74 Mr, Brand'j Objervatwm on the Latin Terms 



Hence it appears, that philofophy is not retrained to the ufe of 

 the common terms of any language ; nor, for the fame reafon, to 

 thofe of the hiftorians, orators, dramatic writers, poets, &c. of that 

 language, either fepaiately or conjointly: but, as every art has 

 terms of its own,fo has every branch of fcience. 



That he who enriches any fcience with. a number of new difco- 

 veries, confers a fecond general benefit, by enriching the language 

 in which he treats of them, by all fuch terms as fhall be requifite tc* 

 do it in the bed manner. 



Cicero, repeating his new term quality^ adds with great philofo- 

 phical pleafantry, " Faciamus traclando ufitatius hoc verbum, et 

 tritius." And it may be faid of the terms of natural hiftory, that 

 our elegant claflical fcholars will find their afperities wear off very 

 foon, if, by adding to their former acquifitions a knowledge of this 

 new philofophy, they make themfelves practically verfed in the 

 ufe of them. There may remain fome precifely defcriptive, which 

 may be yet added ; fome reformation may be wanted in thofe which 

 may have been haftily adopted ; and from them we may expect it. 



It is to^be obferved, that thefe arguments defend the liberty, not 

 the licentioufnefs, of introducing new terms ; and defend it upon 

 the footing of necefhty only ; and therefore extend that liberty no 

 further than fuch neceGTity actually extends. 



I had thought to have finifhed here; but having made fo much 

 ufe of the authority of the great ornament of the Roman forum, 

 the fentiments of the elegant expofitor of our own laws on this 

 fubject are not to be pafTed by. Thefe, with a minute change to 

 avoid the introduction of frefh matter, are as follows : " This is a 

 " technical language calculated for eternal duration, and eafy to be 

 H apprehended both in prefent and future times ; and on thefe ac- 

 " counts beft fuited to preferve thofe memorials which are intended 



" to 



