E. 



E. (J.) See Eliot (John). 



Eames:This word following a title or "within 

 parentheses after a note indicates that a copy 

 of the work referred to has been seen by the 

 compiler in the library of Mr. "Wilberforce 

 Eames, Brooklyn, N". Y. 



Edwards {Eev. Jonathan). Observa- 

 tions I on the i language | of the | 

 Muhhekaneew Indians ; | In which the 

 Extent of that language in | North- 

 America is shewn ; its genius is | gram- 

 matically traced : some of its peculiari- 

 I ties, and some instances of analogy 

 between | that and the Hebrew are 

 pointed out. | Communicated to the 

 Connecticut Society of | arts and sci- 

 ences, and published at the | Request of 

 the Society. | By Jonathan Edwards, 

 D. D. I Pastor of a Church in New-Ha- 

 . ven, and | Member of the Connecticut 

 Society of | Arts and Sciences. | 



New- Haven, Printed by Josiah 

 Meigs, I M,DCC,LXXXVIII [1788]. 



Extract from the Society's records recto 

 blank 1 1. title reverse blank 1 1. preface 1 1. text 

 pp. 5-17, 8°. 



Comparative vocabulary of the Mohegan 

 and Shawanee (the latter communicated to the 

 author by Gen. Parsons), pp. 6-7 ; of the Mohe- 

 gan ; nd Chippiwau (the latter from Carver), 

 pp. 7-8. — ]!fumerals 1-10 and Lord's prayer in 

 Mohegan and Mohawk, pp. 9-10.— Grrammatic 

 discussion of the Mohegan, pp. 10-17. 



" That the following observations may ob- 

 tain credit, it may be proper to inform the 

 reader with what advantages they have been 

 made. 



' ' When I was but six years of ago my father 

 removed with his family to Stockbridge, 

 which at that time was inhabited by Indians 

 almost solely ; as there were in the town but 

 twelve families of whites or Anglo-Americans, 

 and perhaps one hundred and fifty families of 

 Indians. The Indians being the nearest 

 neighbours, I constantly associated with them ; 

 their boys were my daily school-mates and 

 play-fellows. Out of my father's house I sel- 

 dom heard any language spoken, beside the 

 Indian. By these means I acquired the knowl- 

 edge of that language, and a great facility in 

 speaking it. It became more familiar to me 



124 



Edwards (J.) — Continued. 



than my mother tongue. I knew the names of 

 some things in Indian which I did not know in 

 English ; even all my thoughts ran in Indian : 

 and though the true pronunciation of the lan- 

 guage is extremely difficult to all but them- 

 selves, they acknowledged, that I had ac- 

 quired it perfectly ; which as they said, never 

 had been acquired before by any Anglo-Amer- 

 ican. On account of this acquisition, as well 

 as on account of my skill in their language in 

 general, I received from them many compli- 

 ments applauding my superior wisdom. This 

 skill in their language I have in a good measure 

 retained to this day. 



'After I had drawn up these observations, 

 lest there should be seme mistake in them, I car- 

 ried them to Stockbridge, and read them to 

 Capt. Yoghum, a principal Indian of the tribe, 

 who is well versed in his own language, and 

 tolerably informed concerning the English: 

 and I availed myself of his remarks and correc- 

 tions. 



"From these facts, the reader will form his 

 own opinion of the truth and accuracy of what 

 is now offered him. 



"When I was in my tenth year, my father 

 sent me among the six nations, with a design 

 that I should learn their language, and thus 

 become qualified to be a missionary among 

 them. But on account of the war with France, 

 which then existed, I continued among them 

 but about six months. Therefore the knowl- 

 edge which I acquired of that language was 

 but imperfect; and at this time I retain so 

 little of it, that I will not hazard any particular 

 critical remarks on it. I may observe how- 

 ever, that though the words of the two lan- 

 guages are totally different, yet their structure 

 is in some respects analogous, particularly in 

 the use of prefixes and suffixes. — Preface. 



Copies seen: British Museum, Congress, 

 Eames, Harvard, Trumbull. 



At the Murphy sale a half-morocco copy, no. 

 872, sold for $1.50. At the Brinley sale, no. 

 5690, an uncut, half green morocco copy, brought 

 $2. 



Observations ] on the | language | of 



the I Muhhekaneew Indians; | in which 

 I The extent of that language in North- 

 Ame- I rica is shewn ; its genius is gram- 

 matically I traced ; some of its peculi- 

 arities, and some | instances of analogy 



