320 UNIVERSAL ERUDITION. 



we would convey clear ideas of what they are in- 

 tended toexprefs; it is very eflential therefore, 

 that the name which is given to each fcience be 

 fuch as precifely exprefies its nature, and gives it 

 thofe characteriftics which diftinguifh it from all 

 others. This maxim does not feem to have been 

 carefully obferved by thofe who comprehend, un- 

 der the term philology, univerfal literature, who 

 extend it to all fciences, fo that each one may 

 there include whatever he thinks proper , as 

 grammar, rhetoric, poetry, antiquities, hiftory, 

 criticifm, the interpretation of authors, &c. This 

 feems to be not only making ftrange abufe of 

 words, but creating confufion in thofe matters 

 where too much regularity and precifion cannot 

 be obferved. The term philology will not ad- 

 mit of an arbitary and indeterminate ufe. It is 

 compofed of the Greek words p t Ao and Xo^/o?, 

 which imply a love or ftudy of languages. It 

 appears therefore, magure all authorities that 

 may be produced, and which in fact form no 

 great argument on this occafion, that philology 

 is nothing more than a general knowledge of 

 languages, of the natural and figurative fignifi- 

 cation of their words and phrafes, and, in fhort, 

 of all that relates to exprefllon in the different 

 dialects of nations, as well ancient as modern. 



II. We mall not examine here whether Era- 

 toftines, the librarian of Alexandria, who, accord- 

 ing to Suetonius, was the firft that was called a 

 philologift or critic, bore that name on account 



of 



