[ 42 J 



to the refcarches of the hiftorian, and the fpeculatfons of the 

 morahft. 



To this general rule there is, however, one exception. Long 

 before the manners of the Greeks had reached that refinement, 

 or their polity had been matured to that perfedion which con- 

 ftitute a nation highly civilized, their language had become co- 

 pious, energetic and corred. In the compofitions of Homer we 

 find, perhaps, as much ftrength, harmony and expreffion, as in 

 thofe of any fubfequent Greek writer; and yet unqueftionably, in 

 Homer's day, Greece had made no very confiderable approaches 

 towards excellence in the arts, fkill in government, or refinement 

 in manners. 



But if in Greece we find an exception to the rule which marks 

 on the fcale of language the improvement of the national mind, 

 in modern Europe we meet abundant illuftration of its truth. 

 Here, it will be found, that until fettled government, founded 

 On permanent fyftcm, fucceeded the flufluations of defbotifm 

 or anarchy, and, inftead of the ferocious and whimfical manners 

 of the middle ages, introduced the milder and more rational habits 

 of modern times, until, in a word; the light of philofophy (hone 

 in our horizon, and fcattered the thick ■•darknefs which hung 

 around the human intelled, the language of every people in 

 Europe correfponded in coarfcnefs and confufion with iheir modes 

 of life and of thinking. Of this England herfelf is perhaps the 

 moft ftriking inftance. With a conftitutibn which vibrated long 

 between oppofite extremes before it finally fettled in the middle 



point 



