292 Modern Languages, [Chap. XV, 



losophy, both natural and moral, has become new 

 within the period in question. How rich and v^a- 

 luable the stores are, which language has received 

 from this source, can only be adequately conceived 

 by those ivho are able to take a distinct view of the 

 improvements in philosophy, and all the arts of 

 life, in the course of the last hundred years. 



To the above considerations may be added the 

 numerous instances of the new coinage of words, 

 by popular 'writers, arising either from necessity, 

 from caprice, from vanity, from affectation, or 

 other causes. Some of these new emissions, how- 

 ever they may fail on the score of authority, must 

 be considered, on the whole, as useful additions to 

 modern languages. From this source the aug- 

 mentation of our literary treasures is constant; 

 and if due vigilance be exercised to guard against 

 capricious and wanton innovation, substantial ad- 

 vantages to the interests of language may thence 

 be expected to flow. 



The influence of all these considerations, taken 

 together, has introduced an amount of modification 

 and improvements into modern languages, within 

 the last century, beyond all doubt greater than 

 was ever introduced in any preceding period of 

 equal extent. That large additions have been 

 made to the number of words no one can for a 

 moment hesitate to admit. But this is by no 

 means all that may be asserted. 



The fitijlc of composition also, in most of the 

 living languages, has been greatly inq^roved since 

 the commencement of the eighteenth century. 

 The style of the best writers, at the present day, 

 though perhaps inferior to the exquisite reiine- 



