appear extremely unfortunate in the particular care he has taken (part 2. book i. c. 15.) to make an exception from the general rule he lays down (of the Verb's being the parent word of the whole language), and to caution the candid reader from imputing to him an opinion, that the Conjunctions were intended by him to be included in his rule; or had any connexion whatever with Verbs. "This so copious derivation from the Verb in Greek, naturally leads one (says he) to suspect that it is the Parent word of the whole language and indeed I believe that to be the fact. For I do not know that it can be certainly shewn that there is any word that is undoubtedly a Primitive, which is not a Verb; I mean a verb in the stricter sense and common acceptation of the word.-By this the candid reader will not understand that I mean to say that prepositions, conjunctions, and such like words, which are rather the pegs and nails that fasten the several parts of the language together, than the language itself, are derived from Verbs, or are derivatives of any kind." Indeed, in my opinion, he is not less unfortunate in his Rule than in his Exception. They are both equally unfounded: and yet as well founded as almost every other position which he has laid down in his two first volumes. The whole of which is perfectly worthy of that profound politician and philosopher, who (vol. i. p. 243.) esteems that to be the most perfect form, and, as he calls it, "the last stage of civil society," where Government leaves nothing to the free-will of individuals, but interferes with the domestic, private lives of the citizens, and the education of their children! Such would in truth be the last stage of civil society, in the sense of the lady in the comedy, whose lover having offered" to give her the last proof of love, and marry her;"she aptly replied-" the last indeed: for there's an end of loving.". But what shall we say to the bitter irony with which Mr. Harris treats the moderns in the concluding note to his doctrine of Conjunctions? Where he says,-" It is somewhat surprising that the politest and most elegant of the Attic writers, and Plato above all the rest, should have their works filled with particles of all kinds and with conjunctions in particular; while in the modern polite works, as well of ourselves as of our neighbours, scarce such a word as a particle or conjunction is to be found. Is it that where there is connection in the meaning, there must be words had to connect; but that where the connection is little or none, such connectives are of little use? That houses of cards, without cement, may well answer their end, but not those houses where one would chuse to dwell? Is this the cause? Or have we attained an elegance to the antients unknown? 'Venimus ad summam Fortunæ,'" &c. I say, that a little more reflection and a great deal less reading, a little more attention to common sense1 and less blind prejudice for his Greek commentators, would have made him a much better grammarian, if not perhaps a philosopher.-What a strange language is this to come from a man, who at the same time supposes these particles and conjunctions to be words without meaning! It should seem by this insolent pleasantry that Mr. Harris reckons it the perfection of composition and discourse to use a great many words without meaning! If so, perhaps Slender's language would meet with this learned gentleman's approbation : I keep but three men and a boy yet till my mother be dead; But what though yet I live a poor gentleman born." Now here is cement enough in proportion to the building. It is plain however that Shakespeare (a much better philosopher by the bye than most of those who have written philosophical treatises) was of a very different opinion in this matter from Mr. Harris. He thought the best way to make his zany talk unconnectedly and nonsensically, was to give him a quantity of these beautiful words without meaning, which are such favourites with Mr. Harris. I shall be told, that this may be raillery perhaps, but that it is neither reasoning nor authority: that this instance does not affect Mr. Harris: for that all cement is no more fit to make a firm building than no cement at all that Slender's discourse might have been made equally as unconnected without any particles, as with so many together: and that it is the proper mixture of particles and other words which Mr. Harris would recommend; and that he only censures the moderns for being too sparing of participles.-To which I answer, that reasoning disdains to be employed about such affected airs of superiority and pretended elegance. But he shall have authority, if he pleases, his favourite authority; an antient, a Greek, and one too writing professedly on Plato's opinions, and in defence of Plato; and which, if Mr. Harris had not forgotten, I am persuaded he would not have contradicted. He says,— "Il n'y a ny beste, ny instrument, ny armeure, ny autre chose quelle qu'elle soit au monde, qui par ablation ou privation d'une siene propre partie, soit plus belle, plus active, ne plus doulce que paravant elle n'estoit, là où l'oraison bien souvent, en estans les Conjonctions toutes ostées, a une force et efficace plus affectueuse, plus active, et plus esmouvante. C'est pourquoy ceulx qui escrivent des figures de rétorique louent et prisent grandement celle qu'ils appellent déliée: là où ceulx 1 The author would by no means be thought to allude to the common sense of Doctors Oswald, Reid, and Beattie; which appears to him to be sheer nonsense. LETTER TO MR. DUNNING. cy qui sont trop réligieux et qui s'assubjettissent trop aux règles de la grammaire, sans ozer oster une seule conjonction de la commune façon de parler, en sont à bon droit blasmez et repris, comme faisans un stile énervé, sans aucune pointe d'affection, et qui lasse et donne peine à ouir1." And I hope this authority (for I will offer no argument to a writer of his cast) will satisfy the-"true taste and judgement in writing" of Lord Monboddo; who with equal affectation and vanity has followed Mr. Harris in this particular; and who, though incapable of writing a sentence of common English, really imagines that there is something captivating in his stile, and has gratefully informed us to whose assistance we owe the obligation. If these two gentlemen, whom I have last mentioned, should be capable of receiving any mortification from the censure of one who professes himself an admirer of the " vulgar and unlearned" Mr. Locke, I will give them the consolation of acknowledging that a real grammarian and philosopher, J. C. Scaliger, has even exceeded them in this mistake concerning the Particles: for he not only maintains the same doctrine which they have adopted; but even attempts to give reasons a priori, why it is and must be so. If the generous and grateful (not candid) reader should think that have treated them with too much asperity, to him I owe some justification. Let him recollect, then, the manner in which these gentlemen and the Common Sense Doctors have treated the 'vulgar, unlearned, and atheistical' Mr. Locke (for such are the imputations they cast upon that benefactor to his country); and let him condemn me, if he can. And thus, Sir, have I finished what I at first proposed; namely, to prove that in the information against Lawley there was not the smallest literal omission. In the elucidation of this I have been compelled to enter into a minute disquisition of some mistaken words, which ignorance would otherwise have employed in order to render a very plain ridicule ; for position, ridiculous. I shall not however expect to escape so very disgusting is this kind of inquiry to the generality, that I have often thought it was for mankind a lucky mistake (for it was a mistake) which Mr. Locke made when he called his book, an Essay on Human Understanding. For some part of the inestimable benefit of that book 'Though the sound of the Greek would be more pleasing to Mr. Harris, I quote the bishop of Auxerre's translation; because I have not the original with me in prison. At the same time it gives me an opportunity to remind their Lordships the Bishops of our days, of the language which that virtuous Prelate held to a Sovereign of France; that, instead of being ready on all occasions to vote for blood and slavery, they may, from that example, learn a little more of their duty to their country and mankind. 2 [Oswald, Reid, and Beattie. See p. 151, note .-ED.] 3A 2 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 Essay, or a Treatise on Words or on Language. The human Mind, or the human Understanding, appears to be a grand and noble theme; and all men, even the most insufficient, conceive That to be a proper object of their contemplation; whilst inquiries into the nature of Language (through which alone they can obtain any knowledge beyond the beasts) are fallen into such extreme disrepute and contempt, that even those who "neither have the accent of Christian, pagan, or man," nor can speak so many words together with as much propriety as Balaam's Ass did, do yet imagine Words to be infinitely beneath the concern of their exalted understandings! Let these gentlemen enjoy their laugh. I shall however be very well satisfied if I do not meet with your disapprobation: and I have endeavoured studiously to secure myself from that, by avoiding to offend you with any the smallest compliment from the beginning to the end of this letter. It is not any to declare myself, with the greatest personal affection and esteem, your most obedient and obliged humble servant, JOHN HORNE. King's-Bench Prison, AiσOnTikov, 663, 670, 675. A l'herte, Fr., 319. All 'erta, Ital., 318. Alley, 322. Amongst, 226. Amyable, 659. An, 53, 70, 78, 81, et seqq. 690, 698. Analytic, 672. Anca, Ital. & Span., 571. And, 70, 117, 714. Anew, 273. Angel, 313, 315. An-honge, 228. | Anima, Lat., 315. Apostle, 313, 322. Appetite, 326. Applause, 326. Apposite, 319. Aquatic, 638. Aqueduct, 321. Adays, 271. Adept, 316. Alliance, 322. Adieu, 263. Ally, 322. Admissible, 658. Alms, 639. Adown, 244. xxiv. Aloft, 273. Adrift, 252. Alone, 290. Adulatory, 638. Along, 231. Along of, xx. Arare, Lat., 529. Adult, 316. Aloð, 623. Advent, 322. Als, 148, 719. Adventure, 679. Adversus, Lat., 226. Advocate, 325. Affable, 658. Affannare, Ital., 347. Affanno, Ital., 347. Amabo, Lat., 629. Arable, 658. Aringa, Ital., 507. Armée, Fr., 322. Army, 322. Amatory, 638. Amatus, Lat., 655. Amble, 666. Ambulare, Lat., 666. Amerò, Ital., 629. Around, 236. Arow, 274. Aroynt, 482. Array, 470. As, 147. Amiable, 658. Amicable, 661. Aside, 236, 270. Askant, 259. Affix, 325. Amichevole, Ital., 665, 669. Askew, 259. Afflux, 325. Amid, 231. Affuera, Span., 178. Amidst, 231. Among, 226. xx. Asleep, 274. Aspect, 324. Assailant, 322. |