-244 graTnmr.tical disquisitions. ^ug.iz, 



adopted this two-fold distinction at least, of singulah 

 iad p/ural respecting number. 



In most languages the distinction by inflection is 

 no more than two-fold. Wherever the particular 

 value of plurality is meant to be specified, the num- 

 ber is added, as two, three, ten, twenty, or an hundred 

 kings. In some languages, hov\ ever, a particular in- 

 flection has been adopted for exprefsing the number 

 two, which has been called the duul number ; and we 

 can easily conceive it pofsible for some languages to 

 have other variations of the noun, for yet higher de- 

 finite numbers, though none of these have bv.'en yet 

 discovered. 



With regard to gender. This also has been said 

 to be three-fold, vi^.. masculine, feminine and neuter. 

 The idea here inculcated has been evidently bor- 

 rowed from the practice of the Latins, who, by a 

 •particular artificial construction of their language in 

 other respects, found it extremely convenient to adopt 

 the variations here specified ; and from the L.itins 

 v.'e have borrowed these words, without seeming to 

 have annexed any precise ideas to them. What re- 

 spects the inflection of the neuter gender has no foun- 

 dation at all in nature ; and it will be easy to.lhow 

 that what relates to the other genders is accidental 

 also, and, if it were necefsary, imperfect. 



God hath been pleased to create most part of ani- 

 mals male znd female. There is nothing therefore 

 unnatural in denoting the male and the female of the 

 same animal, by the same word slightly diversified. 

 it may therefore happen, tliat in some languages this 

 variation of the noun does take place, as in prince^ 

 princefs, peer, peer efs ; in which case the NOUNS might 



