OF THE ixpo-cun^tisi; ]^4Tfp:)(s,... jjj.^7 



,^tion^ bptwecH the J/<r/foj/ancl.3ev?r^l of the eastern 

 dialects. By attempting to prove, too niuch^ ho\jV- 

 ever, I apprehend, that he h(^^ iFailed essentially. 

 He has pointed out a few coincidences, biut has left 

 the mass of the language totally unaccounted for; 

 and as the few coinciding words may all have been 

 derived from a common source, it is perhaps a more 

 natural inference to conclude that they have all been 

 modified by some general language, than with Sjr 

 W. Jones, to determine that the parent of them all 

 J^a;s been the Sanscrit. The same author, in his 

 history of Sumatra, seems inclined to think that the 

 Malay language was indigenous in the Malay penin- 

 sula, from which it extended itself among the eastern 

 isles, till it became the lingua franca of that part of 

 the globe. The author of the description of Slam, 

 in the modern part of the Universal History, not 

 only assigns a very different origin to the language, 

 but accounts in a very different manner for its un- 

 common extent. Describing Malacca, he observes, 

 " The Malayan tongue is formed out of the languages 

 of the different nations Avhich resort hither, by 

 selecting the choicest wortls in each. Hence it is 

 reckoned the Uiost agreeal)le and elegant in all the 

 Indies, which quality, joined to its use in trade, 

 causes it to be learned by the remotest eastern people." 

 A language, formed according to this ingenious idea 

 of selection, might probably be remarkably agreeajble 

 and elegant, but it would be still more remarkable, 

 as a new phtenomenon in the history of nations. It 

 would certainly be a very uncommon occurence in 

 the history of mankind, to discover a nation- so choice 

 jn matters of abstract sound, and so refined in their 

 organs of hearing, as to take the trouble to learn a 

 copious and unknown language, for ihe mere abstract 

 pleasure of gratify mg this deiipate sense or appetite 



M 4 



