History. 129 



the Abbe Condillac, 9 and M. Court De Gebe- 

 lin/ of France. The opinions taught by the ce- 

 lebrated Scottish professors are too generally known 

 to render a detailed view of them here either re- 

 quisite or proper; while, with respect to the doc- 

 trines of the learned French philologists, the au- 

 thor has too little information to attempt even a 

 general sketch. 



These inquiries into the philosophy of grammar 

 have had, it is believed, an useful effect on many 

 modern writings, and, with respect to their proba- 

 ble influence hereafter, may be regarded as of 

 great value. Every investigation which has for its 

 objects the structure, the analysis, and the real 

 improvement of language, doubtless tends, in 

 proportion to its success, to advance the interests 

 of education, to promote every department of 

 science, especially the science of the human mind, 

 and, in general, to increase the happiness of man. 



CHAPTER XVII. 



HISTORY, 



THE historic Muse, during the eighteenth cen* 

 tury, had many votaries, From the time of Ta- 

 citus to the commencement of this period, she 

 had been supplicated by multitudes, but with little 

 success. After the revival of letters, the first his- 

 torical productions of respectable character were 

 composed in Italy; but with these the author is 



q See the first vol. of his Cours (T Etude, in l6vols. Parit^j. 

 r Hist, de la Parole, and Grammaire Univertalt, 



VOL, II. S 



