MODERN LANGUAGES. 355 



V. We have already faid, that it would be a 

 Vain and fenfelefs undertaking for a man of let- 

 ters to attempt the ftudy of all thefe languages, 

 and to make his head an univerfal dictionary of 

 languages ; but it would be (till more abfurd in 

 us to attempt the analyfis of them in this place : 

 fomc general reflections therefore mud here fuf- 

 fice. Among the modern languages of Europe, 

 the French feems to merit the greateft attention, 

 as it is elegant and pleafing in itfelf, as it is be- 

 come the general language of courts, and even 

 of public tranfadtions, which are now commonly 

 treated in French : with this tongue likewiie 

 we may travel from one end of Europe to the 

 other, without fcarce having any occafion.for an 

 interpreter : and in this language alfo are to be 

 found excellent works of every kind, both in 

 verfe and profe, uleful and agreeable. The 

 other nations ot I- u rope, moreover, find great 

 facility in learning it : the proteftant refugees of 

 France of both fexes are difperled over all Eu- 

 rope ; the late M. Regnard found fome of them 

 even in the mines of Oitrabothnia. The French, 

 moreover, are fond of travelling and of living in 

 foreign countries, and the inhabitants of other 

 nations are defirous of feeing France, which fo 

 well delerves to be vifited : "/hence arifcs 



an uleful communication between the French 

 and other nations. We have, befides, grammars 



dictionaries of this language which gi\ 

 every information concerning it, and very able 

 mafters who xuliy luch as t 



Z 2 from 



