FACULTIES OF THE MIND. 289 



they journey onward to the sea shore, the ebbing and flow- 

 ing of the water^ the waves and their murmurings and 

 roarings, would attract notice and receive particular desig- 

 nations. In each district, therefore, there will be a partU 

 cular language, expressive of the objects which are peculiar 

 to it, and of their relation to the wants of its inhabitants* 

 We have likewise to bear in mind, that every country fur- 

 nishes man with a supply of animals and vegetables which 

 are, in a great measure, peculiar to itself, peculiar modes 

 of collecting and storing fruit or grain must, therefore, be 

 resorted to, a peculiar mode of hunting and fishing prac- 

 tised, a peculiar mode of clothing and shelter adopted, all 

 giving rise to new names, expressive of objects, qualities 

 and actions. In the construction of these new words, it is 

 obvious, that, in this stage of society, there are no rules but 

 the caprice of individuals, influenced by the sounds of na- 

 ture and the resemblance which may be traced between 

 the old and new objects. There is always an aversion to 

 the formation of new sounds ; and this aversion has given 

 rise to attempts at generalization, or the introduction of ge- 

 nera and species. By degrees, however, the terms in which 

 they are expressed, coalesce, and the resulting sound, mo- 

 dified by the ear, loses its compound nature, and passes as 

 the simple sign of a particular object. 



According to this view of the matter, were two families, 

 of the same speech, to settle in different countries, they 

 would soon assume different languages, although the ori- 

 ginal connection might be traced in some of those words 

 which express objects occurring every where, or actions 

 which all are compelled to perform. 



These circumstances, connected with situation, account 

 for the existence of different tongues prevailing among the 

 inhabitants of different regions ; but they offer no explana- 

 tion of the fact which we have admitted, that even among 



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