^-2 on PortugaT% yan. 4^ 



iliorter and blunter than it is. They also agree- 

 in admitting that the animal has a power of mov- 

 ing those horns, in such a way as to admit of its- 

 using the fiiortest horn only, for digging or tear- 

 ing up objects it wishes to overturn ; a circum- 

 stance that does not seem to be easily comprehend- 

 ed. In time the facts respecting this animal will 

 be more fully explained. 



OBSERVATIONS 



ON THE 



♦ HISTORT OF PORTUGAL. 



[Continued fron\ p. aa.] 



'^he following LETTER is from another Portuguese 

 Gentleman on the fame Subject. 



May 18. 1784. 



I HAVE the honour of receiving your letter o£ 

 the 4th inftant ; and if I have not fooner writtea 

 to you, it was only because I wiftied to think de- 

 liberately on the letter of Mr before I 



communicated my ideas on that svibject- I now 

 communicate them to you. 



In the fii^ place, all the world knows, that in 

 order to write the history of any nation, it is ne- 

 cefsary to be fully acquainted with its language, 

 to be able to read with ease the authors, and ori- 

 ginal manuscripts, and memoirs that tend to illu- 

 strate the subject. The Portuguese language has 

 experienced the same changes as almost all o- 

 thers ; so that the writings of the time of John I. 

 are dilTerent from those of the days of Emmanuel i 



