194 l T HEO RT of the 



that undertaking I now have the honour to fubmit to the conn- 

 deration of the Royal Society. 



As there is fomething peculiar in the plan and manner of it,, 

 it is proper to mention the reafon of this peculiarity. In thofe 

 accounts of the moods of verbs which I have feen, there feem- 

 ed to be a want of fufficiently numerous and extenfive and 

 accurate obfervations of the particular facts that were to be ex- 

 plained or accounted for ; a want of fufficiently precife and 

 diftinct notions of the general import of the moods ; a hafty 

 and carelefs admiffion of certain general principles not duly 

 afcertained, and a vague ufe of certain general and compre- 

 hensive terms, which were not fufficiently explained or under- 

 ftood. 



In order to avoid thefe errors, and to fupply thefe defects, 

 I have proceeded on a plan more nearly akin to that which has 

 long been fuccefsfully employed in phyfical investigations ; be- 

 ginning with a collection of obfervations relating to the moods 

 of verbs ; from thefe deducing certain general principles, and 

 verifying thefe principles by further obfervation, and even ex- 

 periment. Such a plan is undoubtedly laborious, and may ap- 

 pear tedious ; but I think it has advantages amply fufficient to 

 compenfate thefe inconveniences. 



I must mention likewife, that this EfTay bears a particular 

 and very intimate relation to the doctrine concerning the moods 

 of verbs, laid down by the learned author of the treatife on 

 the Origin and Progrefs of Language, (Vol.11.) with which I may 

 prefume my hearers to be fufficiently acquainted. 



The account which he gives of the number, the nature, 

 and the import of the moods of verbs, though very acute, and 

 in many refpects perfectly juft, is certainly very incomplete, 

 and in one important circumftance it is very obfcure ; which 

 makes me fufpect, that, on this point, he had not carried his 

 investigation fo far as to obtain a complete and diftinct view of 

 the Subject which he was treating. 



But 



