Universal Terms. ae 25 
differences in classes of objects, such as their size and inition rela- 
tive to man, the observer. 
‘This question arises in the capes sieenee of iencuseet were, 
or were not, particular terms invented before general? Adam Smith 
has asserted that they were. Mr. Stewart, Professor Hedge and 
others have followed him, adopting his sentiments as expressed in 
the following quotation. 
*'The assignation of particular names to denote particular objects 5 
that is the institution of nouns substantive, would probably be one 
of the first steps towards the formation of language. The par- 
ticular cave whose covering sheltered the savage from the weather ; 
the particular tree whose fruit relieved his hunger; the particular 
fountain whose water allayed his thirst; would first he denominated 
by the words, cave, tree, fountain; or by whatever other appellations 
he might think proper, in that primitive jargon, to mark them. Af- 
terwards, when the more enlarged experience of this savage, had led 
him to observe, and his necessary occasions obliged him to make 
mention of other peda aoe zoiner trees, and sales: Apuninins 5 5-be - 
waane eapealys bento same name 
by - 
ae 
i aL Lt 
first acquainted with. And thus, those words, which ¥ were © . 
ly the proper names of individuals, would’ each of them ee 
become the common name of a multitude.” 
_ Remark here the examples given by Mr. Smith; a cave, a tree, 
a fountain. Caves and fountains are objects of unfrequent recur- 
rence. Seldom are two of them seen together. It is doubtful 
whether they should be considered among natural or artificial class- 
es. The one is a cavity from which water flows; the other (more 
clearly a nonentity) a fissure in the rock or an irregular subterra- 
nean chasm; and though, from these resembling features, they are 
ranked indee the same name, yet they have so many points of dissimil- 
itude, that the savage inventor of language might well give names 
to each cave, or fountain asa particular object ; and if he generalized 
them at all, the process would probably proceed as stated by Mr. 
Smith. A tree is an object usually much larger than a man, and 
may be conceived as standing by itself, and if so, this example would 
not contradict the theory. But let us state other examples. A blade _ 
of grass, a peach, an ear of corn; all these are individuals as much as 
a cave, a fountajn, or a tree. Let us substitute them for these ex- 
amples, and see how Mr. Smith’s theory will then appear. 
Vou. XXI1.—No. 1. 
