^388 OBSERVATIONS ON THE 



Amidst the equilibrium of" sentiment on such subjects, and 

 the consequent indifference to the investigations themselves 

 which previously prevailed, Mr IIoune Tooke publislied his Di- 

 versions of Parley, — a work which must be acknowledged not 

 only to exhibit a brilliant display of the genius of the author, 

 but to afford a luminous explanation of" some points in the' sci- 

 ence that were formerly obscure. 



This author has refuted some of the errors of his predeces- 

 sors with so much clearness of argument, and exposed their 

 incongruities with such forcible effect, that it might naturally 

 have been expected that these errors would not have been re- 

 peated. But his lucubrations have laboured under some disad- 

 vantages. The circumstance of his declining to deliver his 

 opinion on some important points has prevented his readers 

 from appreciating the merits of his doctrines, or even from 

 perceiving whether or not he was in possession of a complete 

 system on the subject : while the boldness of his asseverations, 

 the acrimony of his polemics, and the delight which he betrays 

 in confounding the self-comjilacency of those whom he regards 

 as less enlightened, have probably cherished, in many of his 

 readers, a prejudiced attachment to errors which might other- 

 wise have been considered as exploded. 



It is on all hands allowed, that Mr Tooke had the merit of 

 o'ivin"' this department of inquiry a more interesting character 

 than it formerly possessed ; and those who are disposed to read 

 his work with a view to information, and to pass over alhthat 

 is dark or uncertain in it, cannot fail to be much instructed. 

 "Even where he appears to aim at the subversion of sound and 

 hicfiily valued principles, the facts on which he proceeds are 

 deserving of careful attention ; and though we may for a time 

 fail in endeavouring to account for them, they are worthy of 



being 



