STUD'i' xii. 77 



The language of the Ruffias, in the North of 

 Europe, is very fofr, being a dialeél of the Greek; 

 and the jargon of the fouthern provinces of France 

 is îiarlh and coarfe. The Laplanders, who inhabit 

 the fliores of the Frozen Ocean, fpeâk a language 

 that is very grateful to the ear; and the Hotten- 

 tots, who inhabit the very temperate climate of the 

 Cape of Good- Hope, cluck like India cocks. 

 The language of the Indians of Peru is loaded 

 with ftrong afpirations, and confonants of difficult 

 pronunciation. Any one, without going out of his 

 clofet, may diftinguifli the different charafters of 

 the language of each Nation, by the names pre- 

 fented on the geographical charts of the Country, 

 and may fatisfy himfelf that their harlhnefs, or 

 foftnefs, has no relation whatever to thofe of La- 

 titude. 



Other obfervers have affcrted, that the languages 

 of Nations have been determined and fixed by 

 their great Writers. But the great Writers of the 

 age of Augnjlus did not fecure the Latin language 

 from corruption, previoufly to the reign of Marcus 

 Aurelius. Thofe of the age of Lowi XIV. already 

 begin to be antiquated among ourfelves. If pof- 

 terity fixes the charader of a language to the age 

 which was productive of great Writers, it is be- 

 caufe, as they allege, it is then at it's greateft pu- 

 i^ty ; for you find in them as many of thofe i-nvcr- 



fions 



