PHILOLOGY. 327 



terms, and phrafcs of a language, remounts to 

 the mod diftant ages, and employing all the aids 

 it can receive from literature, it makes ulc of 

 antiquities, numifmatics, and diplomatics, in fix- 

 ing the meaning of each term, and mode ot ex- 

 prefiion, and by thufe means renders languages 

 and authors intelligible, clear and agreeable. 



X. Thofe languages, which are no longer in 

 common ufe, can only be learned by books or 

 manufcripts. But as ihefe have come down to 

 us by the means of copying, they have confe- 

 quently been frequently mutilated, altered, di- 

 minifhed and disfigured, by thofe who have 

 copied them , the text, in general, or at lead 

 many paflages of thefe books and manufcripts, 

 is unintelligible at the firft reading. Prom hence 

 -there has aroie in modern Europe a particular 

 fcience, that is called the Criticifm of -Languages* 

 which makes a part of philology, .and is employ- 

 ed, i. in examining the authenticity and truth of" 

 the text -, 2. in difcovering and pointing out the 

 means of correcting the text; 3. in reftoring 

 fuch paflages as have been altered, omitted, or 

 mutilated ; 4. in explaining the true- fenfc of the 

 text , and 5. in cftablin-ii,"^ a language by thefe 

 means in its full primitive perfection, and mak- 

 ,ing it perfectly intelligible to modern times. 

 The , given us an 



mir. i, on tin 



in which 1 m-nhi 



. 



