198 STUDIES IN LIFE AND SENSE. 



of pleasure is analogous to the bark of the pleased canine, or the 

 " purr" of his feline neighbour ; just as the cry of the young child is 

 paralleled by the pained yelp of the dog. And if we only consider 

 it, there exists perhaps a still closer resemblance betwixt the inarticu- 

 late, spasmodic, and long-continued "cry" of the infant, and the long- 

 drawn-out howling in which a young puppy indulges, as compared 

 with the shorter and less demonstrative cry of the dog. Between 

 the early life of the man and the infancy of his faithful follower, 

 there is a closer likeness in respect of the expression of the emotions 

 than between the human infantile demonstrations and those of the 

 adult dog. This much every one admits, of course. The difficulties of 

 the question, however, really commence with the attainment of the 

 power of " articulation " the joining of simple sounds to form words, 

 which in their turn are the outcome, firstly of " ideas," and secondly 

 of special powers of brain and nerve action. Archbishop Whately 

 long ago owned that man " is not the only animal that can make use 

 of language to express what is passing in his mind, and can under- 

 stand, more or less, what is so expressed by another." Here it is 

 clear the idea of "language" intended to be conveyed is simply that 

 of the audible expression of emotions or idea, and, thus defined, an 

 intelligent dog may be said to possess a language of his own, equally 

 with man himself. 



" Articulate speech " is, however, the highest form of this common 

 faculty we name language, and it is the origin and development of 

 the power of forming words, and of stringing words together to 

 express ideas, which form the chief problem awaiting solution at 

 the hands of the theorists and investigators of the present and 

 future. The philologist, pure and simple, will naturally approach 

 the subject from his own special side by a comparison of existing 

 and extinct tongues, and by the endeavour to show their points of 

 resemblance, and to detect the causes on which their differences 

 depend. The mental basis of language does not form a controversial 

 ground, save, indeed, in so far as one authority may be held to differ 

 from another respecting the exact amount or kind of mental power 

 which is requisite to evolve ideas. On such a subject, as con- 

 nected with the differences or likenesses between the human and 

 lower intelligences, there may be considerable difference of opinion, 

 it is true. But all are agreed that language has arisen out of the 

 demand for expression, and the real battle-field lies within the 

 territory where the origin of such demand is discussed. 



The " understanding ear " is not of course the exclusive property 

 of mankind, otherwise an intelligent collie must be presumed to receive 

 and obey the complex order of his master by some other channel 

 than that of hearing and consequent appreciation of his master's 

 commands a supposition so absurd that no further mention need 



