496 Rev. Mr Williams on one Source of the 



My present object is to shew that a portion of even the Latin 

 vocabulary is to be referred to the same primitive language still 

 spoken within this island, and which was once the medium of in- 

 tellectual intercourse between no small section of the inhabitants 

 of south-western Europe. 



I need not mention that the question, whether the original 

 population of Italy was to be regarded as Celtic, Hellenic, or 

 Teutonic, has been argued ponderously and learnedly. But the 

 result has not been either conclusive or satisfactory. I omit the 

 claims advanced in favour of the Aramaean or of the Slavonian 

 origin of this population, as being barely entitled to a serious 

 consideration. Even in examining the mode in which the pre- 

 tensions of the first named races have been either affirmed or de- 

 nied, we must be compelled to express our wonder that prudent 

 men could have ever hoped to bring their labours to a successful 

 termination. Not one of those who piled volume on volume on 

 the subject, seems to have possessed the necessary knowledge. 

 The very elements of the science, by which the problem was to 

 be solved, were unknown to them. Some were Greek, Latin, and 

 French or Italian scholars. Others, to the knowledge of these, 

 added an intimate acquaintance with the Teutonic dialects. But 

 this was not enough. A thorough knowledge of the Latin itself, of 

 the Greek, and of one type at least of the Celtic and Teutonic- 

 dialects, must precede a successful examination of the claims of 

 the three cognate families. But hitherto no one thus qualified has 

 entered the field. 



Early in life, I became satisfied that nothing could be done 

 in clearing away the cloud that sinks deep and dense on the early 

 history of Europe, without an extensive and accurate knowledge, 

 not only of the language, but also of the literature, laws, habits, 

 and religion of the three races. I had seen enough of the errors 

 committed by one-eyed scholars, to satisfy me that the greatest 

 caution is necessary in assigning their several sources to disputed 

 words, and that the comparative etymology which is grounded 



