Ch.

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the variety of things.—Defect of Bar-

barous languages in this refpect.-

There must not be a redundancy, any

more than a defect of words.-This

prevented by that art of language we

call flection.-In this the Barbarous

languages very defective.-The words

of the language should convey the

meaning fully and accurately,-also

without obfcurity or ambiguity.-In

both thefe articles Barbarous langua-

ges are defecte.-They Supply the

defect by tones of the voice.-Words,

that have a connection in their mean-

ing, connected together in their found

by derivation and compofition.-The

Barbarous languages want this art.

-The want of words fupplied by me-

taphors and other trops.-In this the

Barbarous languages are not defici-

ent,—but most deficient of all in fyn-

tax.-Reasons for this.-All langua-

ges Spoken by Barbarous nations not

barbarous,

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Ch.

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3. Greater variety both of found and fenfe in compofition than in fingle words.-The greater variety the greater beauty,-alfo the greater difficulty.-The wonderful variety of compofition in the learned languages. Of compofition in the Barbarous languages.-There must be more or less of the art of compofition among fuch. Barbarous nations as hold public affemblies, and therein make harangues. -Aftory to that purpo,

4. An account of the Greek language.— This the most perfect language the author knows.-Its refemblance to the Sanferit language of India.-From the Greek language the author has formed his notion of what is most perfect in language.-Of the found of the Greek language.-More founds in it than we can pronounce.-Vowels in Homer frequently gaping upon one another.-Alfo rhymes, both of verfes and of hemiftics.-The words in Greek neither too short nor too long.

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Ch.

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-The shortest words are those that

occur the most frequently, fuch as Con-

junctions and Prepofitions.-The ter-

minations of the Greek words most

various and most pleasant to the ear.

-None of their words terminate in

mute confonants.-Difference of fpi-

its in Greek. This fhould not be

confounded with loud and low.-No

fuch diftinction betwixt the fyllables

of the fame word in Greek or Latin.

5. Of the mufic of the Greek language.

-It confifts, like other mufic, of me-

lody and rhythm.-It has melody in

fucceffion, and may be confidered as

having mufic in parts. Of the dif-

ference betwixt the melody of mufic

and that of fpeech.-Of the rhythm

of the Greek language, and the beauty

it must have given to their pronun-

ciations.-The mufic of language known

even among fome Barbarous nations.

-The northern nations of Europe

probably got their language from na-

tions who spoke a mufical language ;

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Ch.

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but not having a genius for music,

they loft that part of the language.-

The Greeks a moft musical nation,

got the elements of mufic from Egypt,

but improved it very much.-Of the

mufic of the Indians of North America,

how they came to have mufic in their

language accounted for.-Conclufion

of what is faid upon the found of the

Greek language.-Neceffity of analy-

fing it, as has been done, in order to

form a right judgment of it.

--

6. Of the words of the Greek language,

confidered as fignificant.—The art of

the Greek language most wonderful in

this respect. Of the noun, and the

various things denoted by its declen-

fion.-Of the verb, and the ftill great-

er variety of expreffion by it.-Of

the words in Greek formed from the

verb.-The Greek verb, though ex-

preffing fo many different things, not

incumbered or overloaded.

7. Of the compofition in Greek.--The use

of it in faving words, and making the

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43

Ch.

fyftem of the language more perfect.— Of the variety of its compofition with verbs and prepofitions.—Of derivation in the Greek language.—The account, given by the author, of the Greek derivation, makes the language a wonderful fyftem of art.-The fame was the fyftem of Hempfterbufius.-Not probable that both Hempfterbufius and the Author fhould have fallen into the fame error, without communication with one another.-Other arguments in favour of this fyftem of etymology. -The Greek, according to this fyftem; refembles very much the Sanfcrit language. The language of Homer particularly has a wonderful refemblance to that language.

8. Of compofition in Greek-the greateft beauty of all-requires variety as much as any thing else belonging to language. The arrangement in Greek wonderfully various.-By a proper arrangement the fenfe conveyed more

b

Pag.