( sov ) 



for number and tenfe, they have the fame difference 

 as the Greeks. For inftance, to relate the account 

 of a voyage, you ufe a different expreffion, if it is by 

 land, from that you would make ufe of had it been 

 by water. Active verbs are multiplied as often as 

 there are different objects of their action. Thus the 

 verb which fignifies to eat, has as many different 

 variations as there are different forts of eatables. 

 The action is differently expreffed of an animated or 

 inanimate thing : thus, to fay you fee a man or you 

 fee a (lone, you muft make ufe of two different 

 verbs. To make ufe of any thing which belongs 

 to him who ufes it, or to the perfon to whom 

 he addreffes himfelf, there are fo many different 

 verbs. 



There is fomething of all this in the Algonquin 

 language, but the manner of it is different, and I 

 am by no means in a condition to inform you of it. 

 However, Madam, if it fhould follow from the 

 little I have been telling you that the richnefs and 

 variety of thefe languages render them exprefly dif- 

 ficult to be learned, the poverty and barrennefs into 

 which they have fmce fallen caufe an equal confu- 

 fion. For as thefe people, when we nrft begun to 

 have any intercourfe with them, were ignorant of 

 every thing which was not in ufe among themfelves, 

 or which iell not under the cognizance of their fen- 

 fes, they wanted terms to exprefs them, or elfe had 

 let them fall into defuetude and obfcurity. Thus 

 having no regular form of worfhip, and forming 

 confufed ideas of the deity and of every thing relating 

 to religion, and never reflecting on any thing but the 

 objects of their fenfes, or matters which concerned 

 themfelves or their own affairs, which were furficient- 

 ly confined, and being never accuftomed to difconrfe 

 of virtues, paffions, and many other matters which 



are 



