the Romanfli Language . 149 
alfo fubjoined the words ufed in that kingdom at that 
period, as they are given ns by the author of the article 
(Langue) Romane , in the French Encyclopedic. 
To the companion of the two Romances, and the fimi- 
laritv of their origin, I may now with confidence add 
the authority of fontanini(0 to prove, that they are 
one and the fame language. This author, fpeaking of 
the ancient Gallic Romance, affects that it is now fpoken 
in the country of the Grifons ; though, not attending to 
the variety of dialedts, fome of which have certainly 
nothing of the Italian, he fuppofes it to have been alto- 
gether adulterated by a mixture of that modern tongue. 
W nil ft the Grifons neglected to improve their lan- 
guage, and rejected, or indeed were out of the reach of 
every refinement it might have derived from polifhed 
ftrangers, the tafte and fertile genius of the Troubadours, 
foftered by the countenance and elegance of the brilliant 
courts and fplendid nobility of Provence, did not long 
leave theirs in the rough ftate in which w^e find it in the 
ninth century. But the change having been gradual and 
almoft imperceptible, the French hiftorians have fixed 
no epocha for the tranfition of the Romance into the Pro- 
vencal. That the former language had not received any 
confiderable alteration in the twelfth century may be ga- 
thered from the companion in the appendix : and that it 
ftill bore the fame name, appears from the titles of feve- 
ral books which are laid to have been written in, or tranf- 
latecl into, the Romance. But though mention is made 
(t) E!oq. Ital. p. 44. 
of 
3 
