92 THE BEE, OR Jan. r^*- 



furface between eaft and weft, was fiippofed to be in 

 the dire£lion len;^th-wil'e or toiighudlrud : and any dif- 

 tance between fouth and north) was the ccurfe broadwiXe 

 or laUtuiinal. Hence they formed the word longitude 

 and latitude^ to denote thcie particulars. From the La- 

 tins, all, or mofl of the languages in Europe have bor-. 

 rowed thefe two words : and although the original 

 meaning of the elements of thefe words are v/eil knov.n 

 when adverted to, and although it be a^ well known 

 now that the earth is a compait ipherical globe, and 

 not a flat table of unequal dimenfions, yet no inconve- 

 nience is felt from the ufe of thefe words, becaufe, wheii- 

 ever they occur, they immediately fuggefl: to the mind 

 of the perfon who hears them, the idea of diftance on 

 the earth's furface, in the oppolitc direftion already 

 fpecified, and nothing elfe. We therefore find it con- 

 venient to ufe thofe words 5 and it would be evidently 

 inconvenient and improper to alter the langu;ige by 

 inventing other words, whofc elements cxprefled our 

 ideas at prefeiity concerning the fubje£l, as perfetlly as 

 the original elements expreffed the ideas of the Romans; 

 becaufe a time may come, when a fuperior degree of 

 knowledge might fhew that this new formed word was 

 equally improper as the old one that had been rejefted ; 

 and thus the language would be rendered fo fludtuating 

 and variable, as never to be completely underftood by 

 any one who fhould have occafion to ftudy it. 



Innumerable words occur in every language, that have 

 been thus formed, and have varied their meaning by 

 time, fo as when analized, to exprefs very incongruous 

 ideas; but when con fidered merely as fimple figns, ex- 

 prellive of certain notions, are perfedtly good and un- 

 exceptionable. Thus, catidlejl'uk is well known to de- 

 ftote any fubftance employed as a ftand for fupporting 

 a candle : originally this was no doubt a fmall piece of 

 nvoody ufually called a Jluky employed for the purpofe 

 of fupporting the candle ; but now it is made of various 

 kinds of metal, all of which, hov/cver, are czllQ&Jick j 



