mind is exceedingly capricious in its associations, and this caprice is abundantly evident in the formation of language. In former times young women employed a good deal of their time in spinning; the idea of spinning became associated with the idea of a young woman; and, to this day, an unmarried lady is called a spinster. It was also usual to keep footboys, who were generally styled Jack, as a sailor is styled Jack in the present day. One part of the duty of a footboy was to pull off his master's boots. But in the progress of society an instrument was invented, by which the master could take off his own boots; and this instrument was called a Jack. Another part of the business of a footboy was to turn the spit; but here, too, manual labour was superseded by machinery. An instrument was invented, by which a piece of meat could be roasted without the assistance of Jack; but his name was retained, and the new instrument was called a Jack. Mr. Arkwright called some parts of his cotton machinery Spinning Jennies. The words Jack and Jenny, therefore, awaken very different ideas from those to which they were first applied.

The power of association may from one word form a variety of others; and although all the derivations may bear some resemblance to the primitive word, yet they may have meanings widely different from each other. Thus, the word get means to acquire; but it is used in a variety of senses: a man may get hungry, or he may get wet; he may get a wager, or he may get a cold; he may get money, or he may get drunk. By associating the word get with particles, the number of meanings is still farther increased: we may get in or get out, we may get off or get on, we may get up or get down, we may get through or get along. Each of these phrases has again a variety of meanings. When we say a man has got off, we may mean that he has alighted from his horse, or that he has escaped being hanged. But in all these various meanings the primitive idea is retained, though the derivatives differ so widely. I might illustrate this observation by numerous other words of the same kind.

Having considered the faculties of Invention and Association, I will now make a few observations upon the faculty of Abstraction. To abstract means to draw from, to withdraw. I may see a white hat, a white horse, a white wall. Now, if I think of a white colour without thinking of the hat, or the horse, or the wall, I have then an abstract idea of white, which I may call whiteness. Now, this is called an abstract idea, because it is drawn from some other idea with which it is naturally associated. It is impossible for the colour white to exist by itself; there must be some object that is white. But, in the mind, we draw it from this object, and hence it is an abstract idea. In our language, the names of many of these ideas end in ness, as whiteness, blackness, sweetness, thickness. These are abstract sensible ideas derived from

sensible ideas. But there are also abstract moral and intellectual ideas. Many of these are denoted by words ending in ity and ce, and are chiefly of Latin derivation,-as frugality, hospitality, diligence, prudence.

The faculty of abstraction not only gives rise to words denoting abstract qualities, but also to words denoting abstract actions. These are chiefly nouns and participles. There is a large class of nouns ending in ion which are derived from Latin verbs, and which denote the abstract action of those verbs; such are production, destruction, persuasion, vision, motion, &c. Some of these nouns are used not only in the sense of abstract actions, but also to denote the effect of the action. Thus, when we say, That country is remarkable for the production of corn, we use the word production in the sense of abstract action, and might supply its place by the present participle producing. But when we say, Corn is the chief production of that country, it is used as the name for the thing produced, and we could not supply its place by the present participle. These two different senses of the word are in some instances expressed by two different words. Thus, the abstract action of the word create is denoted by the word creation, and the thing created is called a creature. So the word edify means to build up; edification denotes the abstract action of building, and the thing built is called an edifice. So, imagine, imagination, image. The words formed by abstraction become more numerous as society becomes more intellectual. Association belongs to poetry, abstraction to philosophy. A poetic imagination grasps at resemblances, and hence brings together ideas that seemed at first to have no connexion. It gives life and animation to every thing beneath its touch. Its vivid conceptions cannot be expressed in ordinary language. New words are formed by combination, or words previously formed are applied in new and bold significations. But when mankind begin to study mental philosophy, when they begin to investigate causes, to trace consequences, and to discuss theories, then arise words of abstraction. It becomes necessary to form words that shall express ideas and relations remote from common observation. Precision of conception becomes necessary; and to assist precision of conception it is necessary to have precision of language. An idea that is to be the subject of investigation must be detached from all other ideas with which it may be found in combination, and viewed entirely alone. Hence arises the necessity of words of abstraction. Thus it is to invention, association, and abstraction that we are indebted for the formation of language.

While there is nothing more important, there is nothing more mysterious than language. How is it that by a single act of volition I can form sounds denoting the ideas that may exist in my mind?that these sounds are carried by the atmosphere to

the ears of my auditors, and awaken in their minds the same ideas which exist in my own? To explain in what mysterious manner this is effected is beyond the power of our philosophy. It is one of the secrets of nature known only to Him who formed the ear and created the mind of man.

One great advantage which man has over the other animals consists in the power of co-operation. It is by this means that the whole community is benefited by the exertions of each individual. This power of co-operation could not exist unless mankind possessed a prompt and perfect mode of communicating their ideas to each other. And this ready communication exists only by means of language. Language, too, is not merely a channel of thought, it is a vehicle of feelings, and by it we are able to impart our sentiments in such a way as to impress our emotions on the minds of our auditors. By language men are aroused into indignation or softened into sympathy. Without language we could not be enlightened with the instructions of science, or enraptured with the beauties of poetry. To this we owe all the pleasures of our public assemblies and all the luxuries of social intercourse; it is from this we derive all the happiness we receive from the speculations of philosophy, the brilliancy of wit, the thunders of eloquence, and the melody of song.

By the power of language we are enabled to be useful to others. We can instruct the ignorant, caution the unwary, or console the afflicted. Of what use is the intense application of the student, the conceptions of the poet, or the contemplations of the philosopher, if the result of their labours is known only to themselves? Thoughts valuable as gold in the mine are of no use to others until coined into words. And by imparting information to others, our own faculties are improved. Our intellectual weapons are kept polished by use. Knowledge shut up in the mind of its possessor is like a stagnant pool, useful to none; but when allowed to flow out freely in the channels of language, it becomes a living fountain, the streams of which carry health and beauty and fertility into every district through which they roll.

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