. VI. without composition and inflexion, and other varieties of polished speech. Those innovations of language, which at the same time serve the purposes of convenience and ornament, by distinction, in variety as well as volubility in found, were, it should seem, introduced by fucceeding generations, and became expedient by the multiplied pursuits and neceffities of Man. The love of imitation, and custom, in length of time, introduced a number of fimilar forms, and an uniformity even in the irregularities of fpeech; and thus established without fcience and without art, the principles of what, in later Ages, was to become a very refined art, which Philofophers and Grammarians were afterwards to develope and arrange, and to call the Art and ANALOGY of Language.

From this period we behold language under its established forms, and arranged ac

He confirms his obfervation by many instances existing in the more antient Greek.—In the Analyfis below mentioned, the elements of the Greek Language are fhewn to have been monofyllables.

cording

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