The Latin A T, and the Greek AE. 121 



" autem conjunftio, T acciperet *." From this paffage, it is evi- 

 dent, that the conjunction AT was originally written AD : That 

 the difference in their orthography, though obferved by many, 

 was not, at that time, univerfally obferved ; and that this dif- 

 ference was introduced to diftinguifh the conjunction from the 

 prepofition. The fortune of the Latin AD appears, therefore, 

 to have been fimilar to that of the Englifli TO. Both of them 

 are prepofitions, and of the fame fignification. Both of them, 

 when the object which they govern is not formally flated, have 

 been reckoned conjunctions; and, in both, a difference of ortho- 

 graphy has at laft obtained to diftinguifh the conjunction from 

 the prepojition. 



2. THE proportions, whereof AT is faid to mark the oppofi- 

 tion, are both of them true, and they exprefs truths which are 

 co-exigent. They cannot, therefore, be oppofite in one of the 

 acceptations of that term. They may be apparently incompati- 

 ble, but they are not really fo. Thus, in the example formerly 

 mentioned, " Aulam tyranni frequentabat ; AT patriam ama- 

 1 bat," the two characters of courtier and patriot, however in- 

 congruous they mzyfeem to be, are reprefented as united in the 

 fame perfon. Considering the matter a priori, then, it feems 

 reafonable to imagine, that, on fuch occafions, a term would 

 be employed to mark the union, which is uncommon and unexpebled, 

 rather than the oppofition or incongruity , which is apparent. Ac- 

 cordingly, we find, in fact, that thofe of the conjunctions call- 



q ed 



" quo die ? Quo, ut ante dixi, infaniffima concio ab ipfius mercenario tribuno plebis eft 

 " concitata : Quern diem ille, quam concionem, quos clamores, nifi ad cogitatum facinus 

 " approperaret, nunquam reliquiflet }" " On what day, TOO ?" <b"c. This is an inftance 

 extremely fortunate for our purpofe ; bccaufe, although the afiton of CLODIUS and the 

 time which he chofe for it appear incongruous, yet the praftice of the Englifh language 

 admits of our rendering AT literally ; " CLODIUS was beforehand with him, on a day 

 " TOO when his prefence'was neceflary at Rome." 



IN the foregoing examples, which comprehend all the common applications of AT, it 

 leems to mark the union, [expetfed or not eKpeSief], not the oppojttion, of the objefts con- 

 nefted by it. 



* Lib. i. cap. 7. 



