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XIII. Disquisitions on the Origin and Radical Sense of the 

 Greek Prepositions.' By James Bonjr, F. R. S. Edin. 



[Read Dec. 19. 1803, Ja?u 16. & Feb. 20. 1804.] 



ETymolggical refearches have often been branded as tri- 

 fling, occupying the mind in ufelefs labour, and contribu- 

 ting little to the progrefs of fcience, tafte, or beneficial know- 

 ledge. The juftice of this treatment may well be queftioned. 

 That this fpecies of ftudy, like many others, has frequently been 

 directed to unimportant objects, cannot be denied ; but it by no 

 means follows, that this is the fault of the fubject, or that from 

 fuch refearches, however purfued, nothing valuable can be the 

 refult. If by etymological investigations, even in their moft li- 

 mited form, eflential aids are obtained for facilitating our ac- 

 quaintance with the writings of antiquity, — if fuch inquiries 

 have often proved one of the moft certain means for attaining 

 accuracy of language and precifion of ideas, — if by following 

 them out on an extenfive fcale, affiftance might probably be 

 gained for elucidating fome of the obfcurities of early hiflory, 

 — and if from this fource valuable materials may at all times be 

 drawn for tracing the progrefs of the intellectual powers, and 

 ■unfolding the laws of thought through the phenomena of its ex- 

 prefhons, — if thefe, and perhaps other merits, muft be allowed to 

 etymological and grammatical difquifitions, they are furely fuf- 

 ficient to refcue from contempt this clafs of inquiries. If to all 



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