194 T HEO RT of the 



that undertaking I novy^ have the honour to fubmit to the confi- 

 deration of the Royal Society. 



As there is fomething peculiar in the plan and manner of it,, 

 it is proper to mention the reafon of this peculiarity. In thofe 

 accounts of the moods of verbs which I have feen, there feem- 

 ed to be a want of fufEciently numerous and extenfive and 

 accurate obfervations of the particular fadls that were to be ex- 

 plained or accounted for ; a want of fufficiently precife and 

 dirtind notions of the general import of the moods ; a hafty 

 and carelefs admiffion of certain general principles not duly 

 afcertained, and a vague tife of certain general and compre- 

 henfive terms, which were not fufficiently explained or under- 

 ilood. 



In order to avoid thefe errors, and to fupply thefe defeds, 

 I have proceeded on a plan more nearly akin to that which has 

 long been fuccefsfully employed in phyfical inveftigations ; be- 

 ginning with a colledion of obfervations relating to the moods 

 of verbs ; from thefe deducing certain general principles, and 

 verifying thefe principles by further obfervation, and even ex- 

 periment. Such a plan is undoubtedly laborious, and may ap- 

 pear tedious ; but I think it has advantages amply fufficient to 

 compenfate thefe inconveniences. 



I MUST mention likewife, that this EfTay bears a particular 

 and very intimate relation to the dodrine concerning the moods 

 of verbs, laid down by the learned author of the treatife on 

 the Or'r^in tiiid Frogrefs of Language, (Vol.11.) with which 1 may 

 prefuine my hearers to be fufficiently acquainted. 



The account which he gives of the number, the nature, 

 and the import of the moods of verbs, though veiy acute, and 

 in many refpeds perfedlly jufl, is certainly very incomplete, 

 and in one important circumftance it is very obfcure ; which 

 makes me fufpedl, that, on this point, he had not carried his 

 inveftigation fo far as to obtain a complete and diftindl view of 

 the fubjedl which he was treating. 



But 



