33^ Philosophy of Language, [Chap. XVL 



The general doctrine of Mr. Tooke, especially 

 so far as it applies to the English language, has 

 been pronounced by the best judges to be fully 

 established ; and the probability is strong that it 

 api:)frcs with equal exactness and felicity to all 

 other languages. So far as they have been inves- 

 tigated the result is decidedly in favour of such an 

 opinion. The inquiries of the great etymologists 

 of Leyden, before-mentioned, though they differ 

 from Mr. Tooke in many respects, furnish, at the 

 same time, strong confirmation of his doctrine. 

 But it is plain that the absolute proof of the univer- 

 sal truth of this doctrine would require an extent 

 of acquaintance with languages which can never 

 be acquired by any individual, and which, to be 

 collected by a number of individuals, will require 

 a long course of patient labour. It is to be regret- 

 ted that so ^t\i philologists have pursued the path 

 marked out by Mr. Tooke, and that none have 

 been found to extend the inquiries which he com- 

 menced, into regions which he was unable to ex- 

 plore. Even some of the latest writers on the con- 

 tinent of Europe, who have undertaken to philoso- 

 phise on the subject of language, proceed chiefly 

 upon old and exploded principles ; and appear 

 either not to be acquainted with, or not to em- 

 press, and will be published in November, 1805) must necessarily 

 exhibit new matter, and we understand relate to topics not 

 touched upon in the former part. Such disquisitions from the 

 pen of a writer, who may be said to have formed a system, as new 

 as it is important, on the subject of language, must afford a most 

 interesting accession of knowledge, to all who are curi(/us respect- 

 ing the operations of the human mind or desirous to carry forward 

 and consummate the commendable refinements of man in a state 

 of society. 



