170 PROCEEDINGS OF THE CANADIAN INSTITUTE. 



communication of liis wants and thoughts, whereas a study of 

 the phenomena of language on sound inductive principles proves 

 beyond doubt, to use Prof. Whitney's language, that thei-e was a time 

 when man was as destitute of language — i.e., articulate s})eech as a 

 medium for the communication of his wants and thoughts — as the 

 dog, that is to say, that man, as man, had to acquire by patient and 

 labored effort, a medium of expression in precisely the same way as 

 every child has since, with this important difference, that primitive 

 man had to do it wholly unaided while the child receives the assistance 

 of those aroiind it. The closer one examines the phenomena of 

 speech the more irresistibly is one drawn to this conclusion, a con- 

 clusion I may add now held by the majority of the most eminent 

 of modern philologists, and hence in accordance with this supposition 

 Mons. Havelocque most unhesitatingly asserts that language is 

 altogether beyond the control of man or groups of men, whereas 

 experience even within the historical period goes to show that this 

 statement is only partially true, and if we can show the reason why 

 the growth and development of language is, in a measure, outside 

 of the control of man on a more scientific basis than Mons. Havelocque 

 has attempted to do, we shall have taken away the only argument 

 he uses that carries any force with it and this with the light modern 

 research has thrown upon the subject we shall have no difficulty in 

 doing. 



In examining the phenomena of language then, one of the most 

 obvious features always confronting us is the different families or 

 groups as we term them into which language is divided, a method of 

 division rapidly growing less fixed and clear, and assuredly pointing 

 to a time when the science shall be a little older and our knowledge 

 of the subject a little more extensive, when we shall be able to trace 

 with comparative clearness all the various existing families or groups 

 to one pi'imitive source. The whole tendency of modern research 

 leading in that direction ; and this being so it Vvill then become a com- 

 paratively easy task to put one's finger upon the law or force which 

 differentiates the offspring one from another and all fi'om the common 

 parent, and if we turn to the older science of physiology we shall 

 there discover a law or tendency at work which if we borrow and 

 set in motion within the province of language will clearly demonstrate 

 the processes that developed all existnig groups of language from one 



