-Chap. I. A N T I E N T M E T A P H Y S I C S. lo^ 



more difficult in pronunciation than the 'voivels.— Differences from 

 thence accounted for, betivixt the barbarous and civilized LaU' 

 guages. — Another difference betivixt the barbarous and civilized 

 Languages, is the extraordinary length of the ivords of the bar" 

 barous Languages : — This accounted for. — Of the origin of articu- 

 lation. — It could not have been brought to any perfeSlion, but in a 

 country vuhere it ivas fudied and praSiifed as an Art. — Of the 

 progrefs of articulation from monofyllabical ivords to ivords of fe- 

 veral fy liable s. — Of the variety in the fowud of Language by diph- 

 thongs; — and by voix'els and confonants, afpirated and not a/pirated, 

 — Language mujl have been analifed into its elemental founds^ be- 

 fore the found of it could be made fo perfe^. — Of the melody and 

 rhythm of Language. — Of the expreffion of ideas by Language.— 

 Thefe of number infnite ; — but divided into certain clajjes or parts 

 of fpeech. — This divifion correfpondent to the divifion of our ideas 

 ■into Categories. — The number of ivords appear to be infinite •,^— 

 made camprehenfble in our memories, by the three great Arts of 

 Language, Derivation, Compofttion, and Flection. — Of Syntax^ 

 Mnd the neceffity of it. — Conclufion, that Language is the grsatefl 

 of all Arts. — Ohjeclion anfivered, That children learn to fpeak 

 without Art.— Speech, though a mofl common thing, is very ivon- 

 derful : — An acccufit given hoiv it is learned; — offo difficult in-- 

 vention, that it ivould have been a miracle, if Peter the Wild Boy 

 hadfpoken ivhen he ivasfirfi caught, or if the Orang Outang could 

 fpeak. — ObjeSiion anfivered, to the Orang Outang' s being a Man, 

 That he is the only Man, that has been found, ivho could not fpeak, 

 — General obfervations upon the invention of Language. 



1 



N this book I propofe to treat of the invention of Arts and Soiea- 



ces, a principal part of the Hiftory of Man, the fiibjed of this 



part of my work. I will begin with the invention of Language, 



the parent art, as I have faid, of all arts and fciences *, and with- 



VoL. IV. O ^ out 



* Page 70. of this volume. 



