completion of it will very much facilitate Obf. VL the acquifition of that copious, and difficult language. There are two parts of the language which he will now particularly mention, namely, prepofitions and particles; and the article and pronouns : both of which have been almost universally given up * as of ar

* Mr. Court de GEBELIN, who thinks, that we ought to seek in the power of the radical letter for the original fignification of words: (for inftance, he fays that T fignifies perfection, grandeur, highth, &c. and that it gives the fignification of lifting up to the Latin word tollo, and of raifing the voice in demanding to poftulo; for he derives it from Pho and tol, tul: (See his Dictionaire Etymologique de la langue Latine;) but which by a different analogy may be fhewn to belong to the fame origin as pofco. Proceding thus, Bow, Bon, Boxw' now, posco, aspirated, pow, Own' then wow, ποστω, (as κλάω, κλάςω, κλάσης, κλασα ως ατιμαω, ατιματης" &c. pofto, poftulo.) and that the organs of the voice were calculated to express each a particular class of ideas; and that all words are but a mere mechanical imitation of the ideas which they express formed by founds analogous to the different objects: When in his Grammaire Univerfelle he came to treat of Prepofitions, found himfelf entirely at a lofs to fhew any connection between the found and the fignification of the Prepofitions. S'il exifte des mots, (he fays, p. 304.) qui durent paroître l'effet du hazard, ce furent fans contredit les Prépofitions: la plupart n'offrent aucun rapport entre lear fon et leur valeur; du moins celles, qui font d'une origine ancienne. He however is perfuaded, that they were not arbitrary and formed at hazard. And has accordingly, in different parts of the Monde Primitif, endeavoured to account for the origin of many Greek and Latin Prepofitions by Etymologies very different from the method of the INQUIRY; in a manner lefs fimple, and as it fhould feem there

fore,

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Obf. VI. bitrary formation, the caufe of whofe origin it

L

is impoffible to affign. Thus the President 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 seems 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 shewn to be derived from verbs expreffive of the general Idea of Motion.

deducible

deducible from the general idea of motion; and on the other, to fhew what was the primitive fymbol of perfonal relation, whence adopted, and how gradually resolved and formed into the feveral claffes of pronouns. -AND fo much for the present by way of prolufion to the Inquiry.

Obf. VI.

It is hoped that no apology will be thought necessary for the above remarks, as they feem 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

P

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Obf. VI, brated characters of the present age, his prodeceffors on the subject of Grammar.

The utility of these 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 uninterefting leifure of a dull grammarian, I will take the liberty to finish this Observation

One of the advantages refulting from the grammatical analysis of language is the diftinction and connexion of different Ideas expreffed by fimilar words, and the discrimination of words written with the fame letters but expreffive of different Ideas. Dr. PRIESTLEY (in his Observations 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 impor"tant knowledge which relates to the accurate diftinction 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 moft converfant with the works of the Greek Philofophers, and with the language, in which they are written; or with the writings of the two celebrated interpreters of ancient Philofophy, Mr. HARRIS, and Lord MONBODDO.

with

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

take,) which Mr. LOCKE made when he "called his book, an Effay on Human Un

derftanding. 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 Treatife on Words, "or on Language. The human Mind, or "the human Underftanding appears to be a

66

grand 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

6.

beafts,) are fallen into fuch extreme difre"pute, that even those, "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."