I70i. LITERARY 1NTELLI6ENCER. ^^ 



is often a troublefome procefs, even this alfo will be 

 avoided where it can be eafily done. If a word has 

 been invented in one language to denote the idea, thofe 

 "who employ another language, and who have accefs to 

 know that word, will naturally adopt it, inftead of 

 forming a new one for themfelves. In this manner 

 words pafs from oni* language into another in great 

 numbers ; fo that it is impollible to find any civilized 

 nation which has not in this manner borrowed a great 

 deal from the languages of others who have preceded 

 it, or with cotemporaries, with whom they keep up a 

 continued intercourfe. 



In forming compound words, however, it muft al- 

 ways happen, that the ideas which pi-evail at the time, 

 will influence in the choice of the elements employed 

 to form the words. Thefe ideas may in time appear 

 to have been falfe and- ill founded ; but the words 

 when once formed, will continue to be employed as 

 proper names, without being influenced by the obvious 

 original meaning of the elements of which they were 

 compofed. They may even in tim^ come to exprefs 

 things directly incompatible with the idea entertained 

 at the time the words were formed, without occafion- 

 i;ig the fmalleft ambiguity or embarraflment to thofe 

 who are acquainted with the ufe of the language in 

 which thefe words occur ; becaufe, whenever the word 

 is employed, it immediately excites the idea it was in- 

 tended to denote, without neceflarily indicating the com- 

 pound idea that influenced in the choice of the limple ele- 

 ments of the words. Thefe therefore are difregarded, or 

 not adverted to. 



To give an example,— The Romans at an early pe- 

 riod in their fcientitical knowledge, believed that the 

 earth which we inhabit, confided of a flat furface of 

 great extent, wliich ftreached out much farther from 

 cad to welt, than from north to fouth. They there- 

 fore denoted thefe dimenfions by the words long and 

 broad. Any dilhncc, therefore, meafured on the earch's. 



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