298 PART V. WORKING STAGE. 



148. To venture on one somewhat circumstantial illustra- 

 tion. Suppose the question arises of the origin and development 

 of language. We start with imagining the simplest case, and 

 observe how far the facts depart therefrom. We assume that 

 we hear the word "shrill" pronounced by a young child who 

 is just able to read and does not know its import, and we 

 conclude, to abide by the simplest case, that the word is and 

 has always been pronounced precisely in the same manner by 

 everybody in all ages. Similarly we assume the signification 

 of the word to be as definite and immutable as its sound, and 

 the number of words in the language to be constant. We now 

 inquire how far the facts vindicate or refute our conclusion. 



(a) We note, first, speaking historically, that no fixed standard 

 of pronunciation exists, and that, accordingly, in a relatively 

 short period of time, most especially before the era of writing 

 and printing, the pronunciation of a word may alter measurably; 

 that these alterations lead to further variations and adaptations ; 

 and that, therefore, other things being equal, practically every 

 people, or comparatively isolated human group, comes eventually 

 to possess a language of its own, which, with the ages, is 

 necessarily transformed into another and another. 



(b) We have assumed that speech consists of words always 

 identically pronounced, and of nothing else. Applying again 

 the simplest case by comparing the reading of an intensely 

 dramatic passage by an uninterested child, on the one hand, 

 and a passionate actor, on the other, we find that, at least to 

 many a people, a different sound value is attached to the words 

 according to their position in a sentence and according to the 

 importance attached to them at a given time. We observe, 

 further, sounds indicative of emotion accompanying the words, 

 and we notice expressive facial gestures, and also gesticulations 

 made with hands, etc. In some languages and in some localities 

 we also trace a regular musical intonation in speech, especially 

 when there is strong feeling. We establish these variations, 

 from the spiritless word to the word intoned and accompanied 

 by gesticulations. We note, finally, the sound value of words 

 in songs and operas. 



(c) We ask whether the word "love" has in reality a rigidly 

 fixed meaning, and we learn that it is liable to alter in signi- 

 fication as in sound, and for the same reasons. On this account 

 we discover transitional, transformed, supplementary, and 

 multiple meanings. Experience we ascertain to be in a fluid 

 condition, especially in earlier epochs, and we also learn that 

 knowledge expands from age to age, originating with the veriest 

 minimum, without there being, as there might conceivably be, 

 an immutable method of changing or of adding words and 



ments, etc., in a habit, they may be ascertained by noting on one occasion 

 the first movement, etc., on a second occasion the second, and so on to the 

 end. 



