KNOWLEDGE OF TOOLS, ETC. 307 



first attempts to associate sounds or signs with 

 objects. Once begun in this way, the possession of 

 language would rapidly increase the development of 

 intellect, and this would react upon language. The 

 two would thus develop side by side. This conclu- 

 sion is substantiated by philologists, who have studied 

 the matter from an entirely different standpoint and 

 for a different purpose. Foremost among them may 

 be mentioned our own Whitney, who has reached 

 the conclusion that the origin of language has been 

 one of growth and development. Language, he 

 has concluded, was at first very simple, consisting 

 of only a few words, expressive probably of emo- 

 tions. The origin of these words is not clear, but 

 they came as soon as intellect needed them. Some 

 perhaps were imitations of certain sounds ; more 

 were probably arbitrary association of words with 

 definite ideas. Original language, he tells us, was 

 largely assisted by signs. In some simple way man 

 contrived to communicate with his fellow as soon as 

 he became intelligent enough to have any thing to 

 communicate. Language is thus a necessary con- 

 comitant of intelligence. Darwin is thus strongly 

 supported in his theory of language, by those who 

 have made it a life study ; for this conclusion is now 

 almost the universal consent of leading philologists. 

 Language is thus only a tool which man has fash- 

 ioned for his use, and indeed the most important 

 one he has made. It is something new, and even 

 new in kind, but it is not a mental endowment. It 

 is a manufactured article, which man has made as 

 he needed it. If it be conceded that intelligence in 



