APPENDIX. 65 
“ words apparently fynonymous.” To illuftrate this criticifm, 
he copies from Dr JOHNSON the articles Bur and HUMOUR, 
and oppofes to them the fame articles digefted agreeably to his 
own idea. The various fignifications of the word BuT are 
very nicely and happily difcriminated. The other article does 
not feem to have been executed with equal care. 
Tue obfervations on the ftate of learning in Europe are 
written with ingenuity and elegance ; but are chiefly intereft- 
ing,as they fhew the attention which the Author had given to the 
philofophy and literature of the Continent, at a period when 
they were not much {tudied in this ifland. 
In the fame volume with the Theory of Moral Sentiments, 
Mr Smitu publifhed a Differtation “ on the Origin of Lan- 
guages, and on the different Genius of thofe which are origi- 
nal and compounded.”” The remarks | have to offer on thefe 
two difcourfes, I fhall, for the fake of diftin@inefs, make the 
fabject of a feparate fection. 
Sb Cat LON... tt 
Of the Theory of Moral Sentiments, avd the Differtation on 
the Origin of Languages. 
| gg {eience of Ethics has been divided by modern 
writers into two parts; the one comprehending the 
theory of Morals, and the other its practical doftrines. The 
queftions about which the former is employed, are chiefly the 
two following. Fir/t, By what principle of our conftitution 
are we led to form the notion of moral diftinctions ;—whether 
by that faculty which perceives the diftintion between truth 
Vou. III. (I) and 
Account of 
Dr Smith, 
