we discover a multitude of words which are evidently conftructed upon this principle. A certain bird is called the Cuckoo, from the found which it emits. When one fort of wind is faid to whistle, and another to roar; when a ferpent is faid to bifs; a fly to buzz, and falling timber to crash; when a ftream is faid to flow, and hail to rattle; the refemblance betwixt the word and the thing fignified is plainly difcernible. But in the names of objects which addrefs the fight only, where neither noife nor motion are concerned, and ftill more in the terms appropriated to moral ideas, this analogy appears to fail. Yet many learned men have imagined, that, tho' in fuch cases it becomes more obfcure, it is not altogether loft; but that throughout the radical words of all languages, there may be traced fome degree of correspondence with the object fignified.

This principle, however, of a natu ral relation between words and objects, can only be applied to language in its moft fimple and early ftate. Though in every tongue fome remains of it can be traced, it were utterly in vain to fearch for it throughout the whole conftruction of any modern language. As the multitude of terms increase in every nation, and the vaft field of language is filled up, words, by a thoufand fanciful and irregular methods of derivation and compofition, deviate widely from the primitive character of their roots, and lofe all refemblance in found to the things fignified. This is the present state of language. Words, as we now use them, taken in the general, may be confidered as fymbols, not as imitations; as arbitrary or inftituted, not natural figns of ideas. But there feems to be no doubt, that language, the nearer we approach to its rife among men,

will be found to partake more of a na

tural expreffion.

Interjections, it has been shown, or paffionate exclamations, were the first elements of fpeech. Men laboured to communicate their feelings to each other, by thofe expreffive cries and geftures which nature taught them. After words, or names of objects began to be introduced, this mode of fpeaking by natural figns could not be all at once difufed for language, in its infancy, must have been extremely barren; and there undoubtedly was a period, among all rude nations, when conversation was carried on by a very few words, intermixed with many exclamations and earneft geftures. The inconfiderable ftock of words which men as yet poffeffed, rendered thofe helps entirely neceffary for explaining their conceptions; and rude, uncultiated men, not having always ready

even the few words which they knew, would naturally labour to make themfelves understood, by changing their tones of voice, and accompanying their tones with the moft expreffive gefticulations they could make.

To this mode of fpeaking neceffity firft gave rife. But we muft obferve, that after this neceffity had, in a great degree, ceased, by language becoming, in process of time, more extenfive and copious, the ancient manner of speech ftill fubfifted among many nations; and what had arisen from neceffity, continued to be used for ornament. In the Greek and Roman languages, a musical and gefticulating pronunciation was retained in a very high degree. Without having attended to this, we fhall be at a lofs in understanding feveral paffages of the Claffics, which relate to the public fpeaking and the theatrical entertainments of the ancients. Our mo

dern

dern pronunciation would have feemed to them a lifeless monotony. The declamation of their orators, and the pronunciation of their actors upon the ftage, approached to the nature of recitative in mufic; was capable of being marked in notes, and fupported with inftruments; as feveral learned men have fully demonftrated.

With regard to geftures, the cafe was parallel; for ftrong tones and animated geftures, we may obferve, always go together. The action both of the orators and the players in Greece and Rome, was far more vehement than what we are accustomed to. To us, Rofcius would have appeared a madGefture was of fuch confequence upon the ancient ftage, that there is reafon for believing, that on fome occafions the speaking and the acting part were divided; which, according to our ideas, would form a ftrange exhibition:

man.

one