Chap. XV.] Alodcrn Languages. 325 



ranked air.ong* the wonders of tlie century. Spe- 

 cimens of so great a number of languages were 

 certainly never before brougbt togetber by iunnau 

 diligenee. And tbe work, wbile it reflects great 

 hcrnour on tbe illustrious editor, and bis learned 

 coadjutors, and on tbe pul)lic spirit of tbeir em- 

 ployer and patron, tbe empress, furnisbes tbe most 

 instructive documents, n<U only towards tbe for- 

 mation of an enligbtened tbeory of language, but 

 also for investigating tbe bistory of man. 



Tbe Celtic or Gaelic language was tbe object of 

 nuich inquiry to a number of learned men of tbe 

 last century. Grammars and dictionaries of its 

 different dialects were formed, and new ligbt 

 tbrown on tbe structure and probable bistory of 

 tbe language. In tbese inquiries Pelloutier, liullet, 

 Jones, I^lallet, and Sbaw, were mucb and bonour- 

 ablv distino'uisbed. Tbe Gothic, in several of its 

 most important dialects, was also diligently and 

 successfully investigated, during tbe last age, by 

 Wacbter, Scbilter, Hire, Lye, and several otber 

 learned pbilologists. 



INIucb valuable information was obtained, dur- 

 ing tbe same period, concerning tbe languages of 

 the aboriginal nations residing on tbe American 

 continent. For collecting tbis information, and 

 communicating it to tbe public, we are indebted 

 to Cbarlevoix, Carver, Adair, Long, Clavigero, 

 tbe rev. :\L\ Zeisberger *, tbe rev. Dr. Ed- 



pkxcr. Pars prior. Petropol. 1786, 4to : ct Purs sccumhi, VcivO' 



pol. 1789, ^to. 



* Mr. Zeisberger was a respectable missionary, sent by the 



• United Brethren to preach the Gospel among the Indians. His 



work referred to is an E-ssm, of a Dehr^arc Indian and English 



