346 UNIVERSAL ERUDITION. 



time the moft ignorant and futile mortals in 

 the world. Under theie times of darknefs, we 

 muft, therefore, rank that Latin, which is calkd 

 lingua ecclejjajlica^ and which we cannot read 

 without difguft. 



,- 



XII. The fifth and laft age of the Latin 

 tongue is that which began with the fixteenth 

 century, and was that of Leo X, Charles V, 

 Francis I,. Henry VIII of England, &c. A 

 happy period, and ever memorable for the re- 

 floration of letters, of arts and fciences, of man- 

 ners, and of the powers of the human mind, 

 which till then feemed to have remained in a 

 perpetual ftupor. It is neceffary to remember 

 here, that the art of printing was not invented 

 till about the year 1441; and that the manu- 

 fcripts of the ancient Greek and Latin authors 

 were become extremely fcarce. and highly va- 

 luable; fo that but few private perfons were 

 able to procure tfyem, and to ftudy the Latin of 

 the Auguftan age. But fmce th^t time, we 

 have had many Latin works, as well in verfe as 

 profe, in a ftyle that we cannot fufficiemly ad- 

 mire, and which, though not altogether fo pure 

 and elegant as thofe of the golden age, yet are 

 not much inferior. 



XIII. There are, however, in the Latin, and 

 in all dead languages, two great inconveniences 

 which continually attend them, with regard to 

 modern ages. The firft confifts in the pronun- 

 ciation. 



