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obferved, metaphorical or figurative expreffions formed by accident, approved, adopted, and transmitted. But no Philologer attempts the vain labour of tracing them to their origin, or minutely explaining the causes which introduced them. He never tells us what there is in the temper or manners of an Englishman that leads him to fay, "it is cold," instead of "it "MAKES cold," or, "let us make an experiment," inftead of "let us make a danger, according to the Latin idiom." And he would find it difficult, I prefume, to explain that difference of manners or customs of the Hebrews and the Romans, which led them to obferve different effects of anger on the human aspect, and to form different figurative expreffions of this paffion So that if the Pfalmift were to use Latin words, he would fay-" Tunc loquetur ad eos in NASO fuo *;" while the Satyrist uses a different phrafeology, on the fame occafion;

Quin Jupiter ambas

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I recollect two short lines from the last quoted author, which exemplify the two fpecies of phrafeology above mentioned. Cujus octavum trepidavit tas

Claudere LUSTRUM.

Trepidavit, and, claudere, are instances of Roman idiom, not to be explained from manners or customs, and requiring no previous knowledge of thefe, in order to be understood. Luftrum, on the contrary, is a particular elegance of phrase derived from a particular cuftom. And yet a foreigner might eafily comprehend that the word fignifies a space of five years, altho' he is not previously made acquainted with a long detail of regifters, taxations, &c.

True it is, that an accurate observer of nature may account for the peculiar idiom of a language, in many inftances, from

manners,

*Pfal. 2.

V. 4.

manners, &c. even where the expreffion is not merely technical or political; for the glowing figurative phrases of the Eaft, (for inftance) compared with the more corrected elegance of the Weft. But how are the manners, characters, and tempers of any people first discovered? I prefume, from converfing with them; from their language, from their characteristical phrases. A Critic may tell us, whence it is that one nation uses a bolder and more figurative phrase, to exprefs a particular action or fentiment, than another. But first he muft learn, that it is a bolder and more figurative phrase, and know the action or fentiment expreffed by it. Or, in other words, the knowledge of idiom is fo far from requiring, or implying a previous one of tempers, manners, &c. that the very converfe of this feems to be the fafer principle; and that tempers and manners are not to be learned, without fome degree of previous acquaintance with the peculiarities of a language.

CHAP.

CHAP. XVI.

INSTEAD, therefore, of accepting that proof of the di

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vine Inspiration of the Apoftolical writings," the utmost "rudeness and barbaroufness of Style, which the most exaggerated "accounts can reprefent;" a proof, deduced from principles at least precarious and controvertible, if not absolutely erroneous; a proof, which these writings do not need, and which, if rejected, cannot in the least impair their authority; it seems I more prudent to confine ourselves to a proposition, which, I am confident, admits of the clearest evidence; that "all the "rudeness of style which the most accurate Critic can disco"ver in the writings of the New Testament, afford neither "PROOF Nor PRESUMPTION, that the authors were NOT divinely inspired."

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For while I deny that clear intelligence is conveyed to foreigners, by using the terms of their language, and preserving the idiom of our own, I cannot think it necessary to accept of the alternative offered by the learned Bishop, [p. 44.] and to admit,

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admit, as a neceffary confequence, that, in order to be clearly understood in any language, our knowledge of it must extend to ALL it's peculiarities or elegancies. This is indeed an ignorant fancy, and repugnant to reafon and experience: The vulgar in every nation converfe intelligibly with their countrymen, without knowing or conforming to the elegancies of their own language. The perfon of greatest refinement, who addresses himself to this order of men, must accommodate his language to his hearers; in order to be understood, in order to make an impreffion upon their minds, his fpeech, far from being polite and elegant, must be strictly plain, and fometimes even rude and coarse. An Englishman who can speak the French tongue with tolerable ease and fluency, tho' not with accurate purity, not without fome mixture of his native idiom, may yet inform a Parifian of matters of fact; may inftruct him in fome important rule of conduct; may give clear and fatisfactory evidence in his courts of juftice. And unhappy it would be for mankind, indeed, if no intelligence could be clearly conveyed, but by the strictest accuracy and niceft elegance of language.

Let us then proceed to the cafe of a foreign language inftantaneously communicated by divine power. The GIFT of TONGUES, in it's nature, manner, and extent, must have been such as is WORTHY of God. Granted! But in this worthiness I nothing more can be implied, than that it must be abundantly fufficient for the purposes of his wisdom and goodness. One purpose was, to manifeft the divine agency by this miracle. And furely, a Rhetorician who had been witness of this effufion of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles, must have justly expofed himself to the ridicule of all fenfible men, had he attempted

attempted to efface the impreffion of this ftupendous event, by obferving that, altho' these men were in a moment enabled to speak intelligibly in strange languages, yet they did not speak them exactly with the fame elegance and correctness as the most admired orators or writers in each language, nor without such a mixture of their own idiom as diftinguished them from those to whom the languages were vernacular.

Another purpose was, to convey truths of the utmost, general importance to mankind, either by no means discoverable to human reason, or imperfectly and difficultly discoverable by the most improved reasons.And to convey them, not in such a manner as to prevent all poffibility of the least ignorance or mistake even in the most inattentive hearer; to fubdue the most inveterate perverfeness, or obftinate fupineness, but so as to fatisfy the ingenuous and diligent enquirer: and, in some cafes, to afford an opportunity for the display of candor and humility.

It is not NECESSARY, that the language, in which fuch truths are thus conveyed, fhould be abfolutely clear of any foreign mixture, even tho' fome degree of obfcurity or difficulty fhould arife merely from fuch mixture. Because, it was intended that an occafion fhould be left for inquiry and examination, and a diligent exercise of the mental powers; and attention and ingenuousness are encouraged by the promise of acceptance

and reward.

It is not POSSIBLE, that the language in which fuch truths are thus conveyed, should be exactly conformable to any approved model of human compofition. Becaufe, it is to express sentiments and ideas which never were conceived by the Orator or Philofopher, and for which, of consequence, they afford no terms or forms of fpeech.

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