( 476 ) 



No. LXXIII. 



Philological View offome very Ancient Words infeveral Lan^ 

 guages. By the Rev. Nicholas Collin, D. D. Rec- 

 tor of the Swedifh Churches in Fennfylvania. 



Read, June A WISH to explorc thc obfcurc fccncs of rcmote 

 I, 1798. j^^\^ ages, arifes from good and energetic prin- 

 ciples in our nature. Strangers upon earth, and pafling with 

 all mankind on that rapid ftream, which has carried away 

 all former generations, and fhall fweep off all the fucceed- 

 ing till the end of time, we muft make many penfive in- 

 quiries on the opening and clofe of this myfterious drama ; 

 on the characters and fortunes of the multitudes that have 

 ii(!ted their parts, and of thofe who ihall fini£h the remain- 

 der ; on their deftinies under future modes of life in other 

 regions of the vaft univerfe ! The Creator has confined our 

 riew of his defigns within narrow limits ; but this defire 

 of the mind to pry far beyond the ken of mortal eyes, and 

 this fyrapathy embracing the whole human race, are clear 

 indications from him, that our intelled;ual powers fhall ob- 

 tain a wide and blifsful fphere of exertion, and that we 

 ought to be fatisfied with the fruits of their faithful effays 

 in this world. Numerous and exadt obfcrvations on the 

 complicated fyftem of human nature are effedual means 

 of its improvements, and afford virtuous enjoyments in this 

 dawn of our exiftence. 



The languages of nations are fabrics raifed from rudi- 

 ments to various forms and magnitudes, fai lefs by acci- 

 dents, than by application of thought and fpeech to the 

 various and growing circumltanccs of human focieties. 

 The co-operation of thefe faculties is a fpecies of common 

 fenfe : we often hear children aik, what is ihis, bow is it 

 called P Many illiterate but intelligent perfons in all coun- 

 tries are remarkable for fuch queltigns : in rude nations 



many 



