[ 27 ] 



IV. On the Importance of Studying and Preserving the Lan- 

 guages spoken by Uncivilized Nations, with the view of elu- 

 cidating the Physical History of Man. By Dr. Hodgkin.* 



T> EFORE proceeding to the objects which it is my design to 

 " lay beforeyou, I would beg leave to take a rapid glance at the 

 range which our Association maybe considered to embrace. The 

 study of language may, Iconceive, betaken up on several distinct 

 grounds: 1st. It may be considered metaphysically, by which 

 I mean the consideration of language generally, as the means 

 of giving expression to the feelings and operations of the mind. 

 To this head might belong the question whether language is 

 coeval with the creation of man, or has been gradually worked 

 out by the development of his faculties, having nothing more 

 than the mere capability of utterance as the original material with 

 which to work. I confess that whilst it is impossible to doubt the 

 progressive development of language, I am inclined to unite 

 with those who admit the former proposition. The metaphy- 

 sical philologist may nevertheless pursue his speculations and 

 inquire hypothetically into the mode in which language might 

 be progressively built up to satisfy the wants of man. With 

 this inquiry, however, I have little inclination to meddle, but 

 I would take this occasion to mention an interesting essay in 

 some degree bearing on this subject, recently written by Ben- 

 jamin Harrison, jun., of Christ Church, Oxford. To this 

 same division of the subject belong the general or univer- 

 sal principles of grammar. 2ndly. Another division of the 

 subject, to which there is some difficulty in giving a name, forms 

 a most essential part of what are called the Belles Lettres. It 

 has not so much to do with the wide range offered by the nu- 

 merous languages spoken in different parts of the globe as 

 with the profound and critical knowledge of a few to which 

 common consent has given a prominent position. These are 

 studied in all the varieties of style and idiom as well as in the 

 modifications which at different periods they have exhibited. 

 This branch of the subject necessarily requires an intimate and 

 minute acquaintance with the best authors who have written 

 in these languages ; and the individual who has successfully 

 devoted himself to this branch of our subject, is considered 

 par excellence a learned man and a great scholar. It is not 

 my object to detract from the estimation which pure and ele- 

 gant Latinity and an intimate acquaintance with the dialects, 

 idioms, and metres of the Greeks have by common consent 



* Read before the Philological Society by Dr. Hodgkin, in the course of 

 the present session, and now printed with the permission of that Society, in 

 order to make known some of the suggestions contained in it. 



E2 



