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CENTRAL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY
University of California, San Diego

DATE DUE

AMgQ753 0595
3 1822

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY,

RATIONAL GRAMMAR.

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY,

RATIONAL GRAMMAR.

By JAMES GILCHRIST.

All

hitherto

accomplished

is

iiisufticient to

prevent the seducing- incantation

tlie

of names in
recoiling-

numerous
it

respects,

their doing' violence to

:

understanding-, and

upon

from whence they proceeded

BacOil.

this evil kequires a

new

a>"D a

DEEPFK REAIEPY.

LONDON
Printed
bi/

George Snialljield, Hachiey

J.

FOH ROWLAND HUNTER, (SUCCESSOR TO ST. Paul's churchyard.

JOHNSON,)

ISlo.

ADVERTISEMENT.

IN
lic,

presenting the following

work

to the

pub-

the author has but one wish to express

that the subject of his

attention

book

may meet

with the

which

its

importance merits, and that

the book itself

may

be rigorously examined

well and truly tried.

He

has no professions of modesty and

diffi-

dence to lavish on better judgments

gies to
solicit

no apoloto

make

to

candid readers
critics.

or favours
;

of indulgent

He

thinks he has

made some important

posed discoveries

discoveries

but perhaps
other sup-

they will prove in the end like

many

only

ingenious fancies.

Beon

lieving that his opinions

and reasonings

rest

fixed and certain principles, he has proceeded

in a

firm and fearless

manner

but a clearer

VI

ADVERTISEMENT.
pliilologer

and j)rolouuder
Inn
i

may

be able to over-

ill!

liis

doctrines.

''J'jjis,

liowc^vcr, lie
Ibal
iJ'

can sincerely assure the

shall in the smallest

public.

his

work

degree serve as scaffoldhuj to raise a solid sys-

tem of

Pljilosophic

Etymology

or

Rational

Grammar^ he
il

will not regret, but rejoice to see

to

thrown down

make room
utility.

for

works of

hiy her reach and more

New'mgton

Greeti,

London, June 26, 1816.

CONTENTS.

Introduction.

PART

I.

The Nature and Origin of Alphabetic Signs The Connexion between Alphabetic Signs and
gible

23
Intelli-

Sounds considered

30

FART
The canon of etymology

II.

35

PART
The Component
Connectives

III.

Parts of Speech unfolded

87

89
connective

The Verbal Terminations merely

The Substantive Verb merely connective The Terminations of Nouns ending in eth,
merely connective

09 102
&c.

en, on,

104
116
127
,

Augmentives
Negatives or Disjunctives

Diminutives

13(5

PART
SIDERED ..,,.,

IV.

THE COMMON SYSTEM OF ENGLISH GRA3IMAR CON, ,

139

VIII

CONTENTS.
143

The Syntax of Pronouns considered The Verb considered The Qualities of pood Composition considered The r()])ular ami Fashionable Doctrines on the Subject to be disregarded

130 205

220
233

Kythnuis or Tune of Composition incompatible

with good Style
of Language a necessary Preparative to

The Study
One Rule

good Composition
of Coniposition necessary and that one Rule
sullicient

235

248

PART
A

V.
253

STANDARD Or OIITHOGK APIIY ESTABLISHED

INTRODUCTION.

ViiEX

the author of the following

it

work began

to

study philology,

was with

a logical rather than

grammatical view.

had found his learning, such as it was, an inconvenience and intellectual cumbrance nor was it merely foreign speech that he
:

He

found

as a vail of obscurit}'' or net of

entanglement

upon

his

understanding
as Saul's

even the English language

armour to David cumbersome had not been proved. He had wandered ten years (for he became a student somewhat late in
tvas to

him
it

because

life) in

the wilderness of words

hill

often looking Avist-

fully

up the

of knowledge, but as often despair-

ing of climbing to the summit.

Frequently indeed
with a kind of

he returned

to his
;

fruitless efforts

desperate courage

but as frequently did he retire

from the hopeless contest, under a mortifying sense

of disappointment and useless
effort.

The
faction

truth

is,

he

at last

sunk into despair of ever

to his

knowing even the English language

;

own
and

satisit

or so as to be able to experiment
;

\\\\\\
it

accurately as an instrument of science

actually

had

become one of

his fixed opinions,

that

man

11

INTRODUCTION.
fated lo he the

is

dupe of
lie

liis

own

inventions
is

that

Inniruarfc of

which
;

so

much

boasts

the greatest

of all impostors
for verbal,
cliicf.

and that no remedy con Id be found

is

that

metaphysical deception and misa considerable time

Thus

for

he heartily

despised not only the systems of learning that

their origin

owe
as a

to language,

but language

itself,

mere Babel-jargon inrended or calculated to be a

curse rather than a blessijjg

the

parent of error,

metaphysical nonsense, false-reasoning, endless controversy, contention

and animosity.
it is

With

this

opinion and contempt of language,

probable that the author would have been content to

pity and deride the learning that prevails, without

endeavouring to rectify
it is

it,

had not an incident which

unnecessary to name, roused him into a resoluimposture.

tion of attempting to rid the world of intellectual

bondage
always
tion that

and
(he

metaphysical

He

had

means from

the

time he became a

'student) a kind of intuitive perception and convicall

the systems of grammar, rhetoric, logic,

prevail,

&c. which
origin of
all

are

wrong;

but believing the

itself,
;

learned absurdities to be language

he perceived not,

how

the evil could be remedied

as

and supposed that learned men must go on

at last,

they

had done, boasting of their technical nonsense.

however, perceived, he thought,

He

how

the laby-

rinth

might be demolished, and the Babel-systems confounded into silence. As the radical evil was
perceived to be in language,
it

was evident

that there

INTRODUCTION.
the

Ill

remedy must be

applied.

He
;

resolved therefore

to create another

kind of grammar and lexicography than had hitherto prevailed in attempting which, the principles he laid down were as follow That language was a human invention. 2. That 1
:

it

was

a simple invention.
lie

3.

That the true nature

of true philology must obviousness.

tiallv
4.

That

all

on the very surface of the dialects must be essen6.

but one laneuasre.

That the whole wilderwith

sensible
objects.

ness of words must have arisen from a few expressive

signs
6.

originally

connected

That therefore the whole multitude of parts and varieties in language, or that all words must be resolvable into a few simple elements, indicating by
resemblance visible objects.
nothing arbitrary

That there could be 8. That no words about language.

7.

could be primarily or properly insignificant.

These principles were drawn from his o^yn reflections, and to serve in the mean time as guides till The enquiry had disproved or superseded them.
author was,
if

not sagacious, at least fortunate in his

conjectures (and he considered

them

at first

only

conjectures), for after three years' habitual reflection

and toilsome enquiry, there is not one of them which he has been obliged to abandon, as unsound or unimportantas contradicted or unverified by experimental evidence.

Much

progress was soon

made

in

diminishing the

mass of words and simplifying the nature of speech ; which became progressively more intelligible and
B 2

iv

IMilODUCTION.
;

maiia,[;ea1)le

though no other principles of philology

were vet ohtaincd from investigation, in addition to those which the author had drawn from his own
reflections.

He

had proceeded some way

in identi-

fying even abstract terms, as they are called, with

the names of sensible objects, and classifying their

numerously-varied

forms

under their

primitives,

when

accident threw in his

way

the writings of Mr.

Home

Tooke and Mr. Whiter.*

As

for

Etymolo-

gicon Magnum, the author could never prevail with himself to read it till he actually began to write the present work yet he believes, that though he only
;

glanced over

it

for a short

time in a bookseller's shop,

it.

he must have derived some benefit from

The

work of Mr.

Home Tooke

he read and studied with

much
tiiat

care, yet

struction.

knows not how to estimate its inHe was confirmed by the reasonings of
in

author

the truth and soundness of his

;

own
yet

principles

and discoveries
hints,

and received from him

;

some useful

and many just derivations

that the writings of

Mr.

Home

Tooke supplied him

in philois,

with any important discovery or principle

logy,
is

more than he can

affirm.

The

truth

all

the writings of that author are

more imposing, smart

and profound.
ingenions work

and witty, than sound and

*

solid, just

The author Ind

froqiiciitly
if

heard of

Home Tooke's

on language; but

tliiiiking

^vas like the other

works on language he

had seen, only ingenious mystieism, he felt no desire to see it, till being on a visit about forty miles from London, the diversions of Piirley were brought from a literary institution and put into his h.uids by a friend as
1

book suited

to his taste.

INTRODUCTION.
It is

with regret that the author has thus to characlabours of his meritorious predecessor,

terize the

almost the only philosophic philologer of modern

times
;

but truth requires him to make abatements

where he had wished to give unqualified praise; and it must be remembered that the philological labours of Mr. Home Tooke were performed in the evening " He has done that best which no twilight of life.
one ever did well."
If he did not actually lay the

foundation of philosophic grammar, he cleared away

much
if

of the rubbish of grammatical absurdity

and

vulgar grammarians and lexicographers have conit

tinued to adhere to the old system,

that they are too dull to profit

only proves

by the instructions of
it

Mr.

Home

Tooke.
to his perceptions
its

As

the author continued to study his subject,

became progressively more simple

than he thought
ture
;

it

could possibly be in

own

na-

for

we

are so educated

and disciplined into the

belief of abstruseness

and ingenious mysticalness,

or

connected with learned and philosophic questions,

as to be

constantly overlooking obvious truth,

it

deeming

not worth finding and raising into the

dignity of science.

Every man of any pretension

the seal of Truth.
it

to

philosophic thinking, would blush to refuse for his

motto:
poverty

Simplicity

is

But who
over his

does not seem to consider

?

the badge of intellectual

felt

Frequently has the author

discoveries as Bruce did at the source of the Nile.

Frequently has he been ready to exclaim with the

Vi

INTIJODUCTION.

crood Parisians,

who had

auLicipated
:

a
!

grand spectacle

at the entree of the allies

Is this all

As maybe

supposed, the more that he studied words

the more did he ascertain their
It

in different dialects,

true nature and origin.

was

not, however,

till

he

analized the alphabet and resolved

their primary form, that

its diversities

into

he could experiment with

It

certainty on etymology.

was now discovered and

proved

at

every step, that as

men have few

ideas,

few senses, and are familiar with few objects, so there are few primitive words.

The author presumes that the utility of the following work w ill not be denied by any competent judge,
whether viewed
in reference to the acquisition of

langur.ge, or to clear perception

and correct reason-

It contains, however, only the first fruits of an ing. abundant harvest of knowlegde and utility that may-

be derived from philosophic etymology and as this is a new field of literary exertion, the author hopes
;

the labourers will be many.

He

trusts that the

world will soon be presented with rational grammars and dictionaries of all the ancient and modern dialects.

He
;

is

willing to set an

example of labour and

as

industry

and intends to prepare

dictionary,

soon as possible

an

EnL;lish

Hebrew grammar and

dictionary.
;

dictionary,

and

a Latin

grammar and

These
It

will not take twenty years' labour

but they

are quite
is

enough for one man. to be hoped that some one

will unfold the

nature of the Chinese characters more simply and

INTRODUCTION.
intelligibly than has yet

Vll

been done

and that a Greek

grammar

and dictionary, on the plan of lexicography

philologer.
call

adopted by the author, will be presented to the world

by some philosophic
might with propriety
ward,

Here,

if

the author

on individuals
;

to

come

for-

he would name Dr. Crombie

the field of philology,
will attempt

but whether

that gentleman shall choose a lexic^igraphic depart-

ment

in

it

is

at least to

be

hoped that he
formed.

something

in

language

more worthy of
It is to

his intellect than

he has yet per-

be hoped too, that Mr. Whiter will

return to etymology and create the matter of

Etymoand
per-

iogicon

Magnum,

into a simpler,
It
is

more

useful,

attractive ibrm.

to be hoped, that all

who

ceive the nature and importance of true philology,

will lend their assistance in

promoting

its interests.

There must be many in

this country,

known
him

to the author,

who

though unhave juster notions of the

and it would give them united into one
;

subject than those

which

prevail

infinite pleasure

to see

great Philological Society.

As
an

the author has mentioned Mr. Whiter, he takes

opportunity
;

of

recommending
all its
it

Etymologicon
calcu;

Magnum
^and he
lated to
is

for

with

mysticism and confusion,

contains both,)
it is

sorry to say

be a useful ally in the cause of philology

fitter to

,and he knows no works

be read as prepara-

tory to Philosophic Etymology,

than Etymologicon

Magnum

and the Diversions

reader of the present

of Purley. Every work may not have seen that

Vlll

IMUODLCTION.
as a speci-

of Mr. Wliitor, and therefore the author takes occasion to introduce a few quotations from
it

men
to

of

tlie

principles on
tiiey

which

it

proceeds, or rather

show how much

" Here then,

coincide with the principles

of the following;- work.

(siiys

Mr. Whiter,) we obtain

at

once

a species of uniformity

which leads directly

to the

hopes of forming a regular system.

stance alone (of the
to convince us,

name father) that some controuling

Even this inwould be sufficient

principle pre-

dominated

in

languages by which they might readily

be submitted to the laws of a general theory.

uttered by the passing breath

Words
change-

we have

ever been

accustomed

to consider as the

most

fleeting,

able, inconstant

and capricious of all the objects with

which man
if originally

is

conversant, [so they

:]

would have been

yet

the creatures of breath

liable

we

perceive

that a

word most

to change and perversion has

at
its

remained invariably the same through a period of

least three

thousand years

if

we

consider only

existence from the time of Homer, without involving

ourselves with the remote periods of the Sanscrit

Language.

This instance

must again

repeat,

would
fact

alone be sufficient to convince us, that uniformity of

some

sort perpetually prevailed

all

and the same

we

accordingly find in

the instances afforded

by

every etymologist

who

has collected the same words

as they appear in difterent languages."

" Surely the contemplation of these facts will impress on every mind a similar train of ideas and the
;

INTRODUCTION.
reader has already anticipated

IX

conclusion on this subject.

my reasoning and my He will be struck with

the deepest astonishment, that facts like these per-

petually passing before the eyes of the etymologist,

should never have suggested the principles of a theory

and the laws of a system. Among objects liable to the influence of chance and change it is not possible
to conceive a species of uniformity so full

and imis

pressive as that

model of regularity which

varieties of

here

exhibited.

The

mutation are bounded

with the and nothing but a fact so striking and unequivocal would have persuaded us
vicissitudes of change
;

by

limits of controul almost incompatible

to believe that

such constancy could have existed

in

a case where disorder and irregularity might be alone

imagined to predominate.

These words

after

having

passed through mJUions of mouths in remote ages and

distant regions of the world, under every variety ot

appearance and symbol,

still

continue

to

be

re-

presented by the same cofisonants

not

indeed b\

consonants bearing the same name,

tually varies with the form of the

for that perpe-

symbol

but by

those consonants which grammarians have always

considered to be of the same kind and invested with

the same power."

"
still

On

every fresh view of the question,

lost in
^^'lliter

more and more be

is

wonder,* when
would deal
:

we siiajl we cast
lost in

* Jt
iis

to be \visht'd that

Mr.

less in
is

such phrases

wonder, aslouishmfut, marvellous, &c.

\Mtli

a philosopher

seldom

wonder or struck
tion.

astonishnieut, aud he seldom deals in exclama-


INTRODUCTION
our eyes over the present state of etymolo:^y, and
consider
tliiit

in the eoiijeeturcs of those

who

profess

this art all

art itself,

is

caprice and uncertainty, while in the

is

every thing

constancy and uniformity.

It is

assuredly marvellous, that no conclusion of this

sort has
})le for is

been regularly established as a general princithe foundation of a theory, when the fact itself

thus gross and palpable

sions

and universally displayed

To
:

operating
in

on

ail

occapoint

its fullest

ofviewbythe etymologist
different languages.

himself, in every detail

of parallel, or of the same words as they appear in

a fact like this
it

was im-

possible to be blind

our

etymologists have seen

and acknowledged
have ventured
ever, nothing

it

and even some hardy theorists

from time to time, that conStill,

to assert^

sonants only were the radicals of words.

how:

was accomplished on
w^as

this

foundation

no regular system
trated

formed on such an

idea, illus-

by facts and confirmed by a series of examples. Nay, on the contrary, the operations of the etymologist

appear to have been conducted as

if

by a kind

of instinctive impression, he had even shrunk from

the adoption of this principle as from a notion abhorrent to his
art.

Without any clue

to direct his foot-

steps in the great labyrinth of language, he has wholly

surrendered up his reason to the guidance of chance;

and yet
topic to

in the wildest
spirit,

wanderings of his erring and

extravagant

which has aflbrded so fertile a the powers of ridicule, he seems as it were

almost cautiously and purposely to have avoided the

INTRODUCTION.

XI

application of such an idea, as an insurmountable

barrier to the progress of his enquiries.
logist
is

The etymowords

perpetually employed

in

deriving

from each other, and appearance, unguided by any constant or general but principle, which he had before established
;

which

are totally dissimilar in form

prompted only by Still, however, when the tion of whim and caprice. dissimilarity has arisen from a cause which is alone
connected with a principle of uniformity, there and
there only (as
it

the instant and accidental sugges-

should seem) the wildness of con-

jecture has seldom ventured to interpose.

similarit}'-

The

dis-

of words

arising

at

once from different

vowels and from consonants, bearing a different name

and form, though of the same kind, has ever presented before the view of the etymologist a deep and dark veil through which his eyes have been unable
to

penetrate.

rendered dissimilar

Thus it has happened, that words by the effect of a certain process

from which alone they can be proved to be alilce^ have remained in our conceptions, toto ca;lo^ removed and
distant from each other.
tribe of conjecturers

The

boldest

among

the

have rarely ventured to imagine

that any affinity existed

this peculiar dissimilarity

among words disguised by and when even the dif;

ference arising from difierent vowels only

was the

object of their meditation, they failed not to proceed

with due caution

that

in detailing the progress of these mutations, and to assure us with great solemnitv

A. became E.

in

one nation and

I. in

another."

Xii

INTRODUCTION.

" Having thus riideavourcd briefly to explain tli<i simple fact, which relates to the v^arious mutations of
these cognate consonants,
1

shall

now

close

my

re-

marks on

this subject

as

it is

only from a consider-

ation of the examples themselves that

we can

underare

stand the peculiar

mode

in

which those changes

produced.

If the reader perchance in the spirit of

captious objection should be disposed to observe,

that
I

have assumed to myself an ample sphere for

the exercise of

my

theory or

my

invention;* and

that with such a latitude of change, transformations

of every kind

may

readily be effected

have only to

reply, that this variety of mutation cannot justly

be
;

charged on him

who had no

share in its

production

and that the confusion arising from this latitude of change (if any such should be found to exist) is not
the fault, but the misfortune of the writer wiio has

ventured to pursue an

intricate

and embarrassed
all its

theme through
tions.
I
it

all

its

perplexities and

deviafact,

have described only a plain simple

which

was

my

dvity

faithfully to detail
all

and

according to this fact must

my

researches be

minutely regulated.

If

we have

seen that words

belonging to each other assume these various forms,

and appear under these disguising garbs,

business precisely to ascertain the
varieties

it

is

our

number of these

and the nature of these disguises.

We may

lament, indeed, that the forms should be so numer This remark

is still

more applicable

to the theory of the present au-

thor than to that of Mr. Whiter.

INTRODUCTION.
oiis ;*

Xill

but

we

shall rejoice that they are still

;

so regular and similar

if

we

are perplexed

found by the

difference of the garb,

we

shall be
if

guided by the

uniformity of the badge should elude our search, by the frequency of change they will grow familiar to our knowledge by the

and

these various shapes

constancy of recurrence.

The

writer

who

has pre-

sumed to develope the principles of a new theory, must expect to encounter the suspicions of the
cautious and the cavils of the captious," &c.

Without enquiring into the cause of these kindred significations being attached to the same consonants,
*'

we

well

know

that

it

did not arise from the figure of

it

the symbol ; and therefore

is

infinitely futile

and

unmeaning

to confine the influence of this principle

within a sphere of action which has no reference to the operations of the cause." " I must again repeat what

we shall

instantly acknowledge, that a general idea peris

vading a race of words with the same consonants,

not

attached to the name^ but the nature of the si/mhol.

That is not a necessary attendant on t\\e form of the symbol which is an arbitrary sign perpetually changpower and property of that symbol, whatever form it mav assume and by whatever name it may be called."
;

ing

but

it is

an inseperable adjunct to

the.

This quotation

is

a tissue of mysticism, absurdity

and dogmatism, utterly unworthy of the enlightened and sound remarks that precede. Mr. Whiter, indeed,
*

This

is

much

to

be lamented, lliough

in fact

it

is

the boasted copia.

The whole

of the above remarks are very just and exceedingly important.

XIV
is

TNTnODUCTION.
by
fits

|)hilosoi)liic

and

starts,

rather than con-

stantly or uniformly.

Ho

says, "

without enquiring

into the cause of these kindred significations being

attached to the same consonants

tlius

;'*

but though he
it

slipped

oft'

from the

difficult enquiry,

was the
of the no-

true starting post of true etymology.

As

to saying

"

we

ncll huoh'
it is

it

did not arise from

X.\u' Ji<ri(re

symbol"
thing at

sufficient to tell him, that he

knew
:

all about what he was asserting, or whereof he was dogmatizing and as to the expression " inji;

nilchj futile

boldness to
tion

and unmeaning" it is a sort of bullying make up for the weakness of his percepunderstanding.
lost in a

and the timorousness of his

truth
is,

The

on

this point,

Mr. Whiter was

;

mist of indistinct perception

fess ignorance,

but rather than con-

he had recourse to the usual auxiliary

of bewildered theorists

bold and positive language.

is

The

first

sentence of the following quotation

of the

same stamp, the rest is excellent. " Here then w^e perceive our theory is at last com[Not yet it began not at the beginning, and pleted.
;

it

never reached completion or perfection.]

It

is

per-

fect in all its parts

and furnished for

all

its

purposes.

The

similarity of languages has been the

theme of

eternal discussion,

few scattered and scanty ex-

amples of their coincidence have been perpetually urged but the whole subject has been involved in
;

most impenetrable obscurity, embarrassment and confusion here at last we have discovered the imthe
:

INTRODUCTION.

XV

portant clue which will guide* us safely andreadil}^

through

all

the windings in the gr^at labyrinth of

human

speech.

Here

at last

we have

obtained what

has been ever sought but never discovered

versal or origfinal lans2fuao^e

not
and

the

uni-

indeed existinsf in

the fleeting forms of any peculiar system or artifice

ofspeecli, but in those
first

original elements

which universally pervade the whole machinery of language performing in every part the same func-

tions

and operating

to the

same purposes."

Intro-

duction to Etymologicon

Magnum.

The author

of the above work does not appear to

have thought clearly or profoundly on his subject, and

therefore does not always write definitely
:

he speaks
thepower

of the 7>zocAmen/ and operations of language

of the original symbols

with ideas
of mind

of of w^ords being

letters

being impregnated

instinct

with the energies

in short, he often writes in the

manner of

Dugald Hobbes,
Still,

Stewart, rather than that of Plorne Tooke,

or (if

we may name on
the

the occasion the

great

philosopher of philosophers)

Yerulum.

however, Mr. Whiter deserves well of manis

kind, and

to a certain extent entitled to the praise

It
is

of original thinking and discovery.

that the

presumed
not only
pre-

work of Mr.
to

Home Tooke has been

knowledge,
will

read, but studied

by every one

who makes any

tension
* It is

philological

and therefore
to

presumed that Mr. Wliiter

have the candour

is

acknowledge,

that he only almost discovered the clue whidi

riie

now

altogether put into

hand of the

philological student.

XVI
ir.

INTIlODtTTION.
unnecessary to quote from
it

is

in

tliis

introduc-

tion.
I\rli;ii)s tlic
tlic

reader

may wish

to

know what

dialects

author has had recourse to and found most subto

])hilological

servient

purposes.

The Hebrew,
French,
Gothic,

Greek,

Latin,

Itahan,

Spanish,

Saxon,

German, Dutch, Welch, Scotch,

all

and of

course English have been

consulted.

The Welch

has been referred to merely by means of a grammar

and dictionary
in this
to,

but has been found very useful even

has been very
little

way.

The Greek

attended

being in reality the unfittest dialect in the world

philological

for

purposes.

The Gothic

of

Codex
is

Argentum,

like the

Saxon of the Durham Book,

it

after all the talk

about

no dialect whatever, except

mongrel lingo of the
translations from Latin

a Babylonish one

a sort of

monks.

Even
else

Alfred's

Saxon

are, as to termination, structure,

any thing

&c. more Latin than and therefore (except the radicals

to the dialects in general) cannot

which
be

are

common

regarded as of

any authority, or trusted

questions

to for

direction in
grafting

philological

The

fault of

Greek and Latin idioms and terminations, &c. on the native dialect has always been the vice
It
is

of translators.

" that

by Adclung, for several centuries the Latin was rendered so literally, that even the article was left out and the whole construction of the Latin with the participles
;

justly remarked

and

many
It

other peculiarities were rigourouslv obis

served.

for this reason

that

we ou^ht

not tp

INTRODUCTION.
judge of the
spirit

XVII
letter)

(he might have added the

of

a language from such translations."

Mr. Ilorne
(for

Tooke

has flourished rather too

much

the lasting-

reputation of his research) about Gothic and Saxon.

The
Latin,

dialects in

the nature and origin of words,

which the author has most studied are the Hebrew,

English.

Dutch and

The English he
it

is

best

acquainted with, and therefore found

for his purpose, after
letter significant,

most suitable

he learned to consider every

to resolve every variety of every

and

letter into its

primary form.

Previously to such a

state of philological progress,

suitable for

no language is so unetymological experiment and research as

the mother tongue.

Next

to the English, the author to the

has to

make

his

acknowledgements

Dutch.

This

is

the plainest speaking, most intelligible and

is,
it

sensible (that

appeals most to the senses) of

all

the dialects. so

Few

events would cause to the author

much
a

regret, as to see this

good, plain dialect suIt

perseded by snivelling, flippant, senseless French.

is

shame

to an English

philologer to

and especially a Scotch be unacquainted with Dutch for it is

;

so nearly the

same

as his native dialect,

that he has

hardly any thing to learn in becoming acquainted

with

it

and, as the author of the Recovery of

it

Dethe
tlie

cayed

Intelligence has justly remarked,

It is

is

oldest Gothic remaining.

low German, or

language of the vulgar

last to

and the vulgar are always the

It

change their opinions, habits, customs, and

their language.

above

all

would be easy

to

prove

Xviii
iiidoed,

INTRODUCTION.
that

Dutch is in reality older and truer Cotliic than that of Codex Argentum. Tiie dialect after the Dutch and English, in which
the author has most studied philology,
is

the Latin

and next
it

to them,

(if

we do

not except the Hebrew)

is

the

fittest for

the purpose.

When

he

first re-

solved to create a rational system of

grammar and lexicography, he pitched upon the Latin, as both by

its

sturdy, masculine character, and

(for
it

its

extensive

dif-

fusion,

evidently constitutes

much

of the

modern Greek
;

dialects)
in

entitled to preference
real alphabetic signs

above the

which the

the con-

sonants, have been as in a kind of euphonic spite

gnawed down

into musical notes

or

evanescent,

uncertain, ever-changing vowels.

Latin grammar
in all their

and dictionary containing the same words

variety of spelling, in
all

the varieties of dialect, are

in a state of considerable forwardness,

and were

in-

tended to be published before any other of the author's

projected philological works
;

but his opinions and

to unite the learned
classic hostility,

manner of writing being likely casts against him and provoke

thought
it

he
dic-

necessary to gain his primary object by the

circuitous course of an English

tionary.

grammar and
reflection

He

has never even in his gloomiest

moand

ments,

when exhausted with anxious

;

toilsome enquiry, despaired or doubted of ultimate

success

but he has always expected the

fate of a

Reformer
hostility

he
;

has always anticipated resistance and

folly

and therefore without praising

or

INTRODUCTION.
flattering prejudice,

XIX
such modes of

wished

to adopt

attack

as

speedily to

would enable him most certainly and triumph over ignorance and bigotry, and

put down learned absurdity. As certain persons have been very loquacious
about the greatness and inipossibleness of his undertakings, he

may

be permitted to inform them that he

wrote every word of the present work within the

space of five weeks, in the midst of
niences,

many
;

inconve-

interruptions

and distractions

spending

six hours of the

to other duties. to send his

day too

in school,- besides attending

is,

The

truth

he had intended not

for several

promised work to the press

months, but finding that some were prophesying that

it

could not be performed, he thought the best meall

thod of terminating
to sit

doubt about the question, was

It is to

down

at

once and write the book.

be

hoped that henceforth certain persons

sure every one by themselves.

will not

mea-

Works which they suppose would take such a mighty number of years, the author will pledge himself to perform in as many
It takes

months.

much

time and labour to construct

;

labyrinths and Babel-sj'^stems

original thinking can easily

but the energy of

and speedily create the

chaos of learned absurdity into light and simplicity,

order and utility.

The author has to regret, so as to make him neglect

read
it

that prejudice operated

the

Hebrew

for several

years after he had succeeded in teaching himself to

with considerable

facility.

He

had despised

i?

XX
i(

INTRODUCTION.
liarsli

as poor and dctcrtivo,

till

and uncertain
it

and

it

was not

lately that
:

he had recourse to

for ety-

mological purposes

he found, as he had uniformly

found, in every examination of

new dialects,

(dialects

new

to liim) all his philological principles confirmed

;

and illustrated

he found not only that Hebrew and

the same language, but that
is

J'^nglish are essentially

the former,
dialects,

if

not the oldest,

one of the ancientest

for

and one of the

fittest

etymology.

He

concludes this introduction by giving an analysis of his philological principles, that they may be seen

and examined
1.

in their

most naked form.

2.

There

is

nothing arbitrary about language.

All the dialects as Hebrew, Celtic, Greek, Latin, &c.

are essentially but one language.
diversities as

They have such

;

may be termed

idioms

but with

all

their circumstantial varieties,

they have substantial

uniformity

they proceed on the same principles and have the same origin. The philosophic grammar and lexicography of one, is in reality that of all.
:

3.

no words primarily and properly insigThere are many words that have ceased nificant. 4. to be significant, as they are commonly employed.
There
are

Many

of the particles, including affixes and prefixes,

conjunctions, prepositions, articles, &c. are of this

description,
laneuao-e.

and
5.

may be termed

the

mummies of
identified

Every word that cannot be

is

with the name of a sensible object,

or wholly

either partly

mummified.

6.

The use

of insignificant
is

words, or using words insignificantly,

the chief,

if

INTRODUCTION.
not the only cause of verbal, that
is

XXI
metaphysical

imposture
is

and

all

unintelligible or false reasoning-

merely metaphysical imposture.

Metaphysics as

a science could have never existed but for the

mum-

mies of language, and the relics and ghosts of meaning.

7.

AH words are primarily and properly metaphorical

in
;

or to vary the expression, or v/ritten,

monly
word." &c.

language whether spoken and metaphor comsimile originated " simile comprised a be explained
is

to

in

The author does

it

not wish

to dispute

about

such unmeaning or half-meaning terms as metaphor,

;

but he wishes

to be distinctly understood, that

the vulgar errors

he means the errors of the literary

and
literal

vulgar, respecting metaphorical

terms, are

the cause of

much

metaphysical imposture,

much

critical, logical,

grammatical and rhetorical nonsense.

What
mind,

are called literal terms,

spirit.

such as time, space,

Sec, are like worn out coin, or effaced

the meaning or value of which, being

inscriptions,

never ascertained, occasions everlasting conjecture

Almost every sentence is elliptical. 9- Almost every word is put elliptically. 10. Almost every word is a compound of two or more words. 11. All words are resolvable into a few primitives or thus, all the seeming multitude of words are merely various spellings and pronunciations of the names of a few striking and familiar objects as the head, foot, hand, eye, ear, mouth, &c.
and controversy.
8.
;
;

12.

As

all

words are resolvable into the

all

letters

of the

alphabet, so

the letters of the alphabet are resolv-

XXll
al)l('

INTRODUCTION.
into one primary form.
]3.

That primary form

simili-

was

('mj)Ioyed as a sign or representation of visible

14.

ol)jocts.

This method of significancy by

of all written
lanGfuaJi(^
1.5.

tude,

is

the

orifi-in

There

are very few words,

which were primarily unwritten,

an imitation of natural sounds.

or

which

oriijinatcd in

If these principles can be overturned, the philo-

logy of the author will prove of course a baseless

fabric.

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.

PART

I.

THE NATURE AND ORIGIN OF ALPHABETIC SIGNS.

It

will be admitted

by

all

who have thought

suffi-

ciently on the subject, that the letters of the alphabet

must have been

originally as significant as the figures

;

or signs of arithmetic

and as there is a relation between these two methods of significancy, the one
to explain the other.

may be emploj^ed
one;
ii.

Every person
i.

possessed of sight can see

two;
iii.

how and why

signifies

three:

it is

equally intelligible

how

V.

5,

should signify Jiue ; because though somewhat

its

altered from

original shape for the sake of easy

formation,

it

was

a sign or representation of the

:

consisting of five fingers or digits

hand so X. which is a
other, (in

compound

sign, consisting of

two of the

other words, two signs for two hands with ten fingers)
signifies ten.

If instead of putting the

two

signs of

the

two hands
(dc

or semicircles (the original form)

back

to back,

changed into x.) we put them face to

24
face,
(co.
is

nilLOSOPIIIC ETYMOLOGY.
or
joi)ic(l

into a circle o.) then

we have
only
it is

what

called a cipher^

nought or insignificant,

which so is the same

far

from being a

as

X.

always accompanied by another sign.*

one-ten
;

Thus

10

is

20
;

is

two-ten,

or twice-ten contracted into

twenty

30

is

three-ten or thirty, &c.

is

As each
100

of

the arithmetical signs

fold,

encreased or multiplied tenis

when removed

a degree towards the left,

;

ten times ten, or one hundred

1000
plus

is

ten times a

hundred, or one thousand

is

hence the reason

:

why x
be

the sign of multiplication

is

(as will
,

shown under conjunctives) the Samaritan -f answering to the Hebrew n, the Saxon ^, our own T. t., &c. being a conjunction which is found in all the languages, or rather dialects. It would be equally
;

easy to explain the significancy of every arithmetical

sign,

but

my

present business

is

with alphabetic
already

signs.
It is

hoped that the

intelligent enquirer

is

prepared to consider the alphabet as consisting of

real signs,

and to resolve

all

its letters

into their pri-

* In the
arithnicticiil

Po////)/if;jrt?j

Diciioriary, a cipher

is

exphiined to be

"An
of

mark, which standing

!
!""

for nothing itself, encrcases the value

the other figures

So

it

appears that nothing can create something;

all

according to
in spite of
all

tlie

popular doctrine of

things being

made out
ii it

of nothing,

that the logicians have said about nihil begetting nihil.

The

common
is

mistake, however, respecting the cifjher as

were a nought,

not so surprising as a thousand other mistakes on familiar subjects, con-

cerning which

men have been always accustomed

reflect;

to rote and repeat, but

seldom stop to think or

and the author

tlie

shall not

wonder

if

some

controversy be necessary before

poor cipher obtain justice.

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
mary forms.
fio'ures,

25

Several,

if

not

all

the letters of the

alphabet, are evidently varieties of the same forms or

and therefore our shortest method

is first

in treating

of them,

to resolve all the varieties or deriva-

tives into their

primary forms.
for analysing the

It is

presumed that

alphabet the
all

following principles
philologers:
1.

w^ill

be admitted by

sound

Letters of smoother and easier utter-

ance are to be considered as growing out of those of

harsher and more difficult utterance, but not vice

Thus gutturals (or letters formed in the become dentals (letters formed by putting the dentals become labials (letters formed teeth together) by closing the lips); consonants become vowels; but vowels do not become consonants, nor labials
versa.

throat)

gutturals.
all

The

reason of the foregoing principle

is,

men,

savages, philosophers and musicians, prefer

to harshness, facility to difficulty,

smoothness

and
is,

ease to labour.

The evidence

of the principle

the history of

all

the dialects of the world.

There

is

not a single instance of vowels becoming consonants,

or labials gutturals
;

but there are multitudes of

in-

stances of gutturals becoming labials, and labials

becoming vowels.
Second
(for

principle.

Those forms of

letters

most

speedily and most easily written, or rather graved,

graving on leaves of trees, on stone, wood, lead,

brass, &c.,
ing,) are to

was the

first

mode

of writing and printvarieties,

be considered as derivatives,

or

corruptions of those forms graved most slowly and

of)

I'JI

L0S01>IUC IITYMOLOGV.
not vice versa.

(liffirultly,

I)Ut

This matter

<:isily

ascertained.

Let any one cut

all

may be out of wood

witii

liis

penknife

the letters of the alphabet, and

ho will be convinced that the more circular any letter is it is graved with more difficulty, and the less circular,
it

is

graved with the greater

facility.
is

In this

view,

the hardest letter in the

;

alphabet

O., and the

easiest I.

the Samaritan

V
;

is

much

easier than
;

O.

and the Greek A is much easier than D. ord. Saxon C is easier than C. and G than G., &c.
It folloAvs

the

from the

first

principle, that vowels are

to be resolved into consonants,

and that
;

all
it

consonants

are to be resolved into gutturals

and

follows from

the second principle, that straight-lined and angular

letters are to
I.

be resolved into circular

J.,

letters.
;

Thus
He-

grew out of
is
;

which arose out of G.

V. from U.,
or the

which brew D

merely a slight variety of

;

C,

w. from uu
;

M. m. from
is
;

or uu. reversed)

N.

CO (being merely w. V. both upwards and down-

ward

n. is u.

reversed

A.

is

the

same

as V., only
;

with the angle upwards and a stroke across

stroke constitutes the only difference
the

which
it

between
to the

and

Greek

A.

and when
shall
A.

we come

canon of

etymology,

we
;

have occasion to show the con1.

nexion between and V. or U.

form
is
;

changed into L. contracted into

like t.
v.

Y.

is

primarily the
;

same

E,

e. e.

is

obviously resolvable into C.

and O.

so plainly the

same
as
is

letter as to

render any remark glancing at

C.'s
;

snpcrfluous;

X.

we showed when
two
V.'s or

arithmetical signs,

two

Z.

is

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
variety of ^,

2/

which
T.

like S.

is

a double form of C.
c.

exactly like the French and Spanish

and sound

t. r. t.

D. ^.

both

in

form

with several other

;

varieties are resolvable into

are as plainly resolvable into

D. d. b. o. . ^. 9. which C. G. Q, q. D. (changed
is

into H.)
b.

the sameness of form

circles),

evident
f.

in

d,

(B.

is

two half
is

p. q.

F.

digamma
f.

or

double gamma,
is

resolvable into F.
D.

7.

which
(p. p. p.

merely a variety of
n.

or C. G.,

&c.

il. r.

Greek,
or %

radically the
.

Hebrew), is also like L. 1. C?. Hebrew), same as D. C. G., &c. K. is properly being merely a different form of X. %. or ra;

ther 3C.

We shall
logy
;

treat

more minutely of
instituting the

the primary form

of the letters

when
is

canon of etymoform
in the

but

it

evident from the foregoing analysis,

figure or
first
;

in reality but one whole alphabet; and that the

that there

is

alphabetic signs

were

circles or circular

marks

they were the kind

of hieroglyphics which the Egyptians very properly named Curiologic. " The hieroglyphics of the Egyptians

were distinguished into Curiologic and sym;

bolic

for instance, in the

Curiologic
(or

way

to express

the sun, they

crescent," (or

made a circle D. G. C).

O.),

the

moon

The
cancy,

Q\\Y\o\o'^\c ov circlegraphic

method of

signi/i-

may be
The

considered as the short-hand of hierofirst

glyphics.

representation of the sun,

was

such a picture of him as

post^ called the sign

we

sec painted on a sign;

of the sun

so of the

moon, the

1>8

I'Hir.OSOPIIIC

ETYMOLOGY.
difficult, tlic

i^lobc,

&r.

but as this was tedious and

roj)r('ScntatioM
left

was abridged

the rays of the sun were

:

out, and

lie

was represented by a circle

;

so of

all

other circular objects respectively

as the heaven,

the earth, a millstone, an ear, an eye, mouth, &c.

There can

])v

no doubt, however, that

in

the

first

instance even the abridged representation

would

as

uiuch as possible indicate the particular circle or

round object intended.

Thus,

to

denote the horison,

world, [cr-alt great circle) or globe, a very large circle

would be drawn;

to indicate a drop of

dew

or

any

other very minute round object, a very small circle

would be made
period
is
(

and here

let

me

observe, that the

;

is

a diminutive circle or o.
circles
;

the colon
(
)

(:)

two diminutive
is

and the comma

or o,
"

hemi

or semi^
as the

half a
'

little circle

and the very same

Greek

what
ness

larger

and Hebrew (of which T is a somehence jW changed into^'o^, again form)

' ;

changed into dot

;

is

employed

to signify diminutive-

and hence

too, the reason

why

the

comma and
form or sign

period are both employed to indicate contraction

as Dr. or Dr,
in the

&c.

The

largest circular

Hebrew alphabet is Q, and the smallest is >. The above representation of alphabetic signs,
I fear

as

originating in curiology, and of curiology as a con-

tracted form of hieroglyphics, will,

not, stand the

severest scrutiny
to

but

it is

natural for the investigator

enquire

first,

why

should circular representations

only be employed as signs; and secondly, are they

competent to

all

the purposes of language

In reply

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
to the
first
is,

99
I

question, the only reason

which

can

assign

the prevalence of the circular form in the

art.

objects

both of nature and

The
it,

sun, moon,

heaven, earth, and most objects in

as hills, trees,

&c.

are of a
all its

round form

so also

is

the

human body

and

members,
If,

as limbs, fingers, toes, eyes, ears,

head, &c.

therefore, a representation of objects

it

was adopted
however,
satisfied
if

as a sign,

must of necessity be round

1 shall

or roundish to be like them.

not be surprised,
is

the inquisitive philologer

not at

first

with the above reason of the

fact,

(fact,

scruple not to

experiment

name it, being established by every have made in Hebrew, Celtic, Gothic,
for
it
it.

Greek, Latin, &c.)

was long before

I

could
all
;

be myself content with

could easily resolve

the letters of the alphabet into a circular form

could easily find a reason

why

the circular form

was
ex-

a real sign in most of the instances

upon which

perimented

but

could not be persuaded that the

sufficient or

circular figure

was

competent, and was

the

determined
(

if

possible to find the straight line form

;

or

the angular (V.)

the triangular

(a.)

quadrangular (d.), which with the circle (O.) would have fully satisfied me. It was my misfortune as a
theorist,

actually to find

all

these forms in the

Heand

brew, Greek and

Roman

alphabets (which are only

;

however corruptions of the circular form) though I have been a philologer onh^ three

years,

my

affection for the

above theory

my unwillingness
was

to be convinced that the first written language

30
Curi()h<>ic,

PIl

LOSOPJIIC

KTYMOLOGY.

caused

mo
toil

to lose half

my

time; besides

occasioning-

much
it

and distracting anxiety.

As

to the competentncss of the curiologic

method

of

significancy,

cannot be rightly judged of a priori

it,

indeed none are competent to judge of

but those
there

who have
their
is

studied deeply the nature of words and

;

connexion with ideas

most scholars
a

(for

wide difference between

scholar and a philosoif

pher) would stare incredulously

to

we were

to state

them what we consider the clear amount of their words and ideas they would think it impossible for the human mind to have so few ideas, or for so few
;

words
finite

to

accomplish the purposes of speech

great in a mist,

small
in-

objects

seem

and a few seem an

multitude in a wilderness of confusion.

it,

Who
believe

that has not previously considered

would

how many changes can be rung with four or five bells how much variety of music can be brought out of
few notes or produced on three or four
TJIE
strings
?

CONNEXION BETWEEN ALPHABETIC SIGNS AND INTELLIGIBLE SOUNDS CONSIDERED.

proper enquiry here
is,

whether there be
icritien

a spoken
'"

language wholly independent of the

one.

see, (said Mr. Home Tooke, in a letter to Mr. Shaw, of Hanley,) by the general contents of your plan, that you are aware that when we speak of the English language, we speak in fact of two distinct lan-

guages

mean

a system of signs addressed to the

ear by sounds, and a system of signs addressed to the

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
eye

3i

by written characters/* It is impossible to ascertain now precisely what this acute philologer meant by a system of signs addressed to the ear for the few sounds employed as imitations and representations of sounds, (and sound can properly re;

present nothing- but sound) are not entitled to be called

a system.

It is

admitted that

all

such words as

hiss,

whisper, croak, crash, howl, (formerly hul) cuckoo,

(coo
(or

coo tur

or cul
;

cul), coo, chirp, (or chirr) turtle,

tur)

and

in short, all

words whose import

appeals primarily to the ear, originated in sound

are
;

intended to imitate and therefore represent sound

and that

in

committing them to writing those

to figure)

letters,

were chosen (without any regard

which

were best calculated when pronounced to give the sound intended. Some, indeed, have denied that there is any such thing in language as imitation of
sound,
cry
;

or of designating living creatures

by

their

as crow, (a softened pronunciation of croak)

'of

cuckoo, owl, (contraction

howl
is,

or hul)

and the

reason assigned for their opinion,

or

that if the

name

word were copied from the sound, it would be the same in all languages but there is no reasonableness in the foregoing reason for the same word is not onlv
:

liable to be

much changed
same

both

in

pronunciation and

spelling, in passing along

through different dialects,

but even
time
;

in the

dialect at different periods of

and the same object or creature has frequently different names founded on different reasons. Thus
lapwing, (a contraction of flapwing) plover, teewheet.

32

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
;

peewheet, are difTercnt names of the same bird

first originating' in

the

the flapping of

its

wings,

the

second in
vier,

its
;

frequenting wet or marshy places (plupluvialis, Latin)

;

French
are
it is

and the two

its

last

names
though

evidently imitations of

cry.

But

unreasonable to affirm that no words are

it is

imitative representations of sound,

yet more un-

reasonable to affirm that written language originated

in

spoken language
or that there

or that signs addressed to the

ear generated the signs

which

are addressed to the

any mode of significancy merely by sounds entitled to be considered a system. This

eye
;

is

is

and controvertible parts of philology, and not absolutely connected with the
one of the most
difficult

general principles of the present

touched upon
uiy reflection
tially correct
;

it

shall

work but having communicate the result of

;

persuaded that
philology

it

will be found essen-

when

is

advanced to a
it

much

higher state of discovery than

tained.
1.

has ever yet at-

Significancy

ports
prior

by signs (that is, as the word imwhat are seen; sign being from sig see) was to any significancy by sounds the language of
:

signs

is

the language of nature

the language of a

man

born deaf w^as before that of one born blind.*

Secondly, the same system of curiology must have

prevailed at a very early period, before the

human
it

family was scattered abroad in the world

for

can

See more of this in Reason the Arbiter of Langusue.

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.

33

be shown that Hebrew, Gothic, Celtic, Greek, Latin, &c. are radically the same language and that they
;

not only proceed on the same principles, but contain

the same words.

The

Chinese cannot be admitted in

till it

evidence on this subject

be better understood,
3.

and more rationally explained.

at articulate

The

first

attempt

sounds or speech, was by expressing with

the

of the
still

mouth the form of curiologic signs. The shape mouth in pronouncing many of the letters is
of a circular form, as the broad
:

a,

the u, the o,

as well as all the gutturals

this

the enquirer

may

ascertain

by observing the mouth of a friend in formor his own mouth before a lookinging the letters
;

glass.

It is

probable that in the

first

instance

men

conversed w^holly by looking, not by listening even

in

employing the mouth

and that the different mo-

difications of

sound emitted from the mouth, (which modifications of sound result from the modification
form of the organs of speech,) were a subse-

in the

quent step of improvement and conveniency, not contemplated when the mouth was first applied to

which application of the mouth was not anticipated when these signs were first employed and which signs were not contemplated
curiologic signs
;

when

hieroglyphics were invented

thus, in the use

hiero-

of signs,

men were

led on step

by step from

glyphics or picture-writing, tocuriologics, an abridged

form of the former

from curiologics engraved or

drawn on any substance, to the expression of them by the mouth and from the expression of them by D
;

3-1

I'll

rLOSOI'JllC

ETYMOLOGY.
expression of them by
a great

the

iiiniitli

to the eye,

to the

sou 11(1

to the ear.

Tlie last

was

improvement,

enabling-

men
;

to converse in the dark as well as in

the light

as the preceding step

to interchange

of improvement

enabled them

thought with a degree

of facility and expedition, which no dexterity in graving or writing could ever

rival.

The
and
is

above explanation

may
;

not perhaps convince

I

satisfy every enquirer

but

am

bold to say

it

the simplest,

most

intelligible

and philosophic
:

representation that has ever yet been given

as for

those
trary,

who

still

continue to consider language as arbi-

or as invented and taught

if I tell

must not be offended

worthy of notice. It is as by Mr. Home Tooke, that the assigning of a divine origin to the invention of letters, is a short cut which saves much trouble, but perpetuates much ignorance.

by the Deity, they them that they are unjustly as wittily remarked

more reasonable, however, to consider language as a super-human invention, than to speak as some yet do of words being arbitrary signs. Perhaps
It
is

far

the author has not successfully explained the origin

of language, but

it

will be admitted, he presumes, that

in the space of a

few pages he has pushed the subject

it

further than any other writer, and put

in a train of

being at

last

well understood.

3d

PART

II.

THE CANON OF ETYMOLOGY.

This

is

by

far

the most important part of the

all

present work,

being the foundation of

;

rational

and useful philology

and

as nothing of the kind has

been attempted, (for whatever may have been said about etymology, no one will affirm that it has been
reduced
full
to a certain science,) I shall therefore

be more
to the
I shall

and minute than is absolutely necessary more advanced and philosophic philologer.
endeavour as

much as

possible to supply illustrations

;

and proofs from the English language

work, and especially this part of
avail

but

it

must

not be considered as unsuitable to the nature of this

it,

if I

sometimes
from other

myself of appropriate

instances
it

dialects.

The

following principles,

is

presumed,

will reduce
1.
is

etymology to a certain science.

t\\^\\

Meaning, rather

pronunciation and spelling,

to be considered as the great guide of etymologic

investigation.*

etymologer
this

by tlie young was long the only guide the author could trust to: by alone he was frequently preserved from being lost in the wilderness
;

The above
it

principle ought to be carefully considered

of words, and was safely conducted through the labyrinths of Babel-

graminars and dictionaries.

D 2

36
Gr.

Ml
Lat.

i.osorii ic

etymology.

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
more words have the same
different forms of spelling.
idea, the

3?
is,

presumption

that they are radically and truly the

same word under

safely be conit is

This, indeed, holds so

it

generally and uniformly, that

sidered an

may

axiom

and those instances wherein

will

contradicted by investigation,

amount

to

no

more than a few exceptions to a general rule, if indeed any exceptions can be found. 2. Every word is to be considered significant. Unmeaning words, that is insignificant signs, are fictions of brainless metaphysicians.*
It will

be seen

hereafter that

but
are

some words of them etymologically, primarily and properly, every word

in treating

are applied insignificantly,

or
is

what they
to be con-

sidered significant.
3.

Every syllable of every word

is

t9

be considered

significant.
4.

Every

letter

of every syllable

is

to be considered

significant.

The two

last

positions

must be

restricted

for

though every letter be properly significant, yet letters

through ignorance, carelessness, mistake, haste, de-

* Tliat no
fully

words are absolutely

insignificant in

any language,
all

lias

been
plii-

proved by Mr.

Home

Tooke, and admitted bv

lias

the soundest

losopheis ef Europe; yet Dugald Stewart

committed the reputation

of his understanding, by asserting in opposition to the

(as
)

New

Philosophy,
letlcrs

he cniitingly writes, thai many words are as insignificant as the

If lie

of which they are formed. cantly or abused, his

means that words may be used

insignifi-

own

writings supply abundant proof of his position;

but no one except a mere pretender to philosophy would say, that either

words or

letters are primarily

and properly insignificant.

J8

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
and speaking, are frequently

fcctive organs of hearing

used insignificantly or improperly.

double

letters in

every language
dd,
11,

going remark,

as bb,

Almost all the come under the forerr, ss, tt, &c. The
through the fop-

French and English

after the former)

(for the latter

pery of courtiers and travellers has been long dangling

languages have been grossly mispelt,

especially during the last

all

two hundred years.

to fix
(as it is

Almost
it.

that has been

done

called) our

orthography, has been an ignorant effort to pervert

Rational etymology ought to fix the meanings, applications, spellings

and pronounciations of words

but such
cient

men

as Dr.

etymology.

They had only power

to construct a

Johnson were ignorant of true suffito do evil

knowledge

Babel of confusion

and labyrinth of perplexity.

Whenever

letters are

introduced for the sake of

easy utterance or smooth sound, (commonly called

euphony) they are

insignificantly.

to

be considered as employed
is

This

often

the case with

the

vowels.

N.B. The languages which have fewest vowels

are fittest for etymological purposes, as the

Hebrew,*

The Hebrew
for
it,

is

admitted by

all

the soundest Jewish aud Oriental

are very angry

grammarians to
at

liave

no vowels.

Mr. Wilson and others

"

them

and absurdly rave about absurdity.

The

greater part of

Jewish grammarians have had the audacity or rather absurdity to afhrm,

that
all

the letters of the

Hebrew alphabet
it is

are consonants and not one of

them

a vowel:

an

opinion which,

astonishing that

many

learned

men

well skilled in oriental antiquities, and no

fables,

have adopted aud maintained."

ways indulgent to Jewish Wilson's Hebrew Grammar.

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
&c.
;

39

and those which have most vowels or use vowels most frequently, as the Greek and French, arc fitter for musical petits maitres than any etymological, or
indeed any philosophical purpose.
6.

All words are primarily and properly the signs

of visible objects.

This proposition must be restricted and explained.

I

mean not

that such combinations or uses of letters

to represent or imitate sound

as are

employed merely

as hiss^ bark, bray, (brack,) howl, (hul,)

&c. have any

connexion with
seen or painted
;

visible objects.

Sound cannot be
others speak

we

cannot, properly speaking, have

an idea or image of sound.

of words
definite
as signs of ideas
;

Locke and
but
I

prefer the

more

and more just expression, signs of visible

objects.

The expression being new, though very Sign I use acintelligible, may want explaining.
cording to
its

proper meaning, as the past participle

see,)

of sig (now spelt

into seen)
;

sign (or sigen

now

contracted

it is

only a different spelling and pronun-

ciation oi token, being

formed of

and

^'

(t^ye) to

eye or be eyed.

Signs therefore have to do properly only with visildc

objects.

amounts to the same meaning, whether we say words are signs of objects or ideas, that is, the images of the objects for what is like the oriIt
;

40
ginal

piii rosopri Tc

etymology.
Tlius,

must be

also like the copy.

is

when you

look into a mirror, there

is

an image or idea (the word

radically the

same
;

as idol
is

from

gj^-f^u

video,) ot your

face in the mirror

there

another in your imagina(^aciv)

:

tion (from image) or fancy, (from

you might
at

make

a picture of your face from the mirror or from

;

your fancy
to the face,
it in

which picture would correspond

its
:

once

image

in

the mirror, and the idea of

the

mind

and

if

that picture were shortened or

(the shortit

contracted in the manner of curiology,

hand of hieroglyphics or picture-writing,)

face,

might

be properly called a sign of the visible object, the

or of the image of
it

it

in the mirror

or of the

idea of

in the

mind

for

being a resemblance (howit

is

ever distant and imperfect) of the one,

also a to

resemblance or sign of the other.

mean not
;

go
I

further into this important subject here

but what

have said will sufficiently open the nature of signs

and ideas

to intelligent enquirers.
all

The language
is

of

Mr. Locke and

indistinct

our metaphysicians
;

exceedingly

and indefinite
laws,
data,

as for

good Mr. Dugald

and always the
to be charitably

Stewart, always the friend of the true nature of the

soul,
its

phenomena,
;

enemy
little

of infidel philosophy

if
it
:

he makes use of a
is

metaphysical mistiness,

interpreted into a pious fraud

he only endeavours
his theory in

to escape infidel detection (for the worst of all atheists

is

the Neio Philosophi/),

by concealing

the vacuo of abstraction or insignificant phraseology:

ideas he has discovered are very bad to deal with

and

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
must, therefore give place to jiotions. If the

41

worthy

professor has any regard for the safety of the true

theory of the mind, he will take up a new position as speedily as possible; for notions are too nearly related to note

and notice

to

be long tenable against the

assaults of the

new

philosophy, and especially the

new etymology. N.B. The preceding or

in

fifth

proposition,
I

is

implied
to

the second,

third

and

fourth, but

wished

express

my

meaning so definitely
is

as to

leave no

doubtfulness.
6.

Every word

primarily an adjective

that

is

expressive of some quality, circumstance, or manner

of being.

This proposition
for

is

in reality the

same

as the

second

no word could be truly

it

significant with-

out expressing some quality, circumstance, &c. of

that to

which
if

is

applied.

Mr.

Home Tooke
a reason for
its

has

hinted, that

all

words are resolvable into the noun or

najne ; but

there be in the

name

im-

position or application, (and without a reason of some

kind or other,
then
it

it

could never have become a name,)

is
;

resolvable into
for

what has been

is

called an

adjective

we must

use the best grammatical

hardly one of them

terms
fit

we

have, though there

for

our purpose.

Illustration of the proposition.

is,

Urbs

is orhis,

that

surrounded, encircled (namely, with a wall so as

to

be

fortified),

houses or habitations being underis

stood.

Roma, Rome

merely a softened and more

City contraction

musical form of the same word.

42
of

I'll

r.OSOPlIIC

KTYMOLOGY,

citnfas is

also an adjective signifying a chief or

capilal,

somelhing- more Ijcing understood (which

to

was originally expressed)

make
it is

the sense complete.

When we
capital, or

say the capital,

an abridgment of the

head town of
is

all

the towns in England,

in the

Town, which
sentence,
is

used as a substantive

above

also resolvable into an adjective, signi-

fying primarily like urbs, an encircled or enclosed

place

and was formerly' not confined to habitations,

as burgs

but applied to gardens, [garded places) parks, &c.

(the

same
in

which

also are the

is

same

as towns),

and

Dutch

a garden

still

called tuin.

Head

contracted from heafd, hafd, from caput, cop, top,

(the regular change of
after,) is
c.

into

t.

will be noticed hereis

an adjective, signifying like heaven, (hof

a garden in Dutch,) hoop, coop, cup, round; only

what round or circular form intended in every particular instance, was originally as much as possible indiThe above are sufficient illuscated by other w^ords. Every word is primarily trations of the proposition:

an adjective

and
all

it

will receive illustration

and con-

firmation from
7.

the subsequent parts of this work.

Almost every word is a comjjound ; for as will be hereafter clearly shown, there are very few simple words. Count is compounded of con, com, and
put-o, (computo,

compute, com-pon-o, compound, combine, composite, &c.) put with or join together.
Aid,
a,

It. ajuto,
is

Fr. aide, Sp. ayudo, Lat. adjut-us,

ad,

um

compounded of

and juveo
is

(a variety

of

help),

each of which separate parts

itself a

com-

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
pound
;

43
hastily

so that the investigator

must not

suppose himself arrived at the simple primitive, even

when he

has analysed a long word into a single sylla-

ble or single letter.*

N.B. Every simple word

lable,

consists only of one sylis

but every monosyllable

not a simple or un-

compounded word. 8. The constant tendency of words in passing from mouth to mouth is to contract, not to dilate to lose,

not to assume

letters.

Speech

is

a contraction of

sprech (Ger.), not sprech a dilatation seek

is

of speech

a contraction of search, (k. and ch. will be

same letter.) not search Alum, is a contraction of a dilatation of seek. alumen ambry, of almonry as, of als each, of ilk,
hereafter proved one and the
; ; ;

ealk,

&c.

bay, of bark

daggle, of draggle; guide,

of gelead

behoof, of behalf;
;

speckl, spangle, of
;

spreckle, sprinkle, &c.

paralytic,) big,

palsy, of paralysis
;

(hence
bishop,
;

(magn, &c.) of bulk, bulge

chit,

of episcopus

of child

bust, of breast

(a

statue representing a man,

to the bust or breast

speaking of an antique,

we

say the head

is
;

marble
corse,

and the bust or

kite,)

breast

is
;

porphyry or bronze)

(hearse also) of corpus

catch, (also cat, katz. Teuton.

;

of clutch, clinch, &c.

;

caw, of croak, crow,

;

craw, &c.

chime, of chirme
;

cit,

of citizen,
;

(of

civitatisen)

coach, (coche,
;

i^/-.)

of carriage
;

couch,
(so

of crouch, curve

covenant, of convenant

Co-

See more of this

in the

Pioneer of Rational Philology.

44

Plir LOSOI'IIIC
is

ETYMOLOGY
of

vent-garden

contraction
;

Convent-garden,
;

mock, of mimic mite, Coventry of Conventry) moth, mote, of minute moan, of mourn; mule, of
;

mingle.

The

reader will perceive

how much

the

mass of words may

derness of

be thus diminished, and the wilsimplified

that
is

language

by resolving

the

numerous synonimes,
one word.

various spellings, into

The author is

not speaking extravagantly,

though somewhat paradoxically, when he tells the reader that he could put all the matter of Johnson's

verborum into a A thousand instances might be added to nutshell. those above given, not only from the English, but
dictionary
his copia

the whole of

from

all

the dialects of Europe.

The

enquirer will
fall

observe, that the letters

or melt away, are

which chiefly those most difficult

;

or fly off,

to the

mouth
but have
are

and grating
especially
1.

to the ear

as the guttural c, k, g,
letters
(1.

and

r.

These

and

r.)

been

called ironically,

perhaps, liquids.

They

never easy to the mouth and seldom pleasant to the

ear.

When

suffered to stretch out

between long

vowels, as in

Ahnora, Alara, they are musical enough;

but when wedged in

sonants,

between two stubborn conis

no hedgehog

harsher to the

dog than these same liquids are to the

of man.

mouth of mouth and ear

Hence they
;

are

employed

to express harsh

sounds

as croak, creak, bark, bray, growl, groan,

grunt, grumble, &c.

The

principle contained in the above proposition

to

and signijicancy seem

have been the only etymo-

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
logical rules

45

and principles

in possession of Mr.

Hornc

Tooke, though he does not adhere uniformly and for consistently even to these (scanty as they are)
;

he unreasonably supposes that

r.

the most difficult

and repulsive

letter to the organs of

speech

in all the

alphabet, to have been assumed in such words as though he had previously entered bridegroom, &c.
;

his protest against

such arbitrary assumptions.

is

Observe

while the orthography of any people

not fixed by acknowledged standards, the spelling

follows the pronunciation
;

every writer expresses,

the variety of

or attempts to express the prevailing sounds by the

most appropriate
spelling

letters

hence,

first

which variety however prevailed chiefly with the -v^owels which ever have been, (and from their nature ever must be,)

among our

old authors,

changeable as the cameleon and uncertain as the

wind

and secondly, the reason

calm,
calf,

why many
;

of our

pronunciations are more contracted than our spellings, as

chalk, talk, Holborn

pronounced

as if spelt

cam,

(or

caam)

caf, chak, tak, Hoburn, &c.

Those words most frequently

to be contracted
;

in use are

most

liable

and they contract more rapidly

illiterate vulgar,

in

the

mouth of the

mincing courtiers
the

and insects of fashion than

learned, professional men,
the people.

in

mouth

of the
class of

and the middle

;

Extremes,

it is

often said, meet, and

when my

ears

were

lately saluted
(for

with such pronungemtnen, (or some-

ciations as

Lunun,
it

London)

thing more like

than gentlemen,) from the

mouth

46

Plin-OSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
I

of a royal duke,
nearly high
life

could not help reflecting

life,

and low

the Court and

Jt is

how very Wapping

hoped,

(or Tetticoat

Lane) are related.

to he

however, that the

will prevent

good sense of the English people

after the mincing,
;

them from capering

frisking imitators of

France and Italy

who,

like the

flippant

Greeks

before them, are always pleasing their

their understanding
:

ears at the

expense of

smooth

sound
and

is

nothing, (except to musical asses,) distinct

is

forcible expression

every thing in language

or Italian can neither
;

the composition of a

Frenchman

be distinctly profound nor powerfully expressive

in a

for

kind of musical spite he has gnawed

down

the

real alphabetic signs into a cluster of vowels,

he can breath or snivel out with a face

as if

as

which composed

he were blowing into

q.

pandeaji or through the

French-horn.

Let

it

be observed once more, that the preceding

all

proposition (the tendency of

words

is

to contract)
;

applies rather to consonants than vowels

and that

the cases in which words elongate even for the sake

of easy utterance and pleasant sound, or by the stuttering pronunciation

letters

which some combinations of

1.

produce, (as the

and

r.

when

occurring near

each other,) are extremely

rare.

N. B. No one

is

fully qualified for etymology,

who
for

cannot satisfactorily or systematically account

the insertion or omission of every letter of every syllable.

9.

The tendency

of

all

words

is

to

become

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.

47

smoother ; those letters and combinations which are

more harsh, changing

ear;

into such letters and combina-

tions as are easier to the

not vice versa.

alphabet both to
fore

mouth and pleasanter to the The smoothest letters in the mouth and ear are vowels there;

consonants often change into vowels, but vowels

never change into consonants.*

The
p, b, v,

easiest
f,

and

smoothest consonants are

are interchangeable,

s,

n,

m,

(all

these

and

as

we

shall

show presently
letter,)
z, t, d,

to be considered only varieties of

(varieties of the

one
in

same
;

letter

next

smoothness

to

those that precede)

the hardest consonants both to

g, k, c, h, th,

mouth and
rieties
:

ear,

are

r, 1,

with their va-

therefore the last

first,
:

enumerated often chansre

first

into the

but not the

into the last.

is

Remark
for as to

the above statement

made

in reference
;

to the proper primitive guttural

before

e,

sound of g. and c. their modern sounds (the same as j. and s. i, and y,) they range under s. being among
;

the easiest pronunciations that

are

found

in

the

whole compass of speech, and therefore we

find in

Italian, (as also in Spanish,) d. passing into g. as

* For the

same reason agreeably to a principle

laid

down when

treat-

ing of the nature and origin of alphabetic signs,

in consonants. in

all

the vowels originated

Some

Oriental scholars affirm, that there are no vowels

;

the

Hebrew

alphabet

otliers as strenuously

contend that

it

contains
for there

five (the usual quota) vowels.

The

truth

lies

between them,

are five

lettei-s in

the

Hebrew

alphabet, that

be

called half vowels, lialf consonants.

may like our v, u, y, j, i, &c. They had already though slowly

lip,

journied from the bottom of the throat to the extremity of the

and were

become

little

more than an emibsion of breath.

48

PHILOSOPHIC KTYMOLOGY.
It.

Lat. diurnus,
gio
;

giorno; hodie, oggi

modius, mogbefore

radius, raggio,

&c.
c.
e.
i.

The

easy and soft utterance of g. and

and y. shows the tendency, and as we may say, constant effort of letters to assume a more pleasant form to the organs of speaking and hearing and how
;

from one figure proceeded

alphabet.

all
s.

the variety of the

The

r,

and the
;

may

be considered as
diffi-

the two extremities

cult,

the

first

being the most

and the

last

the easiest letter in the alphabet

and yet the

first

frequently passes into the last withletters.

iissi

out any intervening

Thus, from
;

ure, is use

from ur-o urere,

passes into
s.

is

ustum

and frequently

r.

in all the dialects.

letter in

The next

smoothness to

s.

is n.,

and we
passing
genitive

frequently find the more difficult letters

into n. and from n. into
(as it is called)
s.

first

At one time our

and plural termination

offices) w^as er
our.,

(for it will

be

seen that the same word has always as a termination

performed both
yet remain
they-er
relics
:
:

a
;

few

relics of

which
;

as

that

is,

we-er

your.,

you-er

their

afterwards the er

was softened
as

into ew, a
;

of
;

which yet remain,

gold-en

few mine or
double

me-en

thine,

corruption oi thoiv-en or thee-en ; oxen,

plural of ox.

In a few instances

we have
;

termination, the

new form not having supplanted

as child-er-en
child-er in

but having been grafted upon the old

(which
places,)
is still

pronounced

many country
In process of

wester-en, south-ern, &c.

s.

time the

superseded the

w.,

as the n,

had ejected

; ;

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
the
r. ;

49

and

it
:

is

now our

regular genitive and plural

(or of

termination
plural of
girl
;

as bo3%
;

boy's

boy) boys, the

the plural of

boy

girl's
it

(or of girl) girls,

would have been boy, boyen (of boy), boyen the plural or further back still, it would
* formerly
;

have been boy, boyer (of boy), boyer plural.

The above
ciple
;

are sufficient illustrations of the prinit

but that

may be made more

certain and

familiar to the reader, that harsh words tend to be-

come smooth,
dring,

the following instances are annexed:

Curt, short; kirk, church;

dash from ding, (from

;

Dutch)

dag, from dirk

dagger, from dirker

;

discure, discern, descry, &c. from discover

discuss,

from discurs-o, discourse

burrow, from burgh
;

dredge, from dreg or drag

;

brig, bridge

sample, from ex;

ample
dark
;

cutlass,

from
fact

curtelass, curtelax
;

dusk, from
fast,

feat,

from

fast, (also fist,

;

the fixed,

or closed hand,) from fixt, fixed

goss, gorze, furze
;

forfeit, j*

forfault

maxim, softened from magnum, and also contracted into axiom mess, from meat, (from mouth,) and contracted into eat much, mass, musty, fusty, from mouldy, &c. many, from magn
;
;

The
is

intelligent reader will

be before hand with

my

explanation, in

discovering the real nature both of the plural and genitive termination,

(which

in reality also the termination of the infinitive, as

it is

called, of

verbs and the termination of adjectives, participles, &c.); he will perceive

that the only difference between

them

is,

that the genitive has the apos-

trophic
is

'

which

difference
its

is

rather capricious than reasonaljle, for there

in

the same reason for

e. es.

insertion
*.

both caseS| namely, the

elision

of the

being contracted into

is

t Forfault an estate
abridged or
elliptical

the expression in Scotch writings; that

for, per,

is,

an

phrase for to lose an estate,

or hy fault.

50
10.

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
The vowels
are so inconstant that they cannot

be

much

regarded in etymology, but they are ever

to be considered as

proceeding from and resolvable

into the guttural C.

is

G. or circular

sign.

Thus
cor,

air

to be considered as a softened

form of ^^V,

&c.

(a circle),

what
;

encircles, surrounds, or

encompasses

the earth
izon,

it is

the same as the

last is
;

first

syllable in hor-

{o-iZu.'y)

only the

applied more technically

is

or with

more limitation

all

the

a wheel or circle being originally

pleteness, perfectness,

same as 3 whole; the symbol of com*?

and

totality.

Era, sera,

is

the

same
&c.
;

as '^p*

xai^-os, yj-ovoi;

as also o{ year, hora, hour,

which
is

all

signify primarily a circle, like tvhile,

a varied spelling

which

merely

and pronunciation
nera,

o^ wheel *

Observe, that dipthongs as in

gene-

rally indicate that a

consonant has been

of

in the place

which they occupy.

is

Ire, as also ir-on, ore,

(first
all

&c. (ur-o)

properly
:

fire,
it

or rather cr.

the circular

sign)

let

be remembered, that the

first
;

first I.
is
.

was

J.

and that the

in

J.

was G. or C.

A.

V. with the
originated

angle upwards

and V, W, Y, U, and
(as

all

C. or G.
Observe, that of the vowels,
they are termed,)
;

o.

and

e.

are nearest the primary form

it.

and

I.

i.

is

furthest from

The

dot above

i.

j.

as

above y. in

Saxon and Spanish, &c. was originally (like the marks in Greek, called accents, circumflexes, &c, &c.)
* Tlie intelligent philologer will perceive liovv easjit

were to multiply

instances from the different dialects, but I wish to confine myself in this

ivork as

much

as possible to the English language.

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
significant
;

ol

that

is,

it

denoted as

it

does under Dr.

Mr.
1

contraction.
1.

The

letter

s, is

to

be considered

as

only a sub-

stitute for the other consonants, especially the gutturals C,

sition
:

G, R, L.
is

Illustrations of the

above propo-

Ort-us

softened into east, rising

;

supply
;

part, quarter,
affix)

&c.

caster,

[er

is

a usual adjective

the rising or resurrection

supply
:

time

the

day on which Catholics and Episcopalians commemorate the resurrection of Christ choice, (for when
c.

has the sound of

in all respects,)

s.

it

is

to

be considered as the
;

same
into

is

from keur, Dutch

resolvable
:

%s'?

the instrument of taking or choosing

is

the

noted word heresy

the same meaning.

primarily the same

word with

Castle, Bastile, caster, Chester,

tel,

castrum,

is

properly Car-tal,
;

ter,

great circle or

fortification

whatever

is

walled or fenced round, as

;

a camp, town, or garrison (Fr. garnison)

son like
is,

zon in horizon, (the same word as garrison)

shall

as

we

show, the same as

tal,

tel,

tor or ter,

which
in

occurs so often as a termination.

It follows

from the foregoing proposition, that

s,
.

etymological investigations, the

into other letters, especially
glister, glare, gloria, clear,
r.

is

to be resolved

thus glass, gloss,

all

&c. are

primarily one

word:
all,

they have

different
;

applications,

and apafter

pear to have different ideas

but they have,

only one and the same idea.

The nearest consonant to the s. in smoothness and easy utterance, is n.; and it is difficult to conjecture
12.

Eg

J2

PII

LOSOI'IIIC

ETYMOLOGY.
they only require a

how French
it

noses would manage to speak without

tn. ;

and

its

nasal twin

for

gentle grunt through the snivelling organs, to soothe

dainty ears with

much sweet melody.*

to

The

n. like

s. is

be regarded as merely a substi(that

is,

tute for other letters,

a varied form of

them

having an easier and smoother utterance,) especially

/.

and

r.

Illustrations of the proposition:

Kind (Dutch,)
;

is

a softened form of cild,

child-er
;

now

spelt child

kind-er, of

all

the following words are merely varied Fool,

spellings,

answering to varied pronunciations.

is,

fou, butfoon, (Fr. buffon,) that

big fool, (hence

fun) fond;

male,

man;
;

sol,

(Lat.) son,
is

(Dutch,)

sun
it is

can, cal, col,

hence could
it is

the imperfect (as

called) of can

resolvable into goll changed

into bond,
tical

hand
%'?
;

as

is

resolvable into

*?

3 iden-

with

which, as

we
if it

shall

see, performs

many

offices in speech,

and

were not that such

we would call it the prime What the hand is among the minister of language. members of the human body, the name of it is among
terms are prostituted,

words
be

almost
or gr.
;

the factotum of significancy.

If the
it

principals displace the substitutes in man-us,

cl, cr,

will
fol-

hence

ger-o, fer-o,

&c.

In the

The author
it

trusts that

he

is

above any

silly

national antipathy; but

he thinks

right to supply an antidote to French vanity, and that

mawkfor the

ish aftectation of the

French language, (the very worst

in

Europe

real purposes of speech,)

which

prevails

among our

frivolous race of fash-

ionable

literati.

; ;

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
lowing words
as
/.

63

and

7i.

are evidently to

be considered

one

letter.
;

Can, con, cane,

cancel,
;

col, core, cir,

some-

thing round

carcel,

to

cross

writing
;

cand-eo, cal-eo

can-o, softened into si?ig from car-o

;

hence
clear
;

carol,

carmen, charm

cingle,

circle

clean,

con,
;

of ocul-us

know, ken, that is, col or cul, contraction the literal meaning of Aew, is to see or eye
;

gnash, clash

hand from

goll,

hence hold, help, &c.

;

sheer, sheen, contraction of clean, clear

gar, cer
;

hone, keen

hence sharp, sour, &c.

;

Vinegar

is literally

sharp or sour wine

alegar
is

is

sharp or sour

ale.

Observe, that n.

merely
u.
it is

u. reverted or

turned

upside down, and like

stitute or
it is

used chiefly as a subr.

;

smooth expression of /. and

letter

and

like

ii.

both prefixed and affixed to^. to express a varied

:

sound of that

thus, as

zig.

and gu. occur

fre-

quently, merely for the sake of utterance, so ng, gn,

occurs frequently for the same reason.

Thus, pang-o,
(r.

was anciently pag-o; magn-us, magus,

ly

frequent-

becomes

?ig.

and gn.
;

in

Welsh

as

gwas ffyddlon,
;

a faithful servant

fy

ngwas,

my

servant

ei gar, his

kinsman
13.

fy nghar,
is

my

kinsman.

The ni.

the next letter to the n. in smoothness

and

in frequent occurrence, as a substitute for other

letters, especially for

the

r.

and

/.

As
so

n. is u.

turned
for pro-

upside down,

(or u. n.

turned upside'down,
u.),'

bably the

n.

was before the

is

m.

is

w. turned
u.
is

upside down.

The sameness

of form

(for

reverted n, and w.

a double u., and

in. is

a reverted

w.), the similarity of sound and their frequent inter-

^4

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGV.
Thus, the m. of the Hebrew

changes, prove that they are only slight varieties of

the same
mination,

letter.
is n.

terc-v,

in the
is

Chaldee
Latin

the termination
av,
is

or

on

in

Greek,
;

in

um;

am

as^xou/av,

musam
and m.

but no one acquainted

in the smallest

de-

gree with language, wants instances to prove that w.

like v,
u,

and w. frequently interchange.

after,

When

Alfred wrote, and long

indifferently,

the w. and

m.

were employed

without any distinction:

thus, in the second line of the Preface to the Para-

phrase of Boethius,
thaere tide the

we

find both with

and mith. "

On

Gotan of Siththiu maegthe, with Romanaricegewin upahafon and mith heora cyningum."

Though with only remains in our dialect, niet^ mede, and I need scarcely remark is the Dutch form of it
;

on the following
the same as to

as slight varieties: ^^^a,

m-^^'j

^=^''

mith,

with, met, mede, (Dutch,) meet, met:*

wecl^

to match is custom has given a more only

confined application to the latter than to the former;

mad, was formerly

tracted into

spelt

wud, wood

a contraction

of wild, an adjective from wold, wald, &c.

now

con-

wood.
1.

M.

is

the substitute of
o-sx^vr^
;

as in

moon from

lun-a,

contracted from

hence maniac (rather mooniac) &c. are to be consider-

and lunatic are

14.

synonymous.
p,
f,

All the labials, b,

v,

ed as substitutes, or rather varieties of the gutturals.

We have
*

already
ht^rcafter

shown

that these letters originated

is

We

shall

show, that what

all

calloil

the conjunction n^fK,

the termination nun, mcnt, &c. are

only varieties of the same word.

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
in the gutturals or rather guttural
;

55

for there

was
the

originally but one form of letter, the C. or circle, pro-

nounced gutturally or

in

the throat

but

for

we The form and nameofF. {he'ingcaiieddigamma,) show

satisfaction of the reader
shall give further proof.

that

it

is

resolvable into r. the Greek, form of G.

is

V. which interchanges with F.

a different

form of

U. a contraction of C. or D

b.

and
2.

p. are like the

Hebrew Koph p.

a variety of
is

Caph

The sameness

of form in b, d, p, q,

evident from this, that a piece

of paper cut into the shape of any one of them,

may

merely by position become

son

all

the rest
J.

and any perhardly

who

chooses to examine 2.

D. S. p. carefully,
is

will be convinced, I presume, that there

any diversity
sons not
letters,

to the eye; so little diversity indeed,

that learners can hardly discriminate

them

and per-

much

in

the practice of forming

Hebrew
;

can hardly

make them

distinguishable

and

the

Hebrew

letters are evidently the parent

forms
reader
;

both of the Greek and

will observe, that
'?,

Roman

letters.

The
;

is

only a slight variety of D

and that

"|.
v.

is
o.

a reverted

merely a contraction of ^ that a. v. or u. and that P. the Greek R.

;
;

is

is

exactly the same as our P.

in reality
*

therefore they are all

b, p, v,

but one
is

letter.*
uiiiiute fliaii

Hence
lie

w,

f. like

Tlie author

more

wishes to be; but thouc^h he

might have contented himself

witli

simply referring the acute philologer

to an inspection of the alphabet, yet his principles could not

have been

made
cess.

intelligible

and evident to

all

readers without a

more

tedious pro-

The

intelligent enquirer already perceives, no doubt, that all the

letters of the

alphabet are

in reality resolvable into cue.

^6

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
n,

m,

and

s.

which wc
tlie
;

liiive

already considered, in-

terchange with

otiier letters

and are resolvable

into the gutturals

only

it

must be remembered that

la-

the

more

difficult

forms change into those that are

more
bials,

easy, not vice versa; gutturals change into

&c. but not

:

labials into gutturals.

Illustrations
beat,)

bell-um, (from pell-o, to strike or

;

duelUum
bis,

bell-iis,

duell-us;* don-um, bon-

um

from duo, &c.

d.

Frequently as a terminathus verb, word, barb,

tion b.

and

interchange:

beard.

Ge and

be used

to

be

indiflferently prefixed

to

words, (as they are

still

in the

Dutch,) but the be

being the easier and smoother form, ge has wholly

betoken would have been formerly betoken, Zcspatter, ^espatter, &c. All the terminadisappeared
;

tions in ive (a Latin termination)

were previously

ic

or ig

thus, such

words

as digestive

were digestic

like domestic. ]gall,

In the same manner such words as

;

are softened into bile

but the most important

remark respecting the labials is, that like the letters we have already noticed, they are to be considered as
representatives not only of C. and G., but also of

R. and L.
\6.

The

dentals, or those letters

which

in

pronun-

The

author has wished as

much

as possible to illustrate

and confirm
to,

his principles

from (he English; but they are equally applicable

and

demonstrable from the Hebrew, l^reek and Latin dialects.

t Thus

all

the tcrmiiiations in y. were in ic or ig, as frosty, frostig, or

frostic: in other

words, the

c.

or g. has gradually softened into y, v, &c.

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.

5?

ciation require the action or shutting of the teeth, are

also resolvable into the gutturals.

That they are

;

same appears from their form the only difference in form between D. d. and C. or D. is the
radically the
straight line conjoining the extremities of the semicircle
;

D. ^.

is

a slight variety of the

;

D. and

it

seems to have originated T. unless, indeed, as the form of the last letter seems to indicate, it was at first
merely a double r. having the projecting top both to
the right and the
left
;

the

Saxon

t.

and old English

:

C^. are scarcely distinguishable

from C. or C.

the

Hebrew
0,

"T.

and

"i.

are hardly distinguishable,

and
radi-

n, n, n, are obviously the

cal

same letter. identity of the dentals and gutturals

;

The
is

apparent
are

from their frequent interchanges

spelt both in Latin
ti,

many words

di,

indifferently

and modern dialects with ci, si and the most legitimate modern Giorno
for

dialect of the Latin gives

for

Diurnus, Oggi
c. is to
j.

Hodie.

Observe, that the soft sound of

s.

be considered as
di.
;

and the

soft

sound of
this
t.,

g. as

or

and when the C. and G. have

s.

sound, they

interchange indifferently with

and

&c. or these

with them

but when the C. and G. are pronounced

with their proper guttural sound, the rule holds that has been so often repeated difficult and harsh letters

change into such

fore I). T.,
?7ce versa.
t,

as are

smooth and easy

and there;

&c. are resolvable into C. G., &c.

It is

not
d,

unnecessary to give instances of

th,

&c. sliding into the easier and smoother forms

z, s,
;

of n,

my

object

is

to

show, that they are truly

6S

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
yvo<poi,

substitutes or varieties ot'C, G, L, 11.: thus

Svo>pos,

darkness
lingua,

yAuxu^, Skvkv;, dulcis,

(connected with

yXocraa,

touguc, (the
Oovaa-tvr,

1.

being dropped) talky

&C.)

5.

Ulysses,

//-sAsraw,

meditor

y-vSaXeof,

madidus. " The ancients, (remarks Ainsworth,) said dingua,

(answering to our tongue) for lingua
cadamitas, for calamitas
; ;

sedda, for sella

for

arventus,

adventus."

Such was
ness

really the fact, that

some whose organs of

spelling as they

speaking and hearing had been trained into smooth-

among the Greeks, attempted by

to introduce greater
;

pronounced

smoothness into the

Latin language

but they could not prevail against

If

general practice.

such spellings (answering to the

mode

of pronouncing) as dingua, sedda, cadamitas,

had been the ancient primitive forms, which in process of time changed into lingua, sella, calamitas,
they would have supplied the most anomalous and

unaccountable phenomenon
language.

in

the whole history of

What

people ever preferred labour to

}

ease, difficulty to facility

We might

as well sup-

pose that a savage would prefer the gnawing of an

acorn to the sucking of a grape, as believe that any

people ever changed smooth and easy

harsh
letters, or

for difficult

and

combinations of them.

"

No

circumstance (says Eustace, in his Classical

is

Tour) relative to the Italian language,

so singular

and so unaccountable as
barians,

its softness.

The

influence

of the peasantry as well as that of the northern bar-

must have tended

to

untune the language,

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
and
fill

69
;

it

with jarring and discordant sounds

yet

the very reverse has happened, and the alteration

has been conducted as
if

an academy, employed

for the

under the management of express purpose of

rendering the utterance distinct and easy as well as

soft

and musical."
the preceding quotation
a polite scholar but nocircumstcnice

The author from whom

is

taken,

was something of
is

thing of a philosopher.
cited his wonder,
able.

The

which exItalian,

neither singular nor unaccountsoftness

The

voicelized

of Greek,

French, and of all languages in the old age of refine-

ment, proceeds from the same cause, uniformly producing the same effect. Besides, the Italians, unlike
the old

Romans, but

like the

Greeks and the French,

have always been an effeminate, sing-song generation. Had the first letters been (as many have absurdly
supposed) vowels,
thing about

we

should have never

It
is,

known any
subjects
that

consonants.
others,

indeed, one proof

among many
it

how

little

men study

which they pretend

to treat of philosophically,

never occurred to those

who have

written on phi-

lology, that vowels are to be resolved into consonants,

and easy consonants into those that are more

of
to

difficult

seeing both the nature of the thing and the evidence

all

etymology were calculated,

if I

may

so speak,

compel them into that perception and conviction.

Almost the whole of the useful, useless and mischievous varieties of words originated in the constant
tendency of the mouth and
ear,

to adopt a softer,

60

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
;

smoother and easier mode of pronouncing

and as

we have

before remarked, the

mode

of pronouncing
so long as no

draws the mode of spelling

after

it,

standard of orthography has been established.

16.

As

all

the letters of the alphabet are resolvable

so
all

into gutturals,

the gutturals are resolvable

into one character.

startling of all

am

aware that
;

this is the
I

most

my

propositions

and

hesitated for

some time whether to venture all the way in what I deemed the true theory of language at my first appearance before the public for if it was not till after
;

long vexatious controversy, that the discoveries of

Bacon and Newton were admitted

if

none of

Harvey's contemporaries could perceive that he had

demonstrated the circulation of the blood
ferent from

an humble

individual giving a theory of language entirely difall

ancient and modern systems of estafirst

blished reputation, and so simple as to appear at

sight absolutely naked, might well fear that

by attempting too much he should perform nothing. But

I

could not reconcile myself to the idea of doing

;

my

work by halves

employing the artifice of Mr. Home Tooke, of keeping, or seeming to keep the important secret and proof in reserve. I was resolved
or of
to

be frank and explicit, and to succeed to the

full

extent of

my

wishes, or entirely

fail.

must endeafor
it

vour, however, to obtain a gracious reception for the

last proposition,

by

offering

some explanation
all

will be asked, (as the author asked himself a

hundred

times,)

how can one

character perform
offices

the numer-

ous and complicated

of speech

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.

6\ of
;

When

say one character,

mean one form

bearing

character or kind of sign, namely, the circular form

but there might be originally

many sizes,
to

some

proportion real or supposed

visible objects,

the

magnitude of

with other contrivances to distinguish

one particular visible object from another, as a whole

circle to represent the sun,

and a half

circle to repre-

sent the

moon and the sign might be repeated or compounded into two, three, or any number. Thus to express one hand, D. Caph might be employed, (which is still the name and sign of hand in Hebrew) because of a resemblance in it to the human hand in
;

two hands, two C. C/s might be employed; or thus, oc.

its

usual form

to express

D. D.

or

As

the

hand consists of five distinct parts or divisions, ^. which slightly altered, is 5. and V. would represent
or signify five
;

X. would
or

signify ten

XV.

fifteen

XX.

twenty

XXX.

thirty,

&c.

To

represent the

mouth one C. present the two

be employed
o*
;

O. might be employed; to reeyes, oy seeing, &c. two OO.^s might or thus joining them together O O. or

and

am

inclined to think that this

was the

real

origin of the combination of letters (or of the letter)

into syllables
c.)

as also of

such

letters as as

B.

^ S.

(or

X. and
;

in short, of all the variety in the alpha-

bet

for

found as

however convenient that variety might be diversifying and multiplying sounds, and by

consequence enabling the ear to follow a tnore abridged language; yet, very probably, that variety was in

62
the
ear.
first
I

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
instance intended for the eye rather than the

am

persuaded, that an intelligent and philo-

sophic analysis of the Chinese characters, will both

illustrate

and confirm the foregoing principle.

I

1 re-

collect in particular, (for

have not access

if 1

at the

present

moment

to a

Chinese alphabet^

mtiy so

term
are

it,)

tnat several small circles joined together,

to represent or signify the stars.
1

employed

do

show how many purposes of speech could be accomplished by the sign of the hand, or the
not stop here to

mouth, or the ear, taken literally and figuratively, ^1 suspect the two last terms convey no very distinct and true meaning, but I must put up with
eye, the

the use of
I trust,

them

in this place).

have sufficiently,

opened the business of signs, to remove idle wonder and ignorant incredulity. But after all, instead of putting the question how one character
should be competent to the purposes of speech,
it

would
for the

be equally proper to enquire

how
it

a few cha-

racters should be competent.

Let

be supposed,

sake of argument, (though disproved by fact)

that there are ten, fifteen, or even twenty-six primary

and originally distinct characters,

guage were what
it

still

they could
if
;

not be competent to the purposes of language,

it is

lan-

generally supposed

to

be

or
;

if

proceeded on the principles generally assigned

it

or

rather if

consisted of the infinite (almost at least)

multitude, and wild wilderness of words piled up in

sublime confusion by laborious lexicographers, and

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.

63

like a mountainous cairn reared by classic industry on true philology, boasted of by brainless pedants as among the greatest achievements of human intellect.

But

am

averse to any thing in the shape of mere

theory, and shall therefore proceed to resolve the gutturals into their simple
I

primary character.

have repeatedly intimated that C, G, Q, K, H, or D, are in reality but one letter. Of this I shall
not stop to bring proof, because
I

believe

it

will not

be questioned by any one

threshold of philology.

who
This

has passed beyond the

letter

being difficult of

utterance, besides sliding into the

sound of
&c.)

s.

(for

before

e,

i,

and

y,

c. is s.,

and

g. is j.,

j, b, d,

&c. constantly tends towards other easier enunciations, which have been marked and indicated by
other letters, (or forms of this same letter,) as ng, gn,
ug, gu, qu, gh, sh, th, ch, dg.

A few instances will suffice here magus became magnus pago, pango gust-o us, &c. (changed into taste) became guest (ghost is of the same origin
: ;

the mouth, breath, &c.) softened into hospes, &c.

fashion from facio
;

church,
;

kirk

{xvcixy.y))

chaise
;

from car
brig,

aci-es,
rig,

edge

axe, adze,

any edge-tooX

bridge;

from Richards's

The following quotation Grammar will give a clear Welsh

ridge.

and short view of the changes of the guttural. " Words primarily beginning with C. have four initials, viz.

G, ch,

g,

ngh

as,
;

Car
ei

agos, a near kinshis

man

ei char,

her kinsman

gar,

kinsman

(54
i'y

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
nghar,
three,

my

kinsman.

Words beginning with

and the
g.
;

g.

have

viz.

G,

ng, w,

first

vowel

in

the word casting

faithful servant
;

away the

as

gwas
;

ffyddlon, a
ei

fy ngwas,

my

servant
p.

was, his
initials,
ei

servant.
p, b,

Words beginning with

;

have four
;

mh, ph
;

as

pen gwr, a man's head

ben,

his

head

fy
t.

mhen,

my

head

ei

phen, her head.

t,

Words with

have also four

initials,
;

d, nh, th

as

ei dad, his father ; tad y plenty n, the child's father Words beei thad, her father. fy nhad, my father
;

ginning with b. have three, b,

f,

m,
;

as bara cann,

fy mara, my manched bread; ei fara, his bread Words beginning with d. have likewise three bread.
d, dd, (th) n
;

as

Duw
;

trugarog, a merciful

God

ei

Dduw, his God fy Nuw, my God." The above instances show not only

the changes

which take place upon the guttural C. or G. (which

changes follow the various modifications of utterance,

and merely indicate diversity of sound, not of sign they are to be regarded by the eye of the et3'mologer
:

as various guises

the same actor)

in

and disguises, garbs and masks of but how and why the gutturals have
la-

so

many
t,

instances changed into dentals and

bials d,
It

z, s, b, p,

m, &c.

was remarked under the propositions

constantly tend to contract

to become

more smooth That our pronunciation is, in many instances, more contracted and more smoothed
than our orthography.

Words

Words

constantly tend

Thus cough pronounced

as

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
if spelt

Oo

cof

enough, enuf

bright, sight, night, hght,

sought, daughter, nought, naught,

&c. pronounced

as if spelt brite, site, nite, lite, saut, dauter, naut.

Grammarians have uttered

(the first inventor

was

probably an Egyptian mystagogue, or Grecian sophist) and h. being many profound doctrines about
*

merely an aspirate and breathing and no letter and Dr. Gregory Sharp in his wise says accounts for the
;

prevalence of

it

among
up

the northern tribes by suppos-

ing their organs of speech so contracted with chilliness, or so frozen

as to be unable to give the true

which require the genial But after all, this same aspirate is one of the most difficult letters in the alphabet so difficult that no Englishman can pronounce the sound which the Celts, (the native and
sounds to
the
letters,

warmth of Greece and

Italy.

original Irish,

the Welsh, and Highlanders of Scot-

land)

the

Goths

comprehending
I

the

Germans,
add,

Dutch, Danes, Scotch, &c. (and

Jews,) give to ch, gh, &c.
:

may

the

as in night (or nicht),

spelt in

lough (or loch, lake,) laigh,

lish low,

now

modern Eng-

&c.

Observe, that
letter,

many words

containing the guttural

in the
:

are

still

more contracted and softened

pronunciation than the instances given above

slough, pronounced slow or sluf
;

as

dough, pronounced
Observ'e, once

do;

doughty, pronounced douty.

more,* that in this manner the guttural changes into

*

The

philologer of

more rapid and

intuitive perceptions, will bear

:

with

my

prolixness in this part of

my work P

it is

as irltsome to

me as

it

OG
(li|)l

TMITLOSOPIIIC
hongs, or single vowels

ETYMOLOGY.
:

as

lig,

into ly,

lie,

low

hark, into

bay
or

bough, (Sax. bog,

bug,'

and meaning

simply roundish or circular,) hough,

to

bow

bay window, a

bow, bay, as a bay or concave shore

into
;

be at

(or in) bay, or stand at

bay

to

be surrounded
assailants.
letter,

as a stag
17.

by the hounds,
letter

a warrior

by

The
its

L. and R. are in reality but one

is

and that one

or

essentially the
I

same

as

C. or G.
illustra-

any of

varieties.*

shall precede

my

tions

and proofs of

this proposition,
(I

by quoting the
in-

remarks of Ainsworth,
vented them,
for

do not mean that he

roter,)

he was only a

on the

letters

L. and 11. in his Latin Dictionary. " The Latin L. is formed from the Greek A. by
straightning one of the acute legs,
(I

know

not what

the good

man means by

acute leg,) and turning the

other into the basis. j*

It has the first place in the

can possibly be to him ; but he must remember what sort of understandings r\k\ faiths
I

liave to deal with:

any thing traditional and customary

is

lliey understand, or

think they understand, merely because it

strange to

customary

every thing
dices.

new

is

them and

st.irtles all

their

orthodox preju-

* It

^^

ould be a waste of lime to enter into a confutation of the nonIt.

sense of grammarians respecting L. and

as

being liquids, semi-vowels,

and the god of mystery knows not what

vowels as in

all.

L. and R., as

have already

ihown, are musical and pleasant to the

softr

when served np on broad Almoraj but when squeezed up between two sturdy
ear,

consonants, (and originally there were no rowels,) no braying of ass or

squeaking of pig
liquids
live
J

is

more grating

to the ear than these

same

semi-votiel

and they are always so

difficult to

the mouth, that some defec-

organs never acquire the pronunciation of them.

is

t The meaning intended

convertible into T, the

very correct.
into

The Greek A.
is

is

evidently
re-

Greek G. and

L. (which

nothing but a

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
order of the liquids;
[tliis

^^
first

remark has the

place

in the order of absurdity,]

and

is

as Plato,

[one of

the god's of classic mystery, absurdity and superstition,] in Cratyl, has observed, the sweetest of

them,

and
talk,

is

suited to soft and easy descriptions, [hurly,

burly, belch, bellow, brawl, and all such words as

walk, calm,

in

which the

1.

is

harshly silent in

pronunciation,
tions].

are suited to soft

and easy descripin

It w^as usually

sounded by the old Britons

and was writ
with
Ih,

with a kind of aspiration,

many

words with

11,
;

as afterwards

as in llan or

Ihan, a temple

llau or Ihau, an hand, [loof, in Scotch?

cloof, cluf, clif,
1.

&c. a contraction of

&c.]

which

sound
teeth.*
p.

is

made by
initial ph.

hissing

obliquely through the

its sister

Thus, the oldest Greeks sounded

;

when

as

phome,

Roma

which

in lat-

ter times,

after h,

was exterminated being supplied

by

a note of aspiration prefixed,

it,
;

after
still

though pronounced was writ as now 'Pwp/; and this aspiration is kept in some Latin words of Greek extraction,

as in

Rhamnus, Rhetor. All

gamma,
or a

the liquids by

gramma-

verted

gamma

turned upside down,) merely by changing the

is

acide into a rectangle,

which

that,

no doubt, intended to he expressed

of great book*,
his' lexi-

by Mr. Ainsworth; but Hke many other makers

cography beclouded
there never
his

understandings and except Johnson's Dictionary,

or cairn of learned lumber

was such another Babel-building

as his dictionary.

* " LI.

is

L. aspirated and has a sound peculiar to the Welsh.

tip of

It is

pronounced, by fixing the

the tongue to the roof of the mouth,

siilos,

and breathing
the right; as

forcibly
if

through the jaw-teeth on both

Richards'

but more on

written in English llh."

Welsh Grammar.

F 2

68
riaiis arc

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
called

immutables

as indeed they are

with

respect to the mutes, but not in regard to themselves,

as

wc

locirn

from

No,a(?5>j,

lilium, naufof, paulus.

lympha ager, agellus lu some few words* the

;
;

xsioiov,

liquid

mky seem
alacris for
fifty,

substituted for d.
cc^a>ivg.

as

lacryma

for ^ax^uaa,
is

Jn numeral notes, L.

put

for

the half of

C,

or as anciently

made by

the

Saxons E. making the curve angular cally to V. as being half an X."|

" R. Greek
R.]
'p.

[false] analogi-

'p,

[r. seems to be p.

and

'

united as

Hebrew

i.

The most
alphabet
:

ancient Greeks had both

and R.
find

in their

witness the Baudelotian

monument and

the pillars of Herodes Atticus, where

we

R.

at least

seven times

to

omit what both

Pliny and Tacitus acquaint us with, that the figure

of the Latin letters was almost the same as that of
the ancient Greeks.

This

letter

R.

is

in the

alphabet

put

last of all

her sister liquids undeservedly, and

to the first place, since

might pretend
* In
for
1. ;

though not

no word
and so of
1.

is

I.

substituted for d.,but in

i),

many words d.

is

substituted

n,

m,

and

all

the letters

what the grammarians mean

immutable
for
I

by

sayini^ that

and

r.

are liquids, and that they are

;

cannot

guess, unless tlicy be supposed to speak ironically

no

letters are so

unliquid,
as
1.

if
r.

liquid

means

soft

and smooth, and no

letters are so

mutable

and

t Wholly error, though not far from the truth \^. is not half X., but X. is double V. or two ^'s; that is! he sign of tlie hand repeated or added
:

to

itself,

to express ten

and L.

is

not the half of C. but merely V., as has

:

been shown above with its acute angle turned into a rectangle
half,

it is

not the
is,

but the whole of C. or 7. slightly varied

Jj.

which

is

also 5. that

the

Hebrew 7,

L. denotes 50, merely by abridgment, as C. denotes

a hundred or centum.

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
fully,

69
a

yet more of

it

may be sounded without

vowel

than any of the rest.*

Add

to

this,

that in the

Greek tongue
before
it

it

makes
;

a syllable pure, and takes

an aspiration

both which privileges [grampri-

marians and lexicographers have always had the

vilege of doating and raving] belong to vowels.

Whe-

ther the aspiration ought

after this letter is

to be
;

sounded before or
reason and the cusprefixed j. [the
in a different
is i^.
it

not agreed on

tom of the

yEolians,

who sometimes
is

reader will remark, that this

position, or

our F.

what amounts

to the same, our F.

/3.

in a different position]

and sometimes
;

before

makes
Latins

for the

former opinion

and the use of the

But,

bus, &c.
I

who may seem

write rhamnus, rhetor, rhinoceros, rhomto

countenance the

latter.

observe, that in words of

Greek extraction, the

as in radix,
at

Latins often neglected this aspiration,

rigeo,

rosa,

and

in other
it,

words

pleasure, either

omitted or inserted

as in

raphanus and rhaphanus,

romphaea or rhompheea.
letter the right

The Hebrews gave

is

this

of a guttural, [it

primarily nothing but

aguttural,]and indeed this sound is formed in the upper

part of the throat, but so vibrated

tongue and allision on the teeth, that

by a quaver of the it makes a sound

is

like the grinning of a dog, [yet it

entitled, the

* This

is

like the other doctrines of the

grammarians, mystical and

in-

unmeaning: they talk of vowels and consonants; of vowel.s bring

cluded
in.

or essential to the consonants, without

If they

knowing what they say

or whereof they affirm.

mean

that no letter can be pronounced

without emitting sound, a child might well deride the information.

'70

PIIILOSOI'IIIC
first

ETYMOLOGY.
all its sister

author says, to the

place of

liquids

grinning or grunting

is

no doubt a liquid sound,]

:

whence

it

is

called the canine letter

it

but the Ro-

mans, on the contrary, gave

so soft and lisping,* a

it,

sound that
will

in

writing they sometimes omitted

calling the Etrusci,

Thusci or Tusci, [the reader

:

recollect
to

the propositions
:

words constantly
to bes.
;

tend

contract

words constantly tend

come more smooth, &c.] and

which
remark
is

especially before

thus Ennius writ prosus, rusus, for prorsus, rursus

less to

be wondered

at,

because the most

ancient Latins doubled not their consonants, [this

is

true,

but wholly

irrelative

and impertinent
r.

to the subject].

Yea, the sound of the lisped

neighbour
s.

was

so near that of

its

[if

he must personify

them, he should have said daughter or grand-daughter,

for s. like all the other letters,

is

merely a

softdif-

ened form of the guttural, or more accurately a

ferent

form consociated with a softer and easier

utterance], that they writ asa, casmen, Papysii, for

ara,

carmen, Papyrii

and

we find
still,

the termination os
as particularly in

as well as or in good writers

the prince of poets, (of poetae minores,) arbos and

honos frequently occur

others.
"I*

and labos, vapos, &c.

is

in

But

the soft sound of this letter

;

in no-

*
r.'s

The

author's understanding lisps about this matter

s.

the reason of
its

being dropped or changed into

r. is

is

not

its

softness but

harshness

or difficulty of utterance:

never interposed to hinder the collision of

two vowels, and we might

tractions of

os well suppose the grinning of a

:

dog or bray-

ing of an ass introduced for the sake of euphony

j^ua^ and vvo$ are con-

murex and
to

nurus, not the latter elongations of the former,

as
if

It

may appear

some

arbos, honos, labos, vapos, actually pre-

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
thing more plain than
its

71
[false]

interposition,
if it

to

hinder the collision of two vowels, as

little

had been

more than a breathing,

[^voc^,

as

in

murcx, nurus,

from
all

vvos

[false].

Though
;

the grammarians call

the liquids immutables, they are often changed

reciprocally into one another

and

to say nothing

of the rest here,

this has not only an intercourse

with the sisterhood, but often with several of the

mutes.
puella
lius
;

First

with her
>'.av9>]X(o;,

sister
is

1.

as

from puer, puera,

;

so from

cantherius

and

as caelu-

was anciently writ

for

for caerulius,

so on the con-

latialis. With her sister m. the more rare [they are not rare] but common enough with n. for as from ^^f5y and 7J'xrf';j>

trary latiaris

instances are

are

donum and
;

plenus

so from

/xevo?

and
-'.

t^^ova,

are

merus and mora [false r. is softened into in all such words as [^evos,iJ.oya, not vice versa but such philologers
;

ceded arbor, honor, labor, vapor, and

r.

tlierefore as if
this,
is it

s.

had diaiiged into

verified

not

r.

into

s.

but the

fact is

simply
in

(a fact

which can be

in the history of all dialects,

and

none

more evident than our own,)

there had been for a considerable time

two pionunciations, the smooth and

some following the conversational
little

the harsh, the

new and

the old

and before a standard of orthography

was admitted, writers

&c.

spelt differently,

pronunciation of the fashionables, as the

;

poets, dramatists, novelists,

more solemn and ancient pronunciation. Proofs could be given of two pronunciations and spellings being co-existent in the same country for several centuries The enunciation of
others spelt according to the

the Tuscans
Italians,

is

much more

harsh and guttural than that of the otiier

faint

and has been reasonably supposed to be a

remnant of the

ancient Etrurian, the oldest dialect of Latin.

In the Etrurian and other

6cc.

ancient inscrij tions, the terminations or,

er,

are regularly found,

us,

which were afterward softened

originally or, &c.

into us,

es,

hence the termination

was

72
as

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
Ainsworth suppose that the Greek spelling must
In some
or n. are writ inditferently, as in aereus or
1 will instance, as briefly as I
is

have been the parent of the Latin spelling].

words
aeneus.

r.

can, the interit

course of this liquid [liquid he

determined

shall

be] with some of the mutes [another intelligible race of grammatical beings]: with c, as paucos

nom
[i".

irai^os

[hence poor]
p.

with

d.,

corium from

y^^iov

is

nom

and that invariably] meridies from medidies; querquedula for querquerula; -ind anciently ar. in many [originally r. or /. in all words;
not
f
.

or

r.

from

J.,

ar. oral, existed long before a</.]

words was used for rtrf.

butar. was never used
agna, so serere from

[incorrect, ad.

is

used

for ar.,

for ad.^ as in arlabi, arfinis, arversus, for adlabi, adfmis,

adversus; with

g.,

as

from

uovrj

seges, [very just].

This

letter is

used by poets

in de-

scribing motion, noise, indignation, or violence."

There

is

a strange mixture of truth and error,

in

reasonableness and absurdity,

these quotations

from the great Latin lexicographer; (and he was

much
able to

better qualified

for

lexicography

than our

English Polyphemus) yet they were the most suit-

my

purpose that

could

find.

However,

the reader will not regret that I have not introduced

more of such quotations.

1

begin to be tired of this minute and tedious

mode

of illustrating and proving, and shall conclude this

part of

my subject
1.

with as

much

brevity as possible.

That R, L, C, &c.
appears,

are in reality
r is

but one character,

from their form:

) reverted;

-)

is

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
a contraction of
letter
;

73

'j,

or a smaller size of the

r.
is 'P.
1,
;

same

"7

is
1

a variety of D.

the aspirate or

Hebrew
being in
1.

yod (a contraction of the one case prefixed,

a contraction of ^)

in the other affixed

is

is

a contraction of L., and L.

the Greek a-, the

acute angle being changed into a rectangle, or what

comes
letter,

to the

same,

(for

they are

in reality
")

but one
resolv;

being both like the

Hebrew

and

7,

able into

3 or C.)

L.

is r,

turned upside

F.

is ^j.

reverted and turned dowjiside up.

down as 2. They

are primarily

pronounced gutturally, and by the same

organs of speech.
ovv^n

Whoever chooses

to attend to his

mouth, will find that there is hardly any perceptible difference in the action and modification of the
&c. when pronouncing the
the
r.
;

throat, tongue,

1.,

and

when pronouncing
their guttural

and the only difference

h, (I
is

from these in pronouncing C. G. ch, gh,

sound)
is

mean
more
r.

that the tongue

quiescent.

3.

Children and persons of imperfect

1.

organs of speech frequently pronounce

1.
;

for

r.,

for

and

it

is

difficult frequently to discriminate the

in

one from the other,

(that

the rapid pronunciation of

4.

the most distinct speakers.

is

All the gutturals

frequently inter-

C, G.
as

q, h,

&c. and

r, 1,)

change
only

we have

seen in the preceding instances;

1.

let it

be observed that

or

r.

(which

shall

henceforth refer to as one

Sec.

letter)
1.

changes into C. G.
r.

never C. or G. into

or

This leads me,

subject, to take

before dismissing this part of

my
r.

more

particular notice of

1.

and

74
It lias

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
appeared above that L.
person not brought up
is

in

Welsh
it is

is

of very

difficult utterance, (so difficult that

hardly posto acquire

sible for a
it)

in

Wales

and that there

it,

a guttural breathing connected

Ih. (or hi.,

with

as if

it

were

for

what Ainsworth
is

says of the aspirate, either preceding or succeeding

the Greek

P.

applies also to l. originally); that

two

letters

joined together, namely,

h. is a variety of C.) or '73, j^.

CL, or LC The peculiar

11.
;

(for
diffi-

cult enunciation referred to

is

expressed by

and
the

the Spaniards have

11.,

the sound of which

It

is

shown above (in the quotation from Ainsworth) that P. was always either preceded or succeeded by the aspirate; Thus in every respect 1. and r. have the as 'P. or rh. same characteristics, and are therefore to be considered as but one character; and what I shall merely intimate, but not insist upon at present, that one
same
as the Italian gli.*

has been also

character seems to have been originally a double

sign, like S. or c.,

which

is

the most frequent substi-

tute of R. or L.

or like g.

which though afterwards

appears to be
1

considered as equivalent to G., was no doubt originally the double of

a contracted D)
it
;

'7

(that

is

and 3 conjoined, thusl; but respect-

ing this distinction of 7 into a

compound

it

is

not
it

necessary to say more, as from a very early period

*

which

Observe that the 1. of the Latin is frequently gl. in Italian; a fact I perceive uo means of arcounting for, but by supposing the latter
is

mode a relic of the ancient Etrurian. Capitolium

ille egli,

in Italian Canipidoglio;

&c.

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
seems to have been treated
C. or D; or rather the
to

as equivalent, like g. to

latter,

though
or
is

single,

seems
(for

have been considered

as equivalent to the former,

though double: thus

CR,
Dl
;

CL

RC, LC
often
first)

the R. or L., though generally last

or in

Hebrew

VD, "ID

D'?,

though

strictly as a sign it

be at least two half

into 1 not to be a

circles,

(supposing 7 contracted
or double sign) or one
are equal to a whole)

compound
if I

whole

circle, (for

two halves

vet these two letters,

ouijht to call

them

letters,

very soon came to signify circularity or

in the

circle-likeness^

widest possible sense, from the curve of the

;

hand to the horizon employed to indicate

though means were always

as definitely as possible,

what

particular circular object

was meant.*
all

This brings

me

to the last proposition in the

Canon of Etymology
the preceeding

that which comprehends

which
18.

that

to intuitively-comprehensive
all.

minds will su-

persede them

The whole

of written language, or that system

eye,-]*

of alphabetic signs, originally addressed to the

* Tlie assertion of the stoics, tliough

seemingly paradoxical,

lias
is

more
exist

truth in

it

than appears

at first sight,

namely, that every word

in itself

equivocal; and iience all the mistiness of metaphysics,

which cannot

moment out of the vacuo of abstraction. There was lately a (Jerman mist, and now there is a Scotch mist, whicli threatens to darken all the regions
a

of intellect, but

hope soon to

dispel

it.

t 1 have already intimated, in reference to the sentiment of Mr. Home Tooke: "There are two languages; a system of signs addressed to the
eye, and a system of signs addressed to the ear;" tiiat there are hardly

any words primarily addressed to the ear before the eye; but
put

wished to

my

proposition into as incontrovertible a shape as possible.

76
is

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
resolvable into ")^,

h^

or D^,

D")

CR, CL;

or

LC, KC, &c.

is

signiJ\ ing

round or roundlike.

This

the foundation of

what

shall hereafter be called

the

New
its
;

Philology.

If this

can be overturned,
fall,

my

system of language must

and therefore
retire

show

opponents
only,
if

(if it

shall

be opposed) where
from the

to strike

they would not

attack with disgrace, they

must proceed with judginfer that

ment; and must not rashly

cannot resolve
all

because they

the parts of written language into

such

a simple origin, the

above proposition

is false.

But that no one may, through misconception, enter upon useless controversy and verbosities,* let it be observed that there are many names given to objects, whose form (the form of the objects) is not round or roundish; and whose form was not contemplated in the imposition of their names; yet their names are
after all resolvable into

CR,

&c., signifying ;"ound or

roundish.

Thus the sign of the hand^ the eye, the ear, &c. was applied adjectively (and we have shown above that every word is primarily an adjective) to
objects might not be circular:

objects related to the hand, the eye, the ear, &c.

which

thus handle,

haft, (or halft) a hold, or

any thing whatever held or

square instead of round,
I

used by the hand,

may be

* I hesitated for some time, whether

(I

should not leave Ihe eiyhtccnth

ought to apologize for giving so many) proposition wholly unsheltered by

I

explanation and proof, to invite attack, and draw on controversy; for

do

not expect
reflection,

it it

to

be generally admitted without resistance

but on further

appeared unwise to induce war, which comes soon enough

llirough

all

precautions for peace.

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
(though round or roundish
the
is

77

the general form) yet

name

applied to

it

(or rather the adjective) is re-

solvable into

CR,

or

CL,

&c., signifying a curve or

to

circular object.

So things

which the name of the

in their

mouth
shape
;

is

applied,

may have nothing curved

as;

meat, (from mouth) and indeed no shape

;)

whatever as com-mand, (from inond or mouth

(or

order,

and der

;)

verb, word, (vor-eb,

wor-ed or gor-ed,

cir-ed, &c.).

These instances
:

are sufficient not only

is

to illustrate the proposition

All written language

also to

resolvable into

CR, &c.; but

open

to the

mind of the reader the true nature of abstract terms, which have been so much talked of and so little
understood.
It

would be superfluous
horn
;

to prove that
;)

such words
shore, girth,

as cornu,

churn, (Scotch kirn

hour, year
;

core, heart

hora,

wheel, while, yard,

circle, that is cr
;

caelum, &c. are resolvable into

the primitive sign

cr,

CR.

being doubled
that
all

but

it

can be
cop,
re-

made equally evident

top, cap-ut, cope,

such words

as

cup, cave, &c. &c. are also

I shall

solvable into

CR, &c.

here transcribe part

;

Magnum a work which I have twenty times attempted to read and twenty times laid down with deep regret but whatever I may think of the work as often mystical, I
of the index of Etymologicon
:

have great respect

for the author,

and would not

if

possible produce a painful feeling in the

mind of one

who has deserved so well of mankind. It gives me much pain to think that so much time and labour

78

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGV.

and so many thousand pounds have been thrown away rather than turned to any good account. Mr.
Whiter's friends have thouglit that he failed by
tempting- too
at-

much

but he did not attempt too

little.

much
signs

he performed too
(if it

Had

he

first

of

all

studied himself into the true nature of alphabetic

had cost him twenty

years' anxious think-

ing) he could not have lost himself in such a wilderHe was almost ness as Etymologicon Magnum.

within sight of the proper starting post of etymological investigation, yet deviated far

from the right

lost."

way

" And found no end

in

wandering mazes

This notice which

have been led unintentionally to

for in

take of the labours of Mr. Whiter diffuses a tender

melancholy over
I

my mind

turning from

them

have often said to myself with an involuntary sigh,

a poor fallible thing
is

what
ing
!

the

human
a

understand-

Perhaps

after

all

this

anxious thinking and

book to lie on the same shelf, or to be thrown to the same heap, with Etymologicon Magnum. As for such etymologers as Dr. Johnson, I never had any fellow-feeling
toilsome enquiry
I shall

only

make

with them

but have had some difficulty

in

sup-

pressing contempt for the race of beings that gave

them applause
and
'*

for

burying their native language un-

der a cairn of learned lumber, consisting of absurd

false explanations, useless quotations

and sense:

less distinctions.

Well might Mr. Whiter remark

this

word (Sabaoth) has been interpreted by the

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
greatest etymologist of the age, (he
cally, or

79
ironi-

must write

simply mean the maker of the greatest dic;

tionary of the age) the day of the Sabbath

and

it is

somewhat curious that this anecdote of superlative ignorance (the whole Dictionary is a jumble of superlative ignorance,

reproaching the English people

with superlative ignorance of their

should afford
thought
logy the
it

own

language)
I

me

the only occasion in

which

have

necessary to repeat on a point of etymo-

name of Dr. Johnson a writer who has composed the most voluminous and celebrated Dictionary of the English language.
reader^
is

Alas! such gentle

^

the fate of our

language and our literature."

of the circular form in the
are applied, determined

The obvious prevalence

objects to

which words

Mr.

Whiter
riety of

to begin

with CB, CF, &c. (merely a va&c.) which he calls not improperly,

CR, CL,
;

the Element

but he mis-explains the signification

of this sign or element,

when he

says,

it

is

to

be

holloK\ to contain^ comprehend.

Had

he said to be

round, (which adjective comprehends both concave

and convex, what

(always
if

is

convex on one

side being usually

hollow) concave on the other) he had ex-

plained the sign

is

evident from his

CP, CF or CR, CL, own instances.

;

correctly, as

CB, CF,
1.

is

applied (says Mr. Whiter) to

A Den or
The

Cave, &c.

2.

vault or

Cope

of heaven, (essentially the

same word as Cope, hoop, &c.). 3. Garments or coverings for the person

the

feet.

8t)

I'JIILOSOPIIIC
4.

ETYMOLOGY.
Cup.
Enclosures for

Vessels tor drinking,

holding, carrying.
6.

Vessels for sailing on water, Ship, (he might

skiff,

have added
6.

&c.).

The hand

(resolvable into
%'?,

Con, which
its

is

resolv-

able into Cor, Col,

&c.) and

actions.

Carpus,

Kruv,

(Celt.) Gripe.

To

this belong

words denoting

force, strength, vio-

lence, [because hand, arm,

&c. were employed methe hand

taphorically for

power

as in Scripture,

of the Lord, the arm of the Lord

the Lord,]
or eagerness
in

that

is,

power of
&c.

holding,

seizing,

Names of instruments, &c. held by the Terms of commerce or exchange passing from hand hand. [All philosophically Words denoting a quick or rapid motion the of diligence or violence. (Mystical words denoting
Gripe.

hand.

in

to

this

is

just.]
effect

quick motion are taken from wind, wing, wheel, &c.

as fleet horse, that
is,

flee-et or flee-ing horse

;

hurry,
celitus,

from car or
celiter, &c.).

cir,

properly a wheel

hence

7.

Offices of dignity (not well put in here

the

names of
8.

offices of dignity or rather of all dignities,

are cop, top, cape, caput,

&c. applied metaphorically).

Enclosures of

rest, safety,

&c.

(rest, safety,
.

&c.
:

are secondary or accidental circumstances)

Cabin

the hollow of the Grave, (grave, a different spelling

of grove,
graff, greeve,

&c. does not mean hollow but

primaril}'^

top, head, heap, cover,

9.

&c. or

simply round).

The

rising swelling or

rough protuberances of the

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
person, as kibe, scab, &c.
or
it

81

(It

taken

in a

secondary or

means simply round, more restricted sense, it

means convex).
10.
1 1

Plants, fruits of a swelling cup-like form.

The making

of a hollow or cavity.

To

scratch,

grave (engrave), scrape, (softened into shave,) grub,

&c.
sharp

All probably derived originally from the

Hand.

(All derived immediately from the adjective carp or

;

from which also come to

;

croj)^

to reap con-

traction of hreap^ &c.

as also carpenter, carpentry,

&c. and

all

resolvable primarily into the adjective

curve, sharp instruments being usually of that form,

as scythes, sickles, swords, knives, &c.).

12. Plenty., riches., desire as copia, cupio,

&c. (copia,

heap, &c. are resolvable into cop, cob, top, caput

and hence

capital,

means great, excellent, &c.

as rich,

rank, rick, rock, &c. are merely varied spellings and

applications of arch af%^, &c.
are from
:

cupio, cupidity, &c.

mouth,

still

called & in the Scotcli dialect,

resolvable into gar, gor, vor, for, &c.).

of animals distinguished by their eager and ravenous mode of taking their food or seizing
13.

Names

their prey, as

Gups

Tv\>, a vulture,

&c.

(Gups

is

contraction of gulp, softened also into vulpes, vulture,

&c.

proper

name
;

for voracious or

devouring animals

from de-vor-o

vor, cir, gor,

&c.

we have shown

to

be mouth
tus, verb,

hence

for, far-i, fat-us,

contraction of fora-

word, &c.).
drinking.

14. Names for the Mouth, food, eating, Names for the Tongue, language, talk, &c.

82
1^.
1

I'HirOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.

Names

for the

Head,

top,

eminence.

Words expressing a quick, rapid motion. (Mr. AV^liitcr ought to have known that quick and rapid
6.

synonymous, though indeed the composition of is often rendered full and round to the eye, the mouth and the ear, by such tautologies and elegant expletives. Quick or rapid motion has been already shown to come not from
are

those called good writers,

hand but
17.

iving^

wind, icheel and the like.)

The name

of

Man
is

or

Woman.

(What

the

author says of male and powers of

tinent here.
for chap, vir,
all

virilitt/ is

imper-

The name
man, homin
v\p,

simply that of the hand,

(that
is,

geman, &c.) are

;

resolvable into

man-us,

yji^,

the hand

as if we
:

would say the hand-animal or handed animal, &c. hence hand in English denotes a human being, though usually confined to one employed in manual labour.) Among the other forty-seven meanings given to hand in the Polyphemian Dictionary are the following:

''

36. Agent, person employed.

receiver.
Tillotson.

Swift.
actor, a

37. Giver

and

38.

An

workman,

a soldier.

Locke.'*

My

respect for Mr, Whiter will

his conjecture

not allow

me

to

make any remark on

respecting the origin of the element

CB.

or indeed

any of his conjectures respecting the origins of any

elements.
I shall

only run hastily over a few parts

of his Index.

BL.
ther a

is

variety of

CL.
hand.

and therefore
thing

as

he

remarks, very properly, supplies the name, or ra-

name

of

the

Any

swelling

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
out
(or

83

convex.)

The

mouth,

talk,

&c.

An
but
is
;

en-

closure.

CL.

relates not to

powers of

verility,

ap-

plied to the organ of generation in both sexes

and

hence child, chit

fili-us, foal

veal, (originally the

name of a
rieties
little^

calf)

and many other words, or rather va-

of the same word, denoting something j/o//;?^,

would not be proper to etymologise too much or too minutely on some words and for the sake of modest eyes and ears, I promise seldom
&c.

But

it

or never to follow derivation, so far towards the confines of indelicacy as

in

the above instance

into

which

was unintentionally drawn by the misrepre&c. are not different elements, but varieFr.

sentation of Mr. Whiter.

CM, CR,
ties

of the same sign.

for fire,
is

which he considers the

all

element
part of

was

first

of

applied to the sun

;

so/,

from which
all

Cal-eo, Cand-eo, Can-eo

the radical

these and

many more

are merely varieties.

GN.

which he says supplies the

name of woman^

being (though generally in a low, gross, or obscene

way, as quean from cunn-us, cunio, to the first of which cunae is closely related), the name of a cavity,
the hollow or cavity of the mouth, &c.
variety of
is

merely a

CL.
are well put to-

GVL, GV. GL, BL. KL, VL.

gether, as merely varieties of the

same

sign,

repre-

senting or indicating the hand

only

let it

be once

more remarked, that they

signify

any

curve.

LM, LF, LP, LV.

(and he might have given more

G 2

^4
varieties,)

I'll

Il.OSOPlllC

ETYMOLOGy.

which he says supplies a race of words denoting the hand, and its actions is merely a variety of CL. or rather of LG., the L. being in the one case (the general order however) first, and in the other hence Haw, llofen, Welsh loof, Scotch, &c. last
:

KS, BS,
which, as

as in kiss, buss,

&c. are resolvable into

or-is,
fari,

gor, cor, vor,

(contracted into os,

seen, are for,
is

&c.) from

we have

fatus, verb,
is

word

hence also
or

jeer, as gibe

from gab, that

to

mouth

MN,
primary

mock. which he says

sign,

is

an element signifying enclois

sure, as of the hand,

&c.

merely a variety of the

;

denoting roundness or roundishness

;

hence mons, mont-es, mount

&;c.
;

mond, Sax. mouth,

as also fons, font-is, fount.

to

As

MND, MNT,
which
is,
;

(and he should have added

as he justly remarks, a terit

MN,

or men,)

mination

we

shall consider

when we come
Mr.

to the

terminations.

R. Mr. Whiter remarks, and others had done before,)

(as
is

Home Tooke
This
all
is

oftentimes not to be

considered as a part of the element.

without

exception the falsest proposition in

of Mr.
itself

the writings

Home

Tooke and Mr. Whiter, and would of

have convinced

me

that they

were but

half-

formed etymologers.

which Mr. Whiter says is an element for the sky, (a softened sound of skir, skirig, skig, originally cir,) is merely like sphere a softened sound of cir. The names of the Sun and Moon, he says, (almost
Spr.

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
truly,) are derived

85

from the idea of an enclosure or

yet there
a

circular fence.

Their name signifies neither enclo;

sure nor fence, but simply a circle

is

connexion between their name and that of an enclosure or fence, because an enclosure or fence surrounds
or encircles.

TB. which he
(of all

says

is

the element of hollow, (as tub^

tr, tor, cr, cir,

&c.) like top, cop, cob, cup,

cor,

&c.

which

it is

only a variety) means simply round

are not dilFerent elements, but the
it

TR, TM, &c.

same
in
Ttj,

sign of

anything round; hence

V")t^ in

is

properly
,

applied to the earth,

Chaldaic

r/c or /r/t
;

some of the northern

a contraction of Tf^, to devour,
is

dialects yerd, yert

r^jj,

in

Greek
is

&c.

in

Latin

terr-a.

TR.
Thus
given.

a variety of vor-o, from

which

devor-o, devour, &c.

it

appears

how

near Mr. Whiter was to the

it,)

truth in every element, (as he has termed

I

above

with too

am afraid, however, of tiring the reader much of that, whose proper place is a dicnumber of

tionary, only I wished to give a sufficient

instances to prove
tain true

how
is.

very easy and

1

etymology

leave the

how very cerCanon of Etymo-

logy by subjoining a proposition that had escaped

me
as

namely, that
letter,)

r.

or

1.

(which we have considered

difficulty

one

from

its

of enunciation,

(especially when it was pronounced gutturally,) and vibratory motion on the tongue, has shifted from its proper primary position in some words thus Atlas, Atlantis, from Altas Altantis, a high hill in Mauri:

86

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
is

tania; Atlantic or Altantic,

properly an adjective

from the former name, and as applied to the ocean

means

that part of

it

which

lies

towards or in the
is

direction of Atlas or Altas.

Metal

a corruption or
it),

mispronunciation (which drew a mispelling after

of melt
:

metals are substances that have been or

silver,

may

be melted; as gold,

copper,

tin, iron

and

lead.

PART

III.

THE COMPONENT PARTS OF SPEECH UNFOLDED.

JLT has been sufficiently shown,
I trust,

that

L.
of

R.

C. or

C,

is

the primary simple

all

word

written language, and that

the copi(B verborum are

merely varieties and combinations of that one simple

word, or rather %/*. *
It will

be not expected that

all

the varieties and combinations of that simple

or sign, should be treated of or

word
in

even noticed

in this

work.

Only those simple words, more important

the system of speech with the manner of their combinations, are intended to be explained here.
I shall

begin this subject with what have been termed particles,

including the article, conjunction, preposition,

pronoun, verbal, adjective and substantive terminations,

and

in short all affi.ves

and

prefixes.

The

dis-

cussion of these component parts of speech shall be

as

much
The

as possible strictly English; not excluding

sign existed before the

word: sign has reference

its

to visible
vor, cor,

objects;

word

is

so denominated because of
is

connexion with
If the
>i;j;n

&c. the mouth; a sign

(that
is,

seen, a

word

is

spoken.

and word

enunciation of the sign) be so well associated that the sound of

is

the latter excites the idea of the former, Ihe word

incorrect.

correct;

if

not,

i(

is

88

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
as are likely

such remarks, however, on other dialects

to illustrate the subject
;

for the reader will perceive,

what holds of English, applies equally to Hebrew, Greek, Latin, &c. true grammar is not local
that
:

but universal

not peculiar
to

to

any one of the

dialects,

but
I

common

them

all.

have always found

this the

most

difficult

and

(it comprehends the whole of what is commonly called grammar, concerning which there has been so much mysticism and

perplexing part of philology,

nonsense, and so

little intelligibleness

and rationality)
can treat of
it

and

shall think

myself fortunate

if I

with tolerable clearness and precision.

in truth the

Particles are
it is

mummies

of lano^uasre, and

almost

impossible to ascertain their true nature and origin. It has been justly remarked by Home Tooke, " that

words most frequently

tion, preposition,

in

use, are

most subject
article,

to

contraction and corruption."

The
all

conjunc-

pronoun and

the terminations
are

are frequently in use,

and therefore they

:

much
;

corrupted from their original form

sioned
I shall

they have occa-

much

mistake, mysticism and absurdity

and

think myself abundantly rewarded for

if

all

my

anxious reflection and toilsome enquiry,

in putting

successful

down

a set of contemptible systems, techarts,

nical terms

and mischievous

which have

so long

befooled and enslaved the disciples of learned authority, and stunned the world with the noise of their
pretensions.

All the words

now

particularly in view,

may be

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.

89

conveniently treated of under the following deno-

minations

1.

Connectives.

2.

Augmentives.

3.

Negatives.

4.

Diminutives.

CONNECTIVES.

A
two

connective word

is
;

like
as 2

+
(or

plus^

the sign of

addition or of conjoining
are four
is
:

+2 are 4 two and

one equivalent
to

The word and

sometimes prefixed or postfixed to another it) word, but it retains the very same meaning it had when put separately. Thus, the Latin que (the

same

as

y-a-h

eke, eek,

ic, ig,

&c.)

is

often put in

com-

position as a separate word, and often postfixed to

another word

but
:

it

has the same meaning or use in

both positions

the conjunction
is

and

(spelt
is

en

Dutch) which

often put separately,

as often

joined to other words.

What
:

is

called the participle

used to have and^ ende^ en, an, and some other slight
varieties for its termination
as lovayid

man

lovende

man

loven

man

that

is,

loving man, or love and

:

golden watch, frosty night, misty doctrine.

the y. which
is
is

man, or love add man, love eke man, love join man Here
a contraction of
ic,

eke, que,

x-^^,

&c.

merely

or

vinculum between mist and doctrine,

such also
is

indicating that they are to be conjoined in the imagination, or conceived of together

;

the

use of en, an, ende, and, eke, and

all

connectives.

Observe, that the connective

is

frequently dropped,

90

I'HILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.

the connexion between the words b^ing sufficient!}

indicated and understood
tion
:

by

then' position or construc-

thus, instead of golden watch,

we

write gold
is

watch or goldwatch.
the preposition
of, as

The same relation

by the termination
;

denoted by
en,

ic^i/,

&c.

golden watch, or watch of gold

the one

bloody man, man of

blood, &c. have respectively the

same meaning, only

oc, ac,

mode

is

not quite so customary or familiar

formerly og,

as the other.

Of was

&c. which

are all merely various spellings of ac, eke, our ancient

conjunction, and of ac, que, &c. the Latin conjunction.

The

genitive or possessive (as

is

it

is

called),

and the plural termination of nouns

junction.

(for it is

one
or

and the same word), merely the connectiv^e or con-

Thus

boy's book,
to the

is

book of the boy,

book belonging
boys
rians
it
s.

boy

so also in the plural,

means merely +

plus, or add.

The grammamore than

has been

knew

not the nature of the plural number, but

said

means precisely what they have

;

one
a

for as a, ane, an, or one,

preceding or succeeding
it,
;

noun, prefixed or postfixed to

all

(for it

put in

these different manners

we

say a pen, the

the
all

Latins said penna

we

say

a,

or one measure,

Greeks said
counted
kin'd
is,

//-fT-fov,

the Latins metrum, &c. for

the Greek and Latin terminations are thus easily acfor,)

indicates that there

;

is

but one of the

intended
plus

so es (or any equivalent affix), that

as infallibly indicate that
is

+
is

must

one

intended, which

more than precisely the meaning of the

plural termination.

Observe,

when our

plural tcr-

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
mination was
er
;
<?r,

^1

our genitive termination was also

:

when

the one became en the other became en

;

as

oxen (of ox or ox's), oxen the plural

like other

which,

if

formed
dif-

nouns would be

ox'*, oxes.

The only
is

ference between the genitive and the plural

the
it

comma

put as a sign of contraction

for

formerly

would have been

plural, as farther

oxis or oxes in both genitive

and
still

back

it

was oxen

in both,

and

higher up oxer in both.

The apostrophe

or sign of

contraction affixed to the genitive and not to the

plural
is

capricious rather than reasonable,

c.

being

nearly as often dropped in the one case as the other.

As was

observed in a preceding part,

relics of

we have
er

a
in

few
the

double terminations or

both

and en

same word, the

latter
it
:

not superseding the former but

as children^ western^ eastern^

being joined with

&c.

As
is

our genitive and plural terminations have ever

:

been the same, so also have been the Latin

of a pen or pens
;

pennae,
;

domini,
it

is

of a lord or lords
spelt both ways)

seris

mon is

or sermones, (for
;

was
if

of

word in the English manner, sermon's and sermons. Here the reader will perceive again, that there is the same reaa speech or speeches
or

we

give the

son for putting the apostrophe or sign of contraction

in

both cases.
in

be traced

The coincidence above noticed might Greek, German and other dialects,
all

though

it

be somewhat disguised in them by such

language
is

accidental variety as
I

subject

to.

had intended to
is

treat oi connectiues \hoxq tediously

than

suitable to

my

inclination,

and therefore

92 remark
with, by
at

I'JIILOSOIMIIC

ETYMOLOGY.
it
i-*

once, that the definite article, (as

called) all the

;

pronouns, the prepositions

at, ad, to,

t,

the substantive verb be, am, and eth, th,

cd, en, an, on,

&c. whether postfixed or prefixed to

words and whatever they be called

ples,

verbs,

particiter-

adjectives, nouns, &c.

/y,

and the adverbial

mination
tives,

(as

it is

called)

&c. are merely connec-

more properly varieties of the connective or for one was as sufficient for the purpose as a thousand, though it has been multiplied into a great variety of forms of spelling and pronunciation, which like the variety of guises and disguises in the theatre,
or
;

copula

deceive the eyes of spectators.

I
list

have put the definite

of connectives,

article first in the foregoing

1

by a quotation from Dr. Crombie's English Grammar, beshall introduce

it

and

cause

it

professes to follow the principles of

it
is

Home
exceed-

Tooke, and because

therto published
:

the most philosophic hito

I

am sorry

add that

it is

ingly unphilosophic.

When

noticed the author in

is

my

introduction, (which notice

now

printed,)

had
it

only looked into his grammatical w^ork and thought very

diflferent

from what

have found
simply
this,

it

on closer
have a

inspection.

The

truth

is

as 1

settled indignant

contempt of
I

false learning

and phi-

losophy,

and as

always give the

plainest and
I

strongest words to

my
as

thoughts and sensations,

can find

was

afraid to trust

myself with strictures

on such grammarians

Lindley Murray, and pitched

upon

the author of the Essay on Philosophical

Ne-

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
cessity as a philosophic scholar,
I

93

should respect though

did not stand in

whose understanding awe of his

I

talents.

Afraid of being thought illiberal in speaking

my

thoughts of arbitrary grammar,

wished

to find

a foil to

my

candour

in

an author so rationally and

masterly wrong, as to

blame.

In this

command my praise more than respect I am unfortunate, especially

liberality are
Still,

as the cant of

candour and bigotry of

the standing order of the present times.

ever,
I

how-

can assure Dr. Crombie, that

;

it is

with sincere

regret I contradict his doctrines

would rather have him for ally than opponent, and that he is almost the only English grammarian whose opinions I should deem worth quoting or confuting. 1 remark
that
I

before returning to

my
:

subject, that Dr.

Crombie
remarks

seems

to

have misunderstood
to Harris

Home Tooke's

in reference

that author's opinions are

;

abundantly unreasonable

but the unreasonableness

denyin"-

of them consists not in affirniing that some words are

merely links or joints of language, but

that they are primarily significant
tive terminations
;

in

or that connec-

meaning of their
sitions in the

own

were ever separate words with a and so far from contradictino

;

Harris's doctrine respecting conjunctions and prepo-

manner of Dr. Crombie,

Home

Tooke

considers prepositions,
as of the

pronouns and conjunctions

that the terminaor join.

same nature, and shows

tions of the simple adjectives

mean add

In

some respects, indeed, unaccountable as it is. Home Tooke seems to have been as far wrong and as much


94
nil LOSOPIIIC ETYMOLOGY.
;

bewildered as Harris
cases,

hut as usually happens

in

such

Mr.
is

Home Tooke

never goes wrong hut, Dr.

Crombie
ject.

sure to go after

him

But
is

to the suh-

"

What

then, (says Dr. Cromhie,)

the difference
iJiat is

between

the

and thai?''
the the
is

Simply

this

a conre-

traction of

and therefore,

as

he justly

more emphatic than the^ for a word repealed or pronounced twice is intended to be more emphatic, or to excite more attention than when pronounced but once; just as a word pronounced slowly and with force, is more emphatic than when
marks, that

pronounced rapidly or slightly, and hence the difference between an and ane^ or one.
" In Latin, (continues the author,)
ille
:

sole

frequently
'

supplies the place of our definite article

the man."*

Thou

art

Tu
le in

es ille (istc)
is

homo."
ille,
il

" The

French

clearly a derivative from

of which the former syllable

latter

expresses he, and the

denotes that unemphatically serving as the de-

finite article.

From
il,

the same source also proceed

lo, la.'*

the Italian articles

" This and that

have already considered.

is

That

they are not pronouns

evident, because the pro-

(did it always stand noun alw^ays stands by by itself?) and suppbes the place of a noun these words, on the contrary, must be associated with
itself,
;

some substantive, and cannot

pronouns.

therefore be strictly

It is true, indeed, that

they sometimes
;

appear singly or unaccompanied with a noun

(just

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
as

96

what are called pronouns appear singly or unaccompanied with a noun,) but in these cases it will
be found invariably that the expression
is elliptical,

some substantive or other being understood." The above is as favourable a specimen of the author's

grammatical reasoning as could be selected,

is

yet

it

merely that

idle

kind of controversy and

fill

verbosity

which only

serves to

up a book

giving
It is
:

the writer an appearance of profound learning and

keeping the reader ignorant of the subject.

proper,
it

im-

seems, to call
is

this or that a

pronoun

what

then

what

a pro7iomi P
:

It is a

the place of a noun

very good

but how did

Tell

word supplying it come

to supply the place of a

noun
like
if

me

that

and be

my

Apollo

for ever.

This belongs to a class of ques-

tions, that Dr.

Crombie

Mr.

Home

Tooke never

thought of putting, or

he put them to himself he

actually stumblingin

prudently kept them by him in his closet as private

companions.
the while

The author was

is

over the truth, yet as

all

common overlooking it. As

is elliptical,

such cases was

or other
this ap-

he found out that

that

the expression

some substantive

being necessarily understood

when

and

pear singly or unaccompanied with a noun,

why

could he not perceive that the same

is

the case with

pronoims P

They were

originally called pronouns,

;

not because they stood for but fore nouns

and they

Were originally as uniformly accompanied by nouns

as this

and that

are.

No one

can have carefully traced the pronouns in

: ;

96

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
dialect,

without perceiving that they are often, and were originally, always, accompanied by nouns. We have in our own language, especially in legal

any

writing, sufficient relics of ancient usage to explain

and prove the

fact in question

thus the following

modes I, James
he,

of expression are according to original usage

Gilchrist, ditfer from thee, Dr.

Tooke or Mr. Home have yet both modes in vulgar usage

Mr.
guide
in

Home

Crombie Tooke, he (we

a much better

philology than reputable and present usage),

was an acute philologer, but he did not see to the bottom of his subject he, Dr. Reid, was a true philosopher, though author of an untrue philosophy but thou, Dugald Stewart, canst not see clearly or enter profoundly into true theories ye Scotch me;

taphysicians, like your cousins Mey, them, these, or

the (we have had all these and more spellings of the same word) German metaphysicians have discovered
that the true theory of the soul
is

best defended in a

mist or in the dark.

The
tive

truth

is, all

the articles,

all

the personal, relaall

and demonstrative pronouns in

;

the dialects

arc merely connectives

and what

is

more, they are

merely varied spellings and pronunciations of the

same word, applied

speaking of the use,
are called pronouns

for the

same purpose. I am not custom may have given to what

am

not denying that the

diversity of spelling and pronunciation

to

which gives

one word the

effect of several,

is

a great conveni-

ency

am

treating of the proper primary character

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
of words.
I,

97

thou, he, she,

is

it,

we, ye, they, who, or

all

which, (one of these

useful

superfluous) that, &c. are

abbreviations

words, happy
all

(which have
does not

usually

the excellencies and defects of contraccharacters)

;

tions or short-hand

but

it

follow that they are not primarily one and the same

word, applied

for

one and the same purpose.

le

In Le Mailre Italien Par

I find

Sieur

De

Veneroni,

the following remark,

which shows how near

to the true idea of

pronouns the author was, or those

:

from

whom

he borrowed

" Le pronoms conjonctifs

ont beaucoup de rapport aux pronoms personels."

The conjunctive pronouns are nearly related to perThe terms relative and conjiinctiue sonal pronouns.
seem
to

have originated

in just conception.

Prepositions have been

viid,

referred to,
;

and the

fol-

lowing are merely connective

ment,)

with^ formerly mith^

y^sra, /xf5', ,asv,

med, &c. (and the same as

of, to,

7ne?i,

by, be, (formerly ge,) ad,

at, (a

softened

form of

ns

ath, eth, &c.) col, con,

and some other

that

forms of the same word.

It is true,

some of

these forms seem strange to our eyes and ears,

when
;

employed where we have been accustomed to others but none save asses are led by the ears none but fools adore custom or usage. Such great rhetoricians

as Dr. Blair,

have discovered nice distinctions among the prepositions, and pul^lished wonderful criticisms
about,
bi/
it

sword and
bi/

lei/h

sword
is

but witii rever-

ence be

spoken,
is

sword

just by a sword, and

bi/

with a sword

just the

same H

as

a sword.

98
It
is

ril

FLOSOPIIIC

ETYMOLOGY.
to

unworthy of Dr. Crombie's understanding

silly,
;-

give into the

false doctrine

cerning synonimes

of tradition conor to remark that " Me and that,

though not

strictly si/nonymous are

words nearly of

the same imjyort."

They

are strictly

synonymous

they are precisely of the same import.

He may

in-

deed try his dexterity

difference

at splitting
exists,, as

hairs to

make
is

where none

he does with mij

not a
in

and mine^ thy and thine; but

after all, there

shade or shadow (and fine thinkers deal

much

shades and shadows of meaning), of diflference be-

tween the one and the other.

(and indeed of
there are hardly
all

The opinion
in

of Blair

the philological multitude), that

any two words strictly synonymous, is not only

the occasion of

any one language

and absurd, but
false

false

much

vacuous, indefinite,

and

absurd composition.

Arbitrary distinctions

among
but a
out

words only serve

imposture.

to encrease

and perpetuate their

loser

Our language would be no

were

great gainer, if only one connective

left in it

of the

many which now exist under various names but what would become of copiousness, variety, smoothness, Jiarmony, and all the other idols of babbling

mouths and

foolish ears

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.

99

THE VERBAL TERMINATIONS ARE MERELY

CONNECTIVE.
There
it

is

strictly

but one verbal termination, though

be diversified by various spelling and pronuncia:

tion

atli,

(the very

same

as the

Hebrew nx
(\yhich
is

ath,)

aith, eth, or ith,

&c. w^as the older form, which be;

came ed, et, es, est, an, en, &c. en in Dutch the conjunction answering
still

now
is

to our and)

connected with many words

in

as seen,
:

known,
it is

&c.

what

is

called the past participle

also

firmly grafted into

many
it is

words, as brighten, lighten,

drown, &c.

nay,

both prefixed and postfixed to

some words,

as enlighten, enliven.

The
:

reader will
to

perceive in these instances

how
;

liable

words are

be used superfluously and insignificantly in enliven in enliveneth it is put the connective is put twice
thrice
;

in

enlivenedst

it is

put four times.

all

At one
or

time eth was the only termination after

;

the pronouns without any distinction

as 1 loveth,

me

loveth, (for both

he or him loveth,
loveth.

we
:

were used,) thou or thee loveth, loveth, ye loveth, they or them

time of Chaucer this was the

So prevailing manner
muses."

late as the

"

Goeth now away ye

this

nier-

maidens and suffereth

man

to

be heled of

my

" But nevertheless suffiseth to the (thee),

these true conclusions in Englishe as well as sufllseth

h3

H)0

niiLOsoi'iirc f:tymology.

to these noble clerkes grekes, these

in

Greke."

same conclusions " God save the kinge, and all that him
" Demith thyself that
let

iaitli

beareth and obcieth.*'

demist othiris dede,"

thy ghost the lede."
"

" Weivith thy lust and

The

nedith not the gall of an

hine, that curith eyin darke for theyr penaunce." ' And now mee likith to withdrawin me." " Me
thiiikith
it

accordaunt reason."

Chaucer.

few of many quotations that might be brought from Chaucer and even later authors. Methinks, methinketh, thee thinks, they thinks, and

These

arc a

similar expressions

which

still

remain among the

peasantry, and

some of the quakers who adhere more

tenaciously to the customs of their ancestors, are not solecisms as shallow philologers suppose, but relics of

what was classic as well as vulgar usage relics of what was once national, reputable and present usage. I
shall
J

have occasion to remark further on

to

this,

come

modern, arbitrary grammar

in the

when mean
af-

time the reader will observe, that eth was originally

fixed to
all

the persons of the verb, (as they are called,)

without distinction* and that the whole system ofEnglishsyntax isfoundedon corruption and absurdity:
is
it

a kind of grammatical idolatry instituted for the sake

es,

o^est and eth or

two

relics

of ancient usage.

It is

always a certain sign of idolatry or of a Babel-system,

when
vided.

the tongues of those employed about

it

are di-

There has been wonderful gibbering about and among the rest Dr. the wonders of the veIib Crombie is seriously alarmed lest this important part
;

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
of speech be degraded from
its

101

true dignity into a

mere
It

participle.

would be superfluous to explain he must perceive that telligent reader

;

eth to the inlike en, ed,

cs,
is

it is

merely a connective whether affixed to what

called a verb, an adjective, a noun, or

any word what-

ever
is

and

it

would be easy

to convince

him

that this
all

the primary use of all verbal terminations in

It has

the

dialects.

been the fashion of late, indeed, with

to consider

some Greek and Latin grammarians,

as primarily

them

pronouns

in

this

they are nearer the

truth than themselves are, aware of, (for eth

diversified,
is

however

originally the
it is

same

pronouns,) yet

not as

what arc called they mean it. Home

as
th,

Tooke seems

to

have considered

do and

to as

the

same word, but what he considered do he did not communicate. In Hebrew T^^ ath, the grammarians
say truly, " seldom admits of translation into English
after

an active verb, (nor does the verbal termination

English, admit of translation into any other
:

eth in

commonly This signifies tcith." Wilson's Hebrew Grammar. when it has any significais always its signification
language)

when

prefixed to a person

it

be called a preposition, as ad, at; a termination as in or a conjunction, as and, et

tion,

whether

it

amat, amat-us, amans, amant-is, &c.

The

reader

must be now convinced

that verbal, participial

and

simple adjective terminations, (those which do not denote negation, diminution or augmentation,) are all
alike merely connective,

and

in fact the

same

copula,

102

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
its

somewh-at varied in

form by the accidents of pro-

nunciation and spelling.

WHAT

IS

CALLED THE SUBSTANTIVE VERB MERELY A CONJUXcriON.

th. ir

IS

It

is

surprising (or rather a proof of

stupidity),

that witli the

word copula

in their

mouth, the giain-

marians should
verb,

make

w^hat they call the substantive

the everlasting theme of mysticism, vacuous

It

unintelligibleness and sheer nonsense.

implies
;

an attribute and time, or affirmation, or something

but they must be always talking about

it,

it

and about

without stopping to ascertain the meaning of those

technical terms which are familiar in their mouths as

household words, or learned language in the mouth

of a magpie.
JBe
is

precisely the
:

same

as

bi/,

signifying merely

or add, join, &c.

tical

thus, Ivant be a mystic, and

mys-

Kant, convey the same meaning though not in same manner. There is as much affirmation in the the one case as in the other be is the copula between K^nt and mystic in the first instance, and al in the The compositions of Dugald Stewart are second.
:

vacuously

indefinite,

and would never have been

read but for their prettiness.

The vacuous,
The

indefinite

compositions of Dugald Stewart would never have

bten read but

for their prettiness.

writings of

Dugald Stewart

are not sufficiently correct

and

defi-

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
nite
for

103

philosophy,

and can never establish any

writini^s of

theory of mind.

The

Dugald Stewart not

for

sufficiently correct

and definite

philosophy, can
It is

never establish any theory of mind.

evident

that these different sentences express respectively

the

same

sense, whatever technical nonsense shallow

philologers

may

affirm concerning them.

The Canon
are
;

reader will perceive, that according to the

of Etymology,

am and is are

to be resolved into
is

he will also perceive that are

&c.
;

the

same
&c.

as the
;

infinitive termination in Latin are, ere, ire,

and

the termination
sive

or,

aris,

in

what

are called pas-

and deponent verbs

and the adjective termina-

tion aris or alls, (for according to the

Canon
as

of Ety-

mology, these two are to be considered

mination)
;

one

ter-

and the termination of nouns

is
;

as amor,

&c.

it

also appears as an English termination, as

eastcr,

that

east (or rising)

baker, brewer
person.

that

is,

+ time, tide, &c. brew + man, woman, or

;

It has

become an opinion with some gramer,

ir,

marians,

that the termination

vir,

or,

&c.

is

contraction of

but

this,
is

like

most other boasted

discoveries in philology

mere fancy.

iOi

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.

THE TERMINATIONS OF AVHAT ARE CALLED ABSTRACT NOUNS ENDING IN ETH, EN, ON, &C. ARE MERELY CONNECTIVE.
It will

be readily admitted that once, twice, thrice,

of

fourth, fifth, are contractions or softened forms

07ieiv (in

French, unique) iwoic, tlireeic^foureth

or eM,
is

and

that
tive
;

ic,

primarily and properly a conjuncit

for

though
once

is

frequently not followed by

is

any other word, the sentence

elliptical
:

in

every such case

is

equivalent to one eke time, twice to

two eke
time
:

time, fourth to four and time, or four add

first,

second, third always suppose what

;

is

to

be added, understood

as, first
is,

man, that

is,

fore est

man,
^rst

third

man, that

three ed, or add

ist,

man. ObArian-

serve that nouns ending in

:

ism, are exactly like

florist,
is

or flowerist

flor

add person

ism, that

Arian, join system, creed, or some equi-

valent

word which is understood though not expressed, and which must be inserted to fill up the
ellipsis.

The

reader will perceive here both the true

nature of abstract nouns, as they are absurdly called,

and the identity of

singular of our
are like
first
;

s^,

ism,

and

es^,

the third person

singular or the Latin copula, and the second person

own

verb.

As

oculist, dentist,
fifth,

&c.

so like fourth,

&c.

are width,

(wideeth) breadth, length, truth, (trueeth, so trust

is

trueest) stealth, wealth,

&c.

The

reader wdll perceive the utility of the expla-

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.

105

nation above given in dissipating the intellectual

cobwebs which metaphyspiders extract from what they call abstract These cobwebs entangle insect understandterms. ings like their own, that delight in dusty, dark corners, or to prey on the carcases of Grecian and Romistiness and removing the
sical

man

learning

but true philology will be found

for

very convenient

brushing the vermin out from

the temple of science and abodes of philosophy.

My business,
purposes

however,

in

the present

work
it

is

to es-

tablish true philology,

not to apply

to practical

to

make

the instrument, not to experiment

with

it

on the misty, vacuous, senseless composi-

tions that

have so long imposed on the world as proconjecture

found abstract reasonings.

It
is

difficult to

how

so acute a philo-

logcr as

of

Home Tooke did not obtain a clearer view abstract nouns. He absurdly enough resolved
all

them

into past participles,

though he
;

w^as

seem-

ingly ignorant of their nature

for if

he does not

wrap them up
complicated.

in

He

mystery he renders them prettv says that head and heaven are
;

the past participle of heave

but what heave was,

he seems not to have cncjuired.

He

puts that

first

which was

last,

for

instead of head

coming from
:

heave, heave comes from cap, cop, &c.

heaven
it

is

merely an adjective signifying round, as

hoop, cave, cove, cup, cope,
tive en affixed to
it
;

does in

&;c.

and the connec-

caput

is

cap (signifying round)

and

et affixed.

10()

I'UILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
reader cannot be too

The

much on
;

his guard with

the whole race of words having a conjunctive termination and put elhptically lor there are no such
verbal deceivers as they are.

The mummies
of
to be

of ele-

gant

expletives

the

relics

significancy

the
mys-

shades or ghosts of meaning require

sharply

looked

after,

especially in the calendar of the

;

tagogues and sophists

but most of

all

do abstract

nouns require to be stopped and questioned on every appearance, for they are like other pompous, stately
personages, exceedingly imposing

and if you allow (which Dugald Stewart pleads them the privilege
;

for)

of being thought good, well-meaning

members of
they
it

composition, though utterly insignificant, they will

play
all sorts

of tricks with your understanding

will not only

put

it

in a fool's

paradise, but lock

up
I

in a

vacuum.

have

now

sufficiently explained the connectives

and

shall only

make

a few remarks

tion ly

which sp often occurs.

but what
is

on Mr.

the termina-

Home Tooke
is

has contented himself with saying that ly

traction of like,
to explain.
like is

a con-

There
truie
i

he has not attempted inde(?d a connexion between

;

them
ly

as

we

shall presently find

but

like

does not

suggest the

idea or c^rigin of the word, nor can

be resolved

nto like wi'fh any

show of
it

reasonable-

ness nine timeis out of te\i where

occurs.

Weekly

wages, daily labour, yearly income, are not wages

like or

resemt

ling
ar,

a week, labour like a day, or in-

come

like a

ye

for there

can be no likeness or

re-

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
semblance
with year.
that ly
in the case
;

107

but wages connected with a

week, labour connected with day, income connected

Such instances as the follow. n^ siiow has the same use as other conjunctive termi:

nations

a friend

of a

yearly produce year annual produce.

a friendly part
;
;

a friend's part
year's

the of produce produce

part
is
is,

The same word

;

spelt
side

long in such words as endlong, sidelong

join something else
as sidelong looks
;

that
it is

the ter-

mination of some nouns which are considered abstract

;

as folly, that

is,

foolly

knowledge

the

same word appears

used both as a

and formerly long was preposition and verb. It is the very

in belong,
link,

same word
belong
is

as lig-o,

latch, lace, lock,

ally,

lash

mispelt into fellow, an

(ad-lig-o)

an

equal, a peer, one like another, because things or

persons resembling each other are usually conjoined

hence the yV7/oe of a wheel

is

so denominated being
cir-

considered as joined with the other parts of the

cumference
this

to fellow is to suit
like,

with or pair with

suggested by

hence the reason of

for the idea

and

all

such words as
is

peer, par, p^T,

match,
.r

equal, even,
ling.
als,

taken from that of joining

coup-

The

reader will perceive too

addins:

wny

lilawise, also,
th<^

signify

or

joining.
\\\c

Thus,

Greek
wrong,

grammarians were wrong, and

Latin grammarians

were

wrong the Greek grammarians were

the Latin grammarians were also wrong

the

Greek

grammarians were wrong, the Latin grammarians were

likewise

wrong.

Here

a?id,

also,

likewise,

have the

lOS

rillLOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
use, serving merely as

same
or

vinculum, copula,

link,

+ between Greek grammarians and Latin gramThe reader will perceive likewise why as marians.
(a contraction

of

als,

a contraction of elk, alike, &c.)

:

and

like

have the same meaning

thus, the Scotch

full

metaphysics as the German metaphysics are

of

vacuous and indefinite phraseology

the

the Scotch
vacuous and

like

German metaphysics

are full of

in-

definite phraseology.

My remarks
than
that
I

are insensibly
I

becoming more prolix

to

intended, but

wish

convince the reader

am

not obliged to confine myself to a few in-

stances most favourable to

there
tle
is

my

purpose; and that

letter, jot or tit-

not a single word, s^dlable,

connected with
for

my subject, which I

cannot fully

account

and

satisfactorily explain.

It is evidently

necessary, however,

to write a dictionary fully to

reduce the chaos of our language, (cursed and con-

founded by learned ignorance into a wilderness of

confusion and Babel of absurdity) to light and simplicity,

order and utility.

Is there

any thing more

?

to

be explained respecting

connectives

Yes, one thing

did are^ ale^ eke,
join,

more

What
is

are

they

How

ic, eth,

c?i,

and, add,
a fair

&c. come to signify

add, Sec.}
;

This

question, but somewdiat difficult

readers thought the author
slip
;

and perhaps some

to give
it

was going

the

but he hopes to convince them before he has

done, that he has no occasion for the stratagems of

authorship.
I

do not wonder indeed that the multi-

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
tude say language
fess to
is

109

arbitrary

that those

who

pro-

study
;

it

give ingenious fancies for the reasons

of words

and that llorne Tooke resolved them into

left

nouns and verbs and there

them.

What
to be

he did

was comparatively easy

philology.

what ought

done

is

very difficult, at least in the present chaotic state of

I

have remarked that particles comprepronouns,

conjunctions, preposithe usual prefixes and postfixes are the
:

hending
tions,

articles,
all

and

mummies

of language

the idea of

which they were

is

the sign (which

may be

considered the soul)

de-

parted, leaving only elegant expletives and relics,

shades or ghosts of meaning very subservient to mystical

and mythological systems of grammar, rhetoric,

logic
:

and
nite

precious materials
Even the
original,

for

Kant and Dugald

for a

Stewart.

perspicuous, and defilong time

Mr. Locke (who did not think

that

any consideration of language was

and he remarks

at all neces-

sary to his subject)

ticles
ling,
;

was somewhat too fond of

par-

that, " In the right hand-

managing and placing of them greatly consisteth

In the right understanding
;

the art of composition."

of them greatly consisteth the art of thinking

but

wish they could be so handled and managed

as to

be placed somewhere out of the way, even though

they be important as serving to denote stops, stands,
turns,

&c. of the understanding.

is

This topic
before

exceedingly important and will

re-

quire to be treated of both seriously and ludicrously

it

be well understood, but

it

would take me

110

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.

too far from

my

immediate purpose.

The

reason

why

there are so

many

useless or idle

words (which

are exactly like idle

nity),
is

members of a family or commuabundantly plain. The same word (espethere be no standard of pronouncing and

cially

if

spelling)

is

pronounced and spelt differently by

dif-

ferent persons (especially if they

in

be widely apart, as
different spelfor different

Yorkshire and Devonshire)

which

lings

and pronunciations
;

are

mistaken

words

as ignorant spectators in the theatre deceived

by the guises and disguises of the

person for several
titude.

actors mistake one

for a great

a few performers

mulidle

This

is
;

the great ever-teeming origin of

copi^ verborum
to

though persons too dull or too

understand the subject cannot, or will not, per-

ceive

how

great an evil

many
if

words

is

and boast

of their copiae verborum, as

a person diseased with

gout or dropsy boasted of his great joints or big belly.

It
is

with superfluous words as with

or luxuries
:

all

other super-

fluities,

men

first

get u^ed to them,

last

then think them necessaries, and

of
of

of

all,

boast

them
all

as excellencies,
is

that

though they be the bane excellent. Another cause of superfluous

words

(or forms of the

same word)

is

the following

When a word has,

become

through carelessness and ignorance,

insignificant, (like the materials of

Dugald
rein-

Stewart's composition and philosophy)

men have
and

course to another word which

telligible
;

is

significant

when we find that we cannot be understood by one mode of expression we employ

just as

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
another.

Jll

This

is all

very proper

and
(as

if

when men

found
it)

it

necessary to adopt another word (or form of

they had thrown the other away

they usually
all

do with old worn-out useless instruments)

with
it,

would

have been well; but they could not think of parting

and kept it as an elegant expletive, or parwhich though insignificant itself, could, as Dugald Stewart proves, infuse significancy into composition their eyes and ears had been accustomed
ticle,
:

to the old

worn-out sign

and men have always

judged more by custom than reason

by

their eyes

and

ears than

by

their understanding.
it

It is precisely

with alphabetic signs as

hieroglyphics
intelligence
nificant
;
:

was with

their parent

these were originally subservient to

but in process of time becoming insigin the

and unintelligible (especially

handheredi-

ling

and managing of the mystagogues

the

tary metaphysicians of the

human

race),

they were

found very subservient to mystery and imposture.

Behold, reader, the true origin of the Egyptian, Grecian,
sics
!

Roman, middle-age and

!

latter-age
its fatal

metaphycurse and

Behold the true Babel with

much of our woe The preceding remarks show not cause of much ignorance respecting
gin of particles,

only the true

language, but

the difficulty of ascertaining the true nature and ori-

by which

mean
&c.

small parts

oi*

fragments of words.
as

The conjunctives
for joining

considered

meaning +

plus, more, add,

;

arc nearly al-

lied to

augmentives

and encreasing are

\13

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
:

inseparable ideas
or to encrease
;

hence
After

eke.^

or eek^ signifies to join

as a verb
reflect-

it

has been

employed both

and conjunction.

much

doubting and

ing (for the true origin of the conjunction has cost

me much
which

trouble),

am

almost of opinion that

all
;

the conjnnctions

arc

resolvable into augmentives

again, are resolvable into the original

name

of head.

Eke,

ic,

ig,

que,

y.ai,

&c.
is

for instance,

are resolvable into augeo,

a^yji
cl,

which

resolvable into
re,
Ic,

(hence orig-o, origin) which, like arch,

cr,

signifies primarily,
is

simply round or circular.

This opinion
different

not demonstrable, because there are

methods of indicating the same meaning,

from examining: the nature

but

it

will 2:ain strenc^th

of the augmentive.

There

are,

however, two

rival probabilities

(bere-

sides their being

resolvable into
;*

augmentives)
I will

specting the connectives

to present to the

which

endeavour

mind of the reader as they have apSuch words as joint, joi?i^ju?igOj peared to my own. &c. may be resolved into jug-um, yoke, which may
be considered like hook, hinge, &c. so denominated

from

its

round or

circular form

which takes us

at

The

notion of Mr. Whiter respecting such words as those

now

in

question being resolvable into the

plausible
is
;

name of the hand, does not appear very

employed to separate
Jieaniess
:

for the

hand

is

as often

as to unite.

It

true,

however, that the hand denotes

I

Am

Gud

at

hand

and not a God afar off?

sions

have no money

at

hand and
: :

in all

such expres-

hand denotes nearness but not conjunction

such words as here,

near, &c. are resolvable into %'f

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOq:.OGY.
once
to the primitive
:

113
(a

etymon of all words link different form of ring') which may be considered lock, &c. may be also viewed originating lig-o
;

as in

the same light

arc-culiis,

so

may

article, or articulus (artli,

or

properly

little joint) a

joint

or as a vorl)
It

to article, or be articled

to join,

or be joined.

may be remarked
seen
it is

in passing,

that the (or similar

for as

words) was justly termed the

article^

we have
The
idea

merely a

joint, or link.
is

The
ing,

other rival probability

as follows

of one seems to have originated that of uniting or join-

because

if

they

make one body, mass

two or more objects be put together or group thus if two

:

become one substances be united they become to

families be joined they

if

two mirable
strictly"

the eye

one

hence such expressions

as to one, at one, union,

imite.

On

the other hand the expression of disjunc(it

tion seems to have originated in the idea of two

certainly

did so in

meant
vide
:

two,

and

it

thus sunder some instances) came to mean to separate, to di:

divide seems
;

to

be
it

literally

duo-caed

cut

atwo, or cut in two

and

will be proper to enquire

when we come

to the negatives

whether they did not

duo changed into
are

(most of them at
de, di, se, ne, in,

least) originate in

un, &c.

Twain and twin

in the

not

used as verbs
tion,

in

modern English to express separaNorth

:

but they are so used

as,

'

The
love

lowland of Holland has twinned or twaincd

my

and me.'*
to

Between (be two en)

is

likewise employed
is

denote separation.

The
I

following expression

114

pnir.osopiirc

etymology.

not customary, but

to those

I believe it would be intelligible whose reading has not been confined wholly The peace has oned many that to modern English the war had ticained or twinned : it is indeed merely the true English manner of saying, the peace has united many that the war had divided.
:

If the connectives have the above origin, then

eth,

a//i,

&c.
;

is

resolvable into achd (Heb. and Ethiop.

for one)

in

confirmation of which ichd

is,

united, or

by Buxtorf, adunatus fuit una, simul. The connexion between xa<, que, eek, eke, ic, ego, but it &c. and achd, ichd, seems plain enough
as explained
;

is

more

plain

when

the following forms of the

nume-

ral one are taken into

view

Eek

(Pers.

of which

our ace seems a variety) ek (Hindoo)

dialect): the
first

i/ek

(Gipsey

of these

is

literatim our verb and

old conjunction eek.

a contraction

If our odd'^ be

what

it

seems
the

of

achd,

then

it

is

not only

same
as

as ad, at, eth,

(sometimes

ot, otli)

but the same

verb

add contracted into and.

The Saxon

Anan

about which

Home Tooke
how
it

has flourished so much,

as signifying to join (for he did not trouble himself

with enquiring
to

came

to signify join)

seems,

be merely ane ane, or one one, contracted into

is

anan, just as our article an

a contraction of ane,

now
*

spelt one.

The

derivation which
utterly

Home Tooke
owe
! !

assigns to

odd

is

like

many

of

his derivations,
it

unworthy of

his usual acutenesa.

He

considers

the past participle owed from

is

One
he
is

of our old writers says of

God, " He

sovereign odd."

Is that,

sovereign owed ?

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
This
tives
;

IlJ

last

seems a probable account of the connecas jungo,

and perhaps such words

It

jug-um,

yoke, &c. are resolvable into

ijch^

one of the forms

of the numeral above given.

again

may

be enquired
to signify

how

did achd^ eek^ yek, &c.

is

come

oneP

The question

fair

enough, only the limits

of this work will not admit of my tracing every word

up

to its primitive etymon.

It is sufficient to

remark

here that however changed, the

one, in
all

name

of the numeral

the dialects, originated in the

reasori

name

of the

head ; and the

I

of the

name given

to the head,

have repeatedly explained. This coincidence tween the numeral and the augmentive (for both resolvable into the same etymon) has occasioned

beare
all

my
to

perplexity in deciding whether connectives ought

be resolved into augmentives, or augmentives into

;

connectives

for, as

we

shall presently see,

they an^

closely connected.

AUGMENTIVES.
The augmentives
dom^
7iess^

are ard,

est^

er^some^ ous^fid, ible,

rick, ry, ship, scape, skip, head, hood,

&c.

Ard

is

merely a different spelling oialt, signifying

high, great,

much, &c.

drunkard
;

is

literally
is

drunk, person being understood

so sluggard

much much

slow or very slow

Observe,
all
;

braggart

is

much

or great brag.

such words are properly adjectives put

elliptically

which

is all

their abstraction.
I

JSst

which

116
is

]>lIII,OS()P]nc

KtVMOLOGY.
is

merely a softened manner of ard, which was formerly spelt ord, crd. Sec. and signified top, beginning, &c. being re(as strongest)
;

called superlative,

solvable into arch,

which

still

signifies head, chief,

:

&c.
is

as arch-angel, arch-apostate

er (as in stronger)

merely a contraction of ard, &c.

;

Some,

is

spelt in

German sam
superlative)

in

Latin sim,
:

ssi?n,

(what

is

called the

siimma

it is

the same as sum, summit,

;

ship, scape, skip,

metaphorically great or
dark, troublesome
is

dom, signifying properly top, head much darksome is much

:

much

trouble.

Some

signifying

great and some signifying

little,

are resolvable into the

to justify the doctrine
is

same

origin,

which Would seem

also to justify Dr.
in giving the

of the Stoics, that every word

equivocal

and
and

would seem
lain Dr.

Johnson and

his chap-

Todd,

same word

different

opposite meanings.

No
(in

object in nature or

member

of the
so

human body, much metaphor,

except the hand, has originated

other words supplied so

much
it

language,) as the head:

among many

other uses,
:

denotes metaphorically high, great, &c. its name as we have before intimated, is used to denote the nu-

meral one ; hence, in old Saxon some or sum denoted

one,

an which was used laxly and diminutively

use one, an,
any,
is

as

we

now

(aneig)

thus he will

some time or other,

time or other
:

equivalent to he will

come come one

will heads of colleges give some en?

couragement
to

to philological reform

is

equivalent

will heads of colleges give ani/

It
is

encouragement

to philological reform.^

true that

we

cannot

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
always, (as Dr. Crombie remarks, of

11?

my

and mine,)
ol"

according to present usage, put some instead

one, or

one instead of some

but this

is

wholly an

affair

of

the ears, in whicii the understanding has no concern.

The
OS,

termination ous

is

a different spelling of the Latin

or,

softened from ox, ax,

is
:

contraction of arch, &c.

cl.

Full

the same as the

Hebrew

and our own whole,

instead of
is

&c.

it is

corrupted into

ible, (as forcible

forceful,)

which

as

Home
:

Tooke

justly remarks,

calculated to cause confusion of ideas or displace a

veiy useful termination

tnaij he

changeable
it

is

properly that
to de-

changed, though

is

commonly used
dome, cupola,

note changeful ox frequent change.

The primary
ut
;

idea of
like
is

dom

is

top, cap-

it is

in fact,
;

<o/>,

merely a variety of

cope,

cape, cap-ut
tive.

and

affixed to

words

as an

augmen-

Freedom, wisdom, thraldom,

are literally

much

free,

much

wise,

much

thral

so that such words are

:

properly adjectives put elliptically

tion

all their

abstrac-

consists

in

ellipsis.
is

The Latin
tas, tat,

termination

answering to dom, &c.

tud,;

which we
the same
ness has

have

in

such words as

liberty, rectitude: tat, tud, are

merely varieties of

tot-us,

&c. which

is

\vord originally as tat, dad, tata.

Our own

the same use and is a softened form of rick, resh, and is yet applii^d to (Hebrew) signifying head Blackness, is capes or headlands on the sea-shore
;
:

blackhead;

Sheerness,
is

is

Shore-head.
:

Like

arc?,

dom, &c.

ness

merely an augmentive

darkness,
bright,

brightness, are properly

much

dark,

much

118

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
:

some other word being understood drunkenness, for both instance, is no more abstract than drunkard Drunkenness is insignifying merely much drunk. being neither more nor less than jurious to health, is much drunk is injurious to health. I am more p'lr;

ticular

with what arc called abstract nouns, that the

understanding of the reader

may

not get entangled

among metaphysical cobwebs or lose itself in "he Insignificant Scotch mist and German darkness. words may be very necessary to authors of true theories but do not let them make a fool of you, bv pre;

tending to open your eyes while in the very act of

blind-folding

men

you with the old night-cap of the schoollet them put the extinguisher nn the true knowledge of words and ideas, and quacki^'ly
:

do not

boast of

new

light

and great discovery

sense.

or vail your

understanding with fine-spun nonsense under

the

name

of

common
is

Rick^ which

contracted into ry,

is

the sime as

rex, rich, rank,origo, origin, arch, apv^, rask^

Hebrew.
Bishop-

Affixed to words

it is

simply an augmentive

rick, is literally great bishop,

though put

ellipiically

to denote what belongs to him.

ry,

x\s contracted into

;

the

word seems merely augmentive

;

bravery,

much
give
it

brave

bribery,
is

much

bribing or great bribe.

it is

Observe, that as ry

augmentive,

not usual to
is

a plural form, (for the plural termination

in
in-

a certain sense augmentive,) being itself in

stances equivalent
lent to images
;

many
is

to the plural

imagery,
;

equiva-

yeomanry,

to

yeomen

cavalry, to

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
horse troops
;

119

only the termination ry presents the

objects more as one

termination,

more in a mass than the plural which always excites simply the idta

of more than one.

that rivalry

The

reader will likewise observe,

and rivalship are precisely of the same

import

so that ship and ry are terminations of the

;

same use

and therefore such terms

fall

as

lordship,

friendship, landskip, &c.

respectively under the

same remarks. Head and hood

a variety of caput.

are both from heafod^ like

sJiip,

&c.

Godhead,
is

is

great chief or head

God

maidenhood,

great maiden, put elliptically,

it is

and therefore like other words put elliptically, taken with some latitude so manhood, which
:

liter-

ally

means

great
to

man, high
full

or wdiole
age.,

man,

is

taken

in allusion

virility.,

courage.,

&c.

All

w^ords put elliptically, are exceedingl}^ apt to

indefinite if not insignificant
;

become
that

and

it

is ellipsis

gives to one and the

different

same word the appearance of

;

and opposite meanings

though

it

is

evi-

dent, as

Home Tooke

justly remarks,

that a sign

with

diff'crent

and opposite significations, would be

in fact

no sign whatever, and could signify nothing

whatever.
I

have given the above view of such terminations

to be au2:mentive
;

as

seem

but whether thev are

It has

truly
to

augmentive or merely connective when affixed

to

nouns requires

be considered.

been

re-

marked, that junction and augmentation are insepar-

120
able ideas
:

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
* hence eek or eke,

means

to join

and to

augment.

Which
secondary

of these twin ideas

it

is

primary, and

which
tain
:

is

is

somewhat

difficult to ascer-

in

other words,

it is

dilHcult to ascertain

whe-

ther the term expressive of joining, be resolvable into

that expressive of augmenting, or the latter be re-

solvable into the former

ascertain,

hence

it is

also dilhnilr, to

whether the same terminations be always

I

truly

augmcntive or sometimes only conjunctive.

namely, achd, yek^
etk^ ek^

have pointed to a very probable origin of the conjunction or copula

;

&c.

(all

which I take to be contractions of arc/i, rick, or CR, RC,) the name of the numeral one. The name of
the numeral
(it

has been remarked)

is

as well asgreaty

much, more, &c. resolvable into head, cope, top, caput, copula, Caliph, Caleb, crop, or any other spelling of the

word
and
it

signifying head or top.

It is this

coincidence that gives existence to contending probabilities

;

is

such coincidence

(for all

the

varied modes of expression are like so

many

diverging

streams, traceable to one origin), that occasions the

chief difficulty of etymology; which difficulty

is

of

such a nature, that none but philosophic thinkers can

possibly unfold the true principles of language
all
(if
:

hence

that has been hitherto published on the subject,

we except some

of

Home
them
a

Tooke*s reasonings,)

is

* Metaphysicians \voiild
incorrect as to call a

call

complex idea; an expression as

a

body and

its

shadow
fire.

complex object
is

or light

and

heit a complex idea connected with

for fire

It

evident that the same sign

must sometimes denote heat and sometimes hght.

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
more
allied to

121

alchymy than chymistry. It were as^ vain, indeed, to expect true etymology from such men as Parkhurst, as it would be to expect a true system of nature from such men as Hutchinson and
;

Harris was as incapable of true

grammar

as

Lindley

Murray and his disciples are of true philosophy. The same instrument must be applied to diiicrent
uses, (and in reference to intellect especially, there
are but few instruments,)

and the name of

:

it

must be
the

employed
great,

for diflorent

purposes

the

name of
all

head or top, denotes

in all the dialects, heap, chief,

;

much, more, addition, encrease, &c.

It frequently,

whicli

words necessarily connect with them the idea of junction or joining.

happens that words

in

thus having a primary and secondary idea, come

process of time to be employed merely for the pur-

pose of exprcssincr the secondary idea, though they

were

at first

employed

solely for the purpose of ex-

pressing the primary idea.

Heafod, heafyd,

(it

has

many

spellings,)
;

denotes heap, much, augment, a ug-

mentation, &c.

but as the idea of conjoining

is

is

inse-

parable from that of encreasing heafyd,

in

Welsh,

simply a conjunction like our

spelling of ac?c?
.

own
has

and, a different

eke or eek, og, (in Welsh) ac, ax,

ic,

ox, as, on, or, age,

&c.

(it

many

spellings,)

denote

in

some

cases augmentation, in others simply

conjunction.

Eek

or che,

(as has

been repeatedly
;

remarked,) signifies to augment and to unite

og, in

Welsh, has also both uses

trcediog, footed, fected, or

<rliog,

large

browed

having

feet.

Contracted

12i?

I'JJ

ILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGV.
lik<;

into us,
cariadiis,

it

has,

ous from

o.s,

Latin,

both uses

loving;

ofnus,

fearful.
is

The

termination

age

(a variety

of the former),

sometimes augracnis

tive,

but often merely conjunctive: personage

;

great person

parsojiagc, however,

is

not great par;

son, l)ut something connected with parson

as par-

sonage-house,

living,
if

benefice,

&c.
filled

so vicarage,
is

poundage, &c.
living,

the ellipsis be
rate, due,

up,
;

vicarage

is vicar poundage poundage eke, or add eke, or join something else, Observe, (as rate, due, or some equivalent word. was remarked on ry,) that age often amounts to the

or the like

that

meaning
^vas

or force of the plural

number:
to cords
;

foliage

is

equivalent to leaves,

cordage

only

(as

remarked on

ry.) age,

though making a noun of

multitude, presents the objects more as one

a
;

more

in

mass than the plural termination as garbage, herbThe Latin ssim, sim, and our est, (called age, &c.
signs of the superlative)
are
:

merely connective

in

such words as the following

dragesimus, solecism
ist,
;

quingentcsimus, qua-

enthusiast, dentist, amongst:

ast, est,

&c. are

plainly'

the same as the Latin con-

junction

ast,

and the third person singular of the subit is

stantive verb, as
is

called.

When
to

or, er,

is

(for

it

one termination) affixed

it

what

arc

commonly
:

called adjectives,
lesser
;

is

plainly augmentive as minor,

it

in all other cases

seems merely connective

is

Baker, amor, amare, easter; that

east or rising, join

bake, add person

whatever

is

intended, as easter-

time, easter-ofFering,

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
The Latin
which
is
it is

123
all

termination ow, like

or, o.r,

ax, as, (of

merely a variety) was originally

an aiigmcntive
;
:

(as it still

in Italian and Spanish)

patronus

or patron,
tron,
is

was

literally great father

;

nii.tronus or

ma-

was great motlier

so from casa (Italian) a house,

;

casone (changed into maison) great house

libro,

hombre, (Spanish) a man; hombron, great man; muger, (mulier) a wo-

book

librone, great

book

But though man mugerona, great woman. meaning of oji, may be considered the primary
;

this
it is

evidently connective merely as a termuiation to what

are called abstract

nouns

as

division,

narration,

union, occasion, cohesion, &c.

as really put elliptically, as they
if

All such words are

would be considered
;

changed into what are called participles

;

as divid-

ing or divided

narrating, narrated

uniting, united.

The
to

termination on, like ing, ed, merely gives notice

in
is

expect some other word or words

it

connexion
:

with the word or words to which

the

affixed

for

same reason

that

we

say a vision, an audience,

living, &;c.

we

can say a sight, a hearing, a

Observe, as terminaiions are very liable to become

insignificant,

so

some

have wholly
this
is

lost their

that were once augmentive augmentive force or meaning

:

the case, especially with affixes,

:

when
is

trans-

planted out of their native dialect

casone

in Italian

great house, but maison in bVench (the

same word)
;

means simply house whether great or small bason is in Spanish a great vessel, but in French and Eiiglish
(generally spelt basin),
it

has no reference to size.

124?

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
iirimcaniiig

As

or mistaken terminations occasion

most of the mistakes respecting what are called abstract terms,

which

are the ever-teeming origin of

metyphysical nonsense, misty perception and vacuous,

indefinite composition, I dwell longer

upon them
;

than

should otherwise have thought necessary

consider only profit by the

for

correct philological knowledge,

in itself,
I

however important

way

to higher

advantages.
that
all

The

reader

must constantly remember

ig-

words

much

used are apt to lose their mean-

ing

they are kicked about by carelessness and

till

norance

the sense
if

is

completely knocked out of

them

especially

they be foreigners or exotics

needlessly imported by fashionable folly or learned

pedantry.

He must

recollect also, the inseparable

connexion between the idea o^ junction and that of

auQ'nientation.

We have seen
7iss,

that all such terminations as dom^

hood^ ship, are resolvable into top, caput, head,

arch,

and the

like

we have

seen that such termina-

tions are used both as augmentives

and conjunctives;

or to adopt the language of Mr.

Home

Tooke,

in re-

ference to simple adjective terminations

notice to expect

they give

some other
elliptically

w^ords in connexion with

those to which they are affixed:

these intimated

words may be

omitted,

but they are

always either implied or expressed.

Moreover,

we
as

have seen, (some repetition

that ellipsis (which
is

is

necessary on this point)

for the

adopted

same reason

any other kind of contraction or abbreviation

to

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
save time and labour),
tains in language.
this part of
is

125

all

the abstraction that ob-

The only enquiry remaining on

is,

our subject

whether the terminations

such
as friendship,

in

what

are called abstract nouns,

falsehood,

wisdom,

rivalry, blackness

be insignificant
:

or truly augmentive, or merely conjunctivae

one or
solely

other of these they

must

be,

and

my

object

is

to dissipate the mistiness that

hangs over them and

;

prevent their mistifying men's perceptions

not to

work them up into any fine theory, though this would be very easy and probably attended with more
glory to the author, than unfolding the principles of

language

in all

the simplicity and plainness of truth.

few experiments upon the terminations in quesprobably convince the reader that they are
;

tion, will

merely connectives

and he will recollect what has

been so often intimated, that connecliues are nearly

akin to insigiiijicanls.

The

pression are evidently equivalent

rivalship on the occasion

theoccasion

there was much

many
rivals

modes of exthere was much there was much rivalry on

following
:

rivalina:

on theoccasion
:

there were
all in

on the occasion

we

are

darkness respecting the future state of Europe

all in

we are
men may

the dark respecting the future state of

Europe: Englishmen may sink into slavery

sink into slaves
;

Englishbe
free.

but their ancestors strugto

gled nobly for freedom

struggled nobly
;

Some perhaps
in

will find shades of different

meaning

such various modes of expression

they arc not,

however, shades of meaning, but shadows of the un-

126
derstancling
take,

PJIILOSOPIIIC

ETYMOLOGY.
:

and blinds of perception

the great misall

indeed,
is,

which

originates almost

other mis-

takes
sion,

that of supposing different

different

modes of expres-

must imply

meanings or shades of
are all

meaning.

Pupilage, pupilship, pupildom, pupilry,

in

&c. (though some of these are not

they

use,)
;

equivalent to pupil state, being a pupil

all

or rather
in con-

denote that something

:

is

to

be taken

nexion with pupil

so popery, popedom, bishoprick, kingdom, wisdom, scholarship, darkness and the like,
is

simply denote what

connected with pope, bishop,

;

king, wise, scholar, dark

or rather they are merely

pope, bishop, king and scholar, with an adjective or

conjunctive termination

the words that should be

added or conjoined, are supposed to be well known and therefore not expressed which ellipsis, though
;

convenient for dispatch,

is

nevertheless like every

other contraction, very apt to cause obscurity and indefmiteness.

This

is

one of the chief causes of

imposture
:

all

metaphysical mistiness and

principal origin of
all

this is the

the false doctrines that have

ideas,

been published concerning words and

rhetoric, logic,

grammar,
rea-

and

in short,
is

wherever abstract

soning, as

it is

called,

applied.

Sublime reasoners,

like Kant and Dugald Stewart, consider etymology below the dignity of philosophy utterly unworthy

their exalted understandings

they can
far

erect

won-

derful theories

up

in the clouds,

above the gross

region of senses, sensations and sensible objects

they can create a world of significancy and sense out

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
of
iiisiornificant

127

and

nonsensical terms

they

can

make wonderful

discoveries in the mathematics and

astronomy of Intellectual Philosophy, without wasting their time in studying the nature of signs, instru-

ments and telescopes

words are the

;

signs, instrutrue theory of

ments and telescopes of ideas

significant words.

but the

the soul can do very well without distinct ideas and

-NEGATIVES OR DISJUNCTIVES.*

The

class of

words here intended, are of so ambiit is

guous a character, that

difficult or

impossible to

give them any appropriate denomination.

They

might, in some instances, be most properly termed

negatices
nuticcs
:

in

some

disjunctives

and
;

in others dinii-

detach, disjoin, divide, seem to express what

despair,

we

consider disjunction simply

(de spero,)

what we consider negative; decrease, decay, &c. seem to be diminutive. The same word [de^ re. &c.) does not change
dispirit

and the

like,

seem

to be

its

meaning, but variety of construction

may

in

one

case suggest the idea of negation or opposition, in

another that of disjunction, in a third that of diminution.

Observe, there

is

the

same

relation

among
in

Among

other

intelligible,

significant

and sensible terms

the
dis-

Babylonish system of grammar,

junctive conjunctions.

wa

find copulative conjunctions

and

128

PHILOSOPHIC etymology.

these ideas, as between conjunction and augmenlation

Our
prefix
:

usual negative
is

is

wo, the

same

as ne (Latin),
is

which doubled

ow, not^ and which

im^ in,
;

as a

uncapable or incapable, not capable

un-

throne, unhorse, unteach,

&c
:

unsidt

is

not used in

reference to law, but

if it

were used, the moaning

no, nc,
(y^;.

would be the same

as
i^*?,

as nonsuit

in

Greek)

de, se, di, are resolvable into re,

which

is

the

same

the etymology of

which
is

will be given

when

treating of the
little

Hebrew and Latin

of if
is

languages.

How

the Latin language

understood,

and how

much a rational exposition

truly,

wanted, will appear

from the following explanation (we cannot speak

without speaking ironically of the grammar and

'''Re in

lexicography that have so long prevailed) of re and

f/e

given in Entick's Dictionary:

composiupon,
"
;

tion, signifies again, back, often, against, over,

up, down, along,

greatly or very
in composition,

in,

by,
;

afar, off,

away, at a distance,
it

much
by

sometimes

denies

:"

De

usually signifies from or off

;

some-

times

it

signifies
;

sometimes down

sometimes
;

diminution

sometimes greatly or very much

;

some;

times wholly or entirely

sometimes plainly

and

sometimes
This
is

it

denies and stands for non, not."

the kind of Babylonish lexicography of

oneayi-

Johnson's Dictionary, which gives twenly-foiir

ings, or shadows of meaning, backed by twenty-four

authorities to the

word from; yet

this

confusion

is

worse confounded in the hands of a Dr. Todd,

who

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
boasts of

129

making

ten thousand additions to the old

chaotic mass.
It

was remarked

in a

preceding part, that as con-

junctives

may

be supposed to originate in the nunr>

;

ral yeXr, eei-,

achd or one

so the negatives or disjunc-

tives

may

be supposed to originate in the numeral

duo, two.

What seems

to

countenance
is still

this

suppo-

sition, twain,

tween, or twin

used

as a verb in

Scotland, to denote to separate, to disjoin, or the like.

This view of the subject has appeared

considerable force of evidence to

at times

with
the

my

perceptions
(for

but

after

much

reflecting

and enquiring

negatives, like the conjunctives, have cost

me much
prin-

anxious thinking)
metaphysical

am

not satisfied
is,

and the
it

cipal reason of dissatisfaction

that

looks too
like a

too

ingenious

too

much

theory, to suppose that the makers of language

fme would

uniformly say one

for unite,

and two

for

disjoin.

They were
cessity,

self-evident, ready-work disciples of nefirst in

and took whatever came

purpose.
are

their

way

fittest for their

There

different

words employed

to

denote

negation and disjunction.

expression are equivalent

(be out) the stranger

The following modes of They were all happy hut

all

except the stranger

all

save

the strangerall unless the stranger.

It is evident

that but, except, save, miless, in the foregoing instances

amount

to wo/ or a negation.

Observe

unless

is

different spelling of unloose, a softened form of unloek, unlink, unlatch

;

and therefore

unloose,

which

::

KK)

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
in

occurs not only

ture,

our

common
;

translation of scripis

but

in all

our old authors,

not, as
is

Johnson

says, an improper expression

but this

always the

manner of ignorant
thinketh, unloose,

critics.

If they

meet with me-

or any other term which they do

it

not understand, they have only to call

tical, or a

ungrammafalse

solecism, and there

is

an end of the matter.

The author

of the Classical

Tour has, with other

criticism, said, Avhen speaking of the Latin as cor-

rupted into Italian

took place, not in

"

The most

material change

the sound but

in the sense of the

words

thus laxare to loosen, unbind, has become

let in general."

lasciare to let go,

The meaning
is

of

the word

is

what
in

it

ever was

nor

loosen different

from
ral
is

let

go

any other respect than the more genefrom the more particular meaning
loosed or

different
is

whatever
go.

unbound

is,

of course,

let

The

reader will perceive that as loose

;

is

a contraca contrac-

tion of unloose

so

less

(a

termination)

is

tion of unless

beardless, fearless, are without beard,

or take

without

fear

away

beard, take

away

fear

beardless boy, fearless man, are just the opposite of

bearded boy, fearing man.

The

following

modes of

expression are equivalent: without a sound philology

ound
sound

logic

is
is

hopeless

without
:

sound philology

logic

without hope
of

unless there were

much

philological ignorance the Dictionary of John-

son and

Grammar
for

Murray would not have become

philological

popular but

much

ignorance the

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
Dictionary of Johnson and

131

Grammar of Murray would

positive or
\cilh-

not have become popular.

As
out
;

out

is

a negative

which nuUiJies the

conjunction in such expressions as hut^ (beout)

so
:

off^

froni^ contracted into fro are equivalent

to out

he went

equivalent to
far off
2Lt

he went/rom England
;

off,

or he

went

out for India,

for India
:

is

so,

sea, or far out at sea, is equivalent

to far at
relait is

sea

from

land

for off

and out have the same

tion to land

2is from

has,

though

in the

one case
I

expressed and
out of

in the other it is

only implied.

London came off from London came from London or went out of London went off" from London went/rom London, are plainly equivalent,

came

though we may not be accustomed to hear such

modes of expression interchanged

port
;

as of the

same imis

but custom

(as

has been often intimated)

the

arbiter not of language,

but of arbitrary systems and

:

distinctions in language
to slavish souls
fools.
is

custom

which gives law

the scorn of wise

men and

idol

of

If language be considered an affair of the ears

it is

merely,

abundantly unreasonable to attempt

foible

to

reason on grammar.

Home

Tooke, whose philological

was
is

that

of affecting a northern origin, says, thdtfrom

the

Anglo-Saxon and Gothic noun frum, beginning, source, origin; thus, figs came //om Turkey; that
is, figs came the source or beginning Turkey. This seems no very convincing, though a very convenient

mode

of experimenting to establish a favourite hy-

K 5

I.'j^i

I'llILOSOPIIlC
;

ETYMOLOGY.
to

potliesis

and yet

it

seems

have passed

as quite

satisfactory with Dr.

Crombie and many

others.

We

may

say, in

Home

Tooke's

own

words, "Allow him

to choose his instances,

and they run on ail four^

(though

as in this case of the figs

and Turkey they

for

hobble awkwardly,)

but choose instances

It
is

him

and they limp most miserably."

ferent instances than those

not worth

while, however, to set his theory a limping on dif-

most important
rantableness of

to

which he adopted it is the enquirer to notice the unwar:

Home

Tooke's resolving

difficult
;

words into Gothic verbs and abstract nouns of philological manoeuvre, unfavourable to
quiry

a kind

fair

en-

and utterly unworthy

thaty*rom
is

profound enquirer.
.

Be it so,

the GothicyrM?/i
is it

what isfrum?
?

Of what
name

sensible object

the sign
is
it

Or into
?

the

of what sensible object

did the

resolvable

And
to

how

name of

the sensible object

}

come

signify beginning, origin, &c.

These

are the proto grope

per enquiries unless

we would continue

and

Avander

in

metaphysical

obscurity and confusion

from theory to theory and /rom conjecture to conjecture, in a wilderness of idle controversy
fitable verbosity.

and unpro-

It

has beefi already remarked,

that

no sensible

no member of the human body, except the hand, has originated so much metaphor or supplied so much language (for language is made up and the following are a of metaphor) as the head
object
that
;

few of the many words, or rather spellings, resolvable

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
into
its

133

name

Caliph, calph (contracted into alp,

cope,

ab, ob, up, off, &c.) scalp, cap-ut,

copula,

cape,

chief",

&c.

graf,

greeve, crop, cream,

(head
far,

or top of milk,
forth,

&c.)
for,

foam, froth,

barm,

fore,

diversities of the

&c. These and many other same word that misj-Jit be aiven may in one view be considered more literal, in another more metaphoric in one respect as concrete, in another as abstract only it is hoped the reader will
from,
fro,

not suffer his understanding to be mistified, bewildered, and befooled

by unmeaning or wrong-mean1

ing terms.

The

reader will perceive that though

have grouped a few different forms of the same word together it would be aside from my immediate object to trace

them up

to their origin, or
:

outwards

in

their diverging directions

it is

from

that requires to

be explained

in this place.

Frum

signifies, as

Home

Tooke has
as I have
lology, the
lects origin,

said, beginnings origin, source, because,

remarked

in the

Pioneer of Rational Phiall

name
&c.
;

of the head denotes in

the dia-

but

this

though true does not apis

pear to explain/ro/,
out, not to beginning

which
;

equivalent to forth or

thus

figs

or forth of
;

Turkey
say, figs

Turkey is the it makes a very forced signification to came beginning, origin, or source Turkey:
but

came out of Turkey same meaning i\s from

from seems not only equivalent to but merely a

ferent form o^ forth,

dif-

which

is

closely relatc^d to porth

(Welsh), port, porch.

The

following modes of exI

pression are not in use, but

presume they would

J3t

I'JIlLOSOPlirc

ETYMOLOGY.
accustomed
:

be

intelligible to persons

to take a

wide

range in English reading

0^66?

Figs oiUed Turkey

Turkey figs proceeded Turkey Turkey hgs fared or fared Turkey.

still

figs

figs

forthed

We

have fare

both as a verb and noun, denoting foreing or

;

going forth
parting

and forewell
a friend,

is still

the compliment at

when
:

neighbour or acquaintance

leaves, goes off, from or out of the place, country,

&c.

Observe

farewell was originally said to the person

departing, expressing a wish that he might fare, fore,

go, or travel well or safely, prosperously,

&c.

The among

intelligent reader will perceive the

connexion

the following

word

forts, forest, foreign, fro,

from, forth, ^up,

SupS.-v,

door,

through, thorough &c.

Many
more

words beginning with for or fore will appear

intelligible
;

by

spelling
;

them ^rom

or fro
;

as

forego, frogo

forget, froget

forsake, froseek
forgive, frogive
; ;

for-

bear, frobear

forbid, frobid
;

par-

don, perdon or prodon

froswear, &c.
It will

forlorn, frolorn

forswear,

be perceived also thato^'and

out are contractions resolvable into the

as from, fro, forth,

same

origin

&c.

Dr. Crombie, repeating after

''

Home

Tooke, says,
signifyIt is

or

is

a contraction of oder, a

Saxon word

ing contrary, or sometimes merely different."

really to

be wished that authors would think more and

1

rote less.

would

if

possible give the Doctor the

is

respect due to a philosophic scholar, but there

so

much

grammar constantly rising up in judgment against him that I have much difficulty to rein his


PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
strain the force of

135

my

convictions.

Home Tooke

had

a reason for resolving

words into Saxon or Gothic

nouns and
ern origin,

verbs.

His favourite theory the northwas ever and anon running away with his
;

understanding
of mother

but

why
?

should sincere worshipers

Rome

dance

after northern lights, or

wane^ff'^f,

der in Gothic darkness

or, else,

Odeiy other, either,

&c, are

all

contractions oi alter,

whose

ety-

mology

will be given

Latin language.
offices, or

when we come to treat of the Custom may have given different

to different
;

rather posts in composition

forms of the same word

are plainly

but

or,

else,

othencise,

&c.

synonymous

thus,

the tender ears and

manners
hysterics

ot

accomplished

petits maitres
I

with rough handling, or

would go into would speak

more plainly and pointedly to them of their silly systems of learning else I would speak more plainly and pointedly otherwise I would speak more plainly and pointedly. In all such exceptive modes of expression or,
tive,
else,

otherwise,

&c. are evidently nega-

not

and might be changed into if not but for, and the like. Dr. Crombie
skill

were

it

tries his

microscopic
senting
it

at

hair-splitting

on or by repre-

as

sometimes
;

disjunctive

and sometimes
is

sub-disjunctive

but

my
for

poor understanding

not
dis-

metaphysical enough
tinctions.

such

nice,

vacuous

136

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.

DIMINUTIVES.

The

class of

words included under

this

denomina-

tion will not detain us long.

We

have not now any

regular diminutive termination in the English lan-

guage
ears

but ling might be restored to

its

wonted use
thinkiing,

without
:

much
&c.

violence to present usage or English

philosophling,

as

grammaticling,

criticling,

The conveniency and expressiveness

is

of such a termination

evident: one of the greatest

is

charms of the Scottish dialect

mination ock or y
laddie for little
:

the diminutive ter;

as lassock or lassy
little

laddock or

lad,

lass.

Burns addressing

the mouse, says

" Timorous beasty, what a
panic's in thy breasty."

In

this age of little maitres I

should be glad to see

;

some form of our ancient diminutive revived

indeed

and
oc-

we

cannot speak appropriately on

many

casions without saying metaphysicling, authorling,

hireling, lordling,dukeling, squireling, priestling,

&c.

Observe
&c.

all

the diminutive or diminishing terlyie^

lit,

minations of our language are like

contractions of
klein,

little,

Dutch and German

little.

as

Contracted into
:

which yet remains in a separate word signifying ock it appears in such words
isli

as bullock, hillock

softened into
a little salt
;

it

is

affixed
little

to adjectives

saltish,

sweetish, a

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
sweet
kin
;

IS?

blackisli,

a little black

it is

contracted into
(as

in

mannikin,

&c.
little

into

ket

ch'ld into
;

chit) in pocket, a
quet^

pouch, poke, bag, &c,

;

or

paroquet,
is

pacquet or packet
Scotch
;

en in kitt-^n,

which

kitlin in
;

ling

\\\

gosling, properly

gooseling

firstling,
:

yearling, &c.
chit,

Observe
words are
reason of

child,

kid,
o'^'y-of

foal,

filius,

r'f/,

the

Latin diminutive, culex,

all

and

hundred other
all
;

expressive of the same idea, and

re-

solvable into child, or any creature

newly born

the

whose name

is

sufficiently obvious.

Men

who
tive
;

are constantly talking

of this idea being relative,

without thinking, speak and that idea being rela;

but

all

ideas are relative

child,

and the relative

is

lit-

tleness of calf, foal,

striking that their

&c.

so obvious and
fail

name could

hardly

to

be em-

ployed to denote diminutiveness and diminution in

general, or in the abstract as a metaphysician

would

term

it.

The name of any

little,

other object (and

all writ-

ten language originated in visible objects) remarkably

and proverbially

might be employed
tittle:

for

the

same purpose
mouse, wren,

as

mite,
dot,

minnow, shrimp, shrub,

or as the

jot,

name of the

head or highest member, or part of the human body is employed in all the dialects to denote highness and
greatness in general
est
;

so the

name of

the foot, or low-

member, might be employed (and has been employed) to denote lowness and littleness in general.
Still,

however,

it

would be proper

to

enquire

how
lit-

these or any objects remarkably and proverbially

J3S
tie

PIIILOSOPIIIC

ETYMOLOGY.
;

came to receive their names in other words, it would be proper to enquire into the reason or cause
of their

name

but this enquiry, though important

would take us too far from our immediate purpose enough has been said to unfold the nature of diminutives in general, and to show that the usual and
as
it

were universal diminutive,

of child,
cild,

is

resolvable into the

is

name

&c.

the etymon of which

sufficiently obvious.

Thus
the

have finished what

intended concerning
:

component

parts of speech

every word which

may
all

be considered as belonging to this classification

:

has not been particularly noticed

but
I

have brought

those words into view which

thought most

likely to be mistaken

or to occasion difficulty.

My

English Dictionary will be the proper place for explaining fully and minutely the whole of the English

language

which with the other

philological

works

contemplated by me, and

I trust,

in a state

of progress, will,

completely unvail the nature of language in

general, as well as the

Hebrew, Latin and English

languages in particular.

139

PART

IV.

THE COMMON SYSTEM OF ENGLISH GRAMMAR EXAMINED.

'

English

grammar

(it

is

said)

is

the

art

of

speaking and writing the English language with pro-

What then is the standard of propriety ? " Usage (Dr. Crombie says) is in this case law ksus
priety."
;

Qiicm penes arhitrium

it

est,

etjus
to

et

norma
'

loquendi.

If

were now the practice

'

say

loves' instead

of

love/ the former phraseology would rest on

the same firm ground on which the latter

now

stands:

and

'

love'

would be
or,
'

as

much
is
is

a violation of the

rules of

grammar,

which
I

the

same

thing, of

established usage, as
I

loves'
for this

at present."
:

thank the Doctor

candid admission

if

the doctrine be not worthy a philosopher the confession

is

worthy an honest

writer.

But

if

usage merely
all this

be the standard of right language,

about grammar
the matter
?

why

noise

Why attempt to reason concerning Why bring a large assortment of gram?

matical doctrines,

rules and technical terms

?

from

Greek and Latin into the English language publish an expensive book on the subject
;

Why

for sure

the usual violations of usage might be put into a siv-

U)

I'lIILOSOPIIIC

ETYMOLOGY.
said grammati-

penny piece
j)Ic ?

to be roted offI)y the grammatical disciis

And what

far

more important,
in a

cal disciple

might learn

very few days or weeks

to say after usage instead of wasting his

time and

ruining his understanding with unintelligible terms

and absurd doctrines.

of
it

This indeed

is

in

every view

more

serious

aft'air

than cither pedagogues or

parents are generally aware.

Considering Dr. Crombie as a philosophic scholar,

I

did not expect that he would back absurd posi-

tions in philology

from Horace.
short

with " This,

silly
it

school-boy quotations
is

must be confessed,

way

of ending the controversy, and by virtue

of a Latin quotation

we may become

critics in lanit."
it

guage without the trouble of studying

over
it is

Morehas a

according to reputable usage, and

to
;

show of learning
lish

put old Latin patches on Englearned mysteries

;

composition

or to conceal

and absurdities in classic vacua

but a philosopher

should despise pedantry, affectation and quackery.

Dr. Crombie's great forerunner on Philosophic

Ne-

cessity did not pollute his compositions with classic

crudities;

but remarked, as justly as wittily conhave been well di-

cerhins: these favourite morsels that their comina; so

often

up again proves them never

go down

to

gested.
It will

to posterity that I considered Dr.

Crombie's Grammar
English language
;

the most philosophic in the

will posterity think

but what

of

English grammarians, Avhen they find the same Dr.

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
Crombie writing
is

141

in

the following ntanncr: " Usage

law

;"

" the usage which gives law to language

present, national and reputable \' then adis

must be
and
last

mitting that there

no uniform, standard usage

It

of

all

giving canons to supply the want of

?

unquestionable authority
argue these points
;

were unreasonable
is

to

but there

one remark whicli

the author seems to have considered argument

which

must

therefore be reasoned with.

*'

The

philosopher

'does not

determine (says Dr. Crombie) by what laws

;

the physical and moral world should be governed

but by the careful observation and accurate comparison of the various

phenomena presented

to his view,

he deduces and ascertains the general principles by

which the system is regulated. The province of the grammarian seems precisely similar. He is a mere digester and compiler, explaining what are the modes of speech not dictating what they should be."
It is

humiliating to think
in the

how

little

true reasoning

there

is

world

and
is

it

that the above quotation

specimens of reasoning
"

in

is 1 remark one of the most specious Dr. Crombie's grammar.

with regret

The

philosopher does not determine by what laws

the physical and moral world should be governed ;"

but

why

Because he cannot determine.

nor

He

can

neither

make

mend

the laws of the world, not

to mention that he can never fully

comprehend them. But could he suggest a new and improved code of laws even for the government of the world could

he clearly prove wherein the old laws are wrong, cor-

14'2

J'JII

LOSOPIIIC

ETYMOLOGY.
it

ruptcd or perverted, and wliat they ou^^ht to be,

would he
ther
ral

riglit to

do

so.

But though men can

nei-

make nor

alter the

laws of the physical and mo-

government of the world, they can make modes of

for better or

speech and are constantly changing their modes of

speech either

worse.

It

would be just
treat of juris-

as reasonable to say that those

who

prudence, political economy, &c. are mere digesters

and compilers, explaining what laws, institutions,

customs, &c. are^ not determining what they ought
to be as

to

make

the same assertion concerning the

grammarian.

Had

Dr. Crombie forgot that through

the greater part of his book he had been trying to

determine not only what modes of expression are

but what they ought
of grammar in our
to

he P

Had he

forgot that he

had spoken of those "

who have dispensed the laws language ?" Or rather, conscious

this story

of the unreasonableness of the grammar he had written, did

he intend

about the digester and

all

compiler as a saving clause for

the contradictory
?

evidence he had given respecting present usage

No

wonder
ject.

that the patch or plaster from

Horace was

thought necessary on this part of the author's sub-

The
is

reader has always a right to presume that

in

there

something unsound under a Latin patch

;

English composition

or that

it

has been stuck on

by vanity and affectation, merely for show, like the

black beauty spots which folly sometimes puts on
fashionable faces.

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.

4.>

THE SYNTAX OF PRONOUNS CONSIDERED.

The wholeof" arbitrary grammar may be
ys centring in

considered

what

are called

pronoun and verb, and

;

therefore

it is

sufficient to consider these

for

such

rules as the following are too silly to merit particular

notice

" The article a or an

is

joine;d to

nouns of

the singular

number only

or

nouns denoting a pluIt

rality of things in

one aggregate."

would be just
is

as important to remark, that the

numeral one
for

joined
is

to

nouns of the singular number only,

:

an or a

merely a contraction of one or ane

numeral,

the supposed

excellence of the article, as spelt differently from the

is

wholly visionary

unnecessary varieties

of spelling and pronunciation are not excellencies,

but
faults.

As

if it

were on purpose

to outrage sense

and significancy, the grammarians have called an or

the iwrf^wiVe
as
it

article

which

is

just as absurd as

would be

to call one an indejinile numeral.

The

following rules are so abstrusely significant and important, that

I

am

not qualified to judge of their

merits

" Substantives signifying the same thins^ " One substantive governs another, agree in case."
:

signifying a different thing in the genitive case," &c.

&c.

It is

only such great grammarians as Lindley

to

Murray, that have capacity

plain sueh wonderful rules
;

comprehend and ex-

for I will not insult the

141

PHJLOSopiiic etymoloc;y,
Dr. Crombie, by supposing that
iie

undcrstaiiclino- of

will ever

attempt to explain them again.

I

In treating; of the pronouns,

shall

deem

it suffi-

cient (for they have been already explained), to en-

quire whether they have what are called gender and

case.

We

have seen that pronouns are properly con-

junctions, and therefore neither gender nor case can

properly belong to them.

It

may be
}

asked, has not

the third personal pronoun plainly the distinction of

masculine, feminine and neuter

is

No

they or them

applied equally to men,

:

women, and even imperis

sonal objects
to children

zV,

called neuter,

frequently applied
:

who

are either masculine or feminine

to objects

he

and

she are applied

wholly destitute of
;

masculine or feminine attributes

at six

as,

the sun rises

and he

sets at six

saw him

rise

yesterday
is

the

moon

appears and she shines, but the light

not

her own.
his disciple

Such profound grammarians

as Harris

and

Lindley Murray, have published sublime

doctrines about objects being personified, and that

those which are remarkable for causing and giving are

considered masculine those feminine which are re-

markable

for receiving

and containing

the sun gives

is

the moon

receives light, therefore the sun

to

be

considered husband and the

moon
it.

wife.

This

is all

so very wonderful and philosophic, that w^e w^onder

Dr. Crombie tried to confute

Every person acquainted

(I

w^ith the English language

mean beyond the threshold of present usage), knows that till very lately there were not separate

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
pronouns
for

\\5

masculine, feminine and neuter objects.

Sucii distinctions,

created by those "

whether good or bad, have been who have dispensed the laws of

make it conform to that oi Greece and Rome. It ma^ be asked, are not such distinctions useiul.^ The utility of them is very
English grammar," so as to
questionable.

We
i

have no distinction of masculine,

is

feminine and neuter, in wha^

son plural, and
arising

called the third per-

do not find any inconveni^ncy

It

from

this deficiency.
if

would be precisely
with superfluous
get used to
It

the

sane case

we

h id but one word, or spelling,

It is

for the third person singular.

words, as with

all

superfluities,

we

and fancy we could not do without them.

them would

be easy to prove, that except when he and she are used adjectively, as a. he-goat, s. she-goaf, &c. the distinction
is
is

an inconvenience rather than advantase

but this

not a matter of miirh importance, and I

wish

to reserve

my

reasoning for successfn! attacks

more mischievous parts of arbitrary grammar. present grammarians are all busy at work to establish a useless, embarrassing and enslaving distinction between who and which, as if the former were appropriate only to grown persons the latter I do not wonder to children and other little things. that such great grammarians as Lindley Murray,
on
tlie

The

should

tliink

themselves

capnble of mending our

standard compositions, and of barbering them into

the fashion

but

was rather surprised

L

to find Dr.

146

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
as valet de

Crombie

chamhre

to that great personage,

Present Usage, clipping and shaving at the compositions of our best wrli:ers.

Those who wrot6

all

hun-

dred iind

fifty

years ago were poor ungrammatical

men,

for

they lived too soon and lost

the benefit

of present usage, and those grammatical rules and

doctrines

which swarm
if

as plentifully as insects in all

the schools of the three kingdoms.

old authors think,

What would
come back

our

they were to

to this

world and find

clipping

all

the grammatical masters, mistresses,

journeymen, journey women and apprentices, busy

up

their compositions into

good grammar

Shakespear would group them more humorously than

Wives of Windsor, for everlasting sport to Bacon would think it neceslaughing multitudes.
the Merry
sary to write a profound treatise on the prevalence of
false, foolish, childish learning.

Hobbes would confalse,

tent himself with putting a

few shrewd remarks into

foolish

a Tojn

Thumb volume,
originally

proving that

grammar was
that
it

spun out of the spider brains

;

of Egyptian mystagogues and Grecian Sophists

is
fit

and

only for finical fingers, or to entangle

literary insects.

In reply, our grammatical Doctors would say, that

good usage gives law to language and that usage to be good must be present, national and reputable. It was right to sayOwr Father ichich art in heaven, when
;

our translation of the Scriptures was made, but

it

would be very wrong

to say so

now

nay,

it

were a

kind of insult to apply which

to a person, for accord-

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY,
ing to good

14?
it

grammar

or present usage,

is

appro-

priated to children, beasts and insects.

Dr. Crombie has sense enough to admit that some

ridicule

was due on

this topic,

and that

it

would be
It
is

mockery of reasoning
and
ichich^

to apply argument.

sufficiently evident that the distinction

wlio
is

made between
is

not only arl>itrary and useless, but

inconvenient and embarrassing.

writer obliged to
to

How often

every

employ the cjiijunction that, merely Thus, were I to say avoid making bad grammar
!

the man and his horse wlio fell into man and his horse which fell into the

the ditch

the
is

ditch, I should

be supposed to make bad grammar, because who

considered inapplicable to the horse and which to the

man.

All such grave and wise grammatical objec-

tions I happily get rid of,

by adopting:

a conjunction

that has not yet been perverted from

racter
;

its

proper cha-

saying

the

man and

his horse that fell into

the ditch.

Because Greek and Latin have destinctions

legislators

in

the

termination of pronouns called cases, our grammatical

have laboured to establish similar distincpronouns.

It is

tions in English

not

my
may
our

present

business to consider such distinctions, as they exist

in

Latin and Greek

such distinctions

perhaps

be necessary and useful

are

in these dialects,

but they

wholly unnecessary and useless

;

in

own

lan-

guage

what is subject is indicated for hy position not termination. Wlien a plain ungrammatical man says, 1 saw hi\ or qhv saw he no one can
what
is

an-ent or

L 2

IIS

PIirLOSOPlIIC
for
ii

ETYMOLOGY.
;

moment respecting the meaning or who saw and who reus seen. Even when English words are
doubt
forced into a Latin arrangement,

the distinction of

nominative and accusative case is not wanted " Arms and the man I sing." Here there is no

change
change
is

in

man answering
;

to virion, to denote its being

for the reason that

the object of the verb

is

and

such
it

unnecessary in the noun the principal,

:

unnecessary in the pronoun the substitute

I

arms

and he

sing,
I sing.

is

as intelligible

and

definite as

arms

and him

The
it

truth

is,

that notwithstanding

many

long-continued efforts to force English into a

retains so

Latin structure,
(or rather of its

much
is

of

its

own

idiom,

Gothic simplicity,)

as to indicate

what

is

nominative and what

accusative without

the assistance of termination.

For the same reason

that different terminations were given to the

Greek
rea-

and Latin noun,

son that
Ens^lish

it

might be proper
;

to give different

terminations to the pronouns

but

for the

same

nouns have no accusative

case,

English pronouns ought to have none.

all

In spite of

the efforts of grammaticlins, there are two of the

still

pronouns which have

namely,
i/ou

no change of termination
is
?

and

it.

But

there any inconvenience

Is
it

attendino; their single form

this simplicity It
is

not evident that

an excellence rather than defect.^

that

may be

said,

me

thinks, thee thinks,

is,

him
not

thinks,

them thinks

are not grammatical, that

;

according to present usage

to ancient usage,

but they are according

and

it

is

unreasonable to interpose

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
any arbitrary authority
have no
utility,

149

to establish distinctions

which

and which tend only to embarrass

so plain, that
first

and enslave English composers.

This, indeed,
is all

I shall

leave the

pronouns by showing
irregular,

how

they came to be so
it"

and secondly what they ought to be

all

rectified

from

corruption and

irregularity.
oi'

It has

been shown that

is

/
is

is

a contraction

ick or

if,

which

the same word as eek or eke, ge softened into he,

me, &c.

Mine
;

corruption of meen

thine of
hit),

thouen or theen

he,

him, she, her,

it

(formerly

are all varied spellings of the

the, this, thir,

same word, which like (Saxon and Scotch) was originally Cr.
is

or Gr. &c.

His,

a contraction of he's; vur,

;

is

a contraction of ii'eer; their, of thei/er

It has

your, oti/oucr.

been sufficiently shown that

er.

and

n.
es.

were
's.

usual affixes before they were softened into

If our

or

pronouns were according

he

to the
:

analogy of
I's,

the language they would run thus

7ne*s
;

or

me
;

thou thous, or thee thee's

;

lie's,
;

or fiim him's

she she's, or her hers

they's,

it it's ;
;

we

we's

you you's ; they

or them them's

who

who's,

or which which' s.

Persons

who

consult their eyes and ears more than

would smile at such modes of speech and so would they at o.ves instead of oxen; ?/iaw5 instead of men, &c.; childs instead of children but instead of ridiculing foreigners and children, who
their understanding
;

in

such instances follow the analogy of our language,

they ought to blush at their

own

folly in

pronouncing

wrong

right,

and right wrong

consecrating corrup-

loO

riui.osopnic etymology.

tions and detects into excellencies, that they

may be

perpctuaU'd

tor

ever.

The

truth

is,

had ignorant
it ^^

graininaticlins let our language alone,

ould have

been, in
legislate

all

probability, pretty regular, but they

;

must

and Jix our speech

special

and instead

ot freeing it
is

from corruptions and

per office
ol"

irregularities,

which

the pro-

grammar, they have only endea-

voured to render absurdity eternal.

The
tical

reader will perceive, that though the

gramma-

laws which

perpetuate irregularities are arbitrary,

the irregularities themselves are not arbitrary: they

what were regular terminations which relics were in the very act ot passing away into a new regular form, when they were seized upon is
are merely relics of
;

suitable materials for the superstructure of an arbitrary system of

grammar.

All that

is

aimed

at in

these remarks
ciples

is,
:

to counteract absurd, despotic prin-

and rules
let

either let us have

all

no grammatical

laws, or

them be what
It is

laws ought to be
all

rea-

sonable and uselul.

manifest that

the rules

given concerning the pronouns, are not only arbitrary

but absurd

and instead of serving any important

purpose, only perplex and enslave.

THE VERB CONSIDERED.

It is said,

"

A verb is

to do, or to suffer ;"

ber, person,

a word, which signifies to be, and that " to a verb belong num-

mood and tense ;"

every syllable of which

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
is

151

absurd.
or

What

is

called a verb

is

not one word, but

more words conjoined, and this is the whole mystery of the matter. Of any two nouns you may
two
form what
is

called a verb
;

as,

men

hand,

men

foot,

men mouth, men eye

pronouns:
I

or

by prefixing what

are called

hand, thou hand, he hand,

:

we

hand,

you hand, they hand I eye, thou eye, he eye, we eye, you eye, they eye, &c. Observe, every word called a verb is primarily as truly a noun as the instance above given but having
;

been mummijiedoi: detached from the sensible object

to

which
in a

it

belongs,

by such variety of spelling and

ear;

pronouncing

as in /itar,

mouthy

iiieat^

eat,

&c.

men

kindof2;acM0 of perception have fancied and

written wonderful metaphysical doctrines concerning

grammar, rhetoric,
tery

logic,

and such other matters

as

as

come under the superintendence of the god of mys;

and such great philosophers

at the

Dugald Stewart,

have publicly rejoiced

thought, that the ety;

mology of many words is irrecoverably lost intimating at the same time, that the true intellectual philosophy will never do any good till more words are mummified into elegant expletives, or reduced to their true, spiritual, disembodied character; when, separated from
all

sensible objects, they will be

mere

abstract notions^ or true metaphysical ghosts.

It
is
;

always important to put down learned absur-

dity

and therefore before proceeding to the weightier

I

considerations connected with the verb,

shall briefly

notice the doctrine of Modes and Tenses, which though

142
false,
is ill

PIIir.OSOPHIC
itself

ETYMOLOGY.
consideration as not to

of so

little

merit

much

attention.

We cannot expect
from the

signin<ant

imd

intelligible ternjs

grammarians, and therefore

examination.

common we must either

all

miiltnacie of

put up

with technical uianity, or neglect

1

they say without

could never be
if

r(Tiiiin
1

what they

meant by modes:
love
sion,

they

mean

that

love

love thou, &c.

;

miiy

are different

modes of expresit is

conveying different meanings,

all

very

and withal so very evident, that every one who has eyes to see and ears to hear, ought to coiisider
true

the putting of the information into a technical siiape,

as an insult not only to his sense but even to his

senses
live

and when such

tv^rms as indicative, subjuncis all

and imperative make their appearance, there

the insolence of barefaced absurdity, in addition to

the stupidity of sheer-nonsense.

clar^rtive
?

Is indicative de-

But do not
?

all

words and modes of exis, if

pression declare

ma^

love,

put into another

form

have power to love,

which our profound

grammarians would gravely assert to be two verbs, the one in the indicative the other in the infinitive

mode/

v\

may

well say with

Home Tooke,

"

It this

be learning, give us back our Fom Tliinnh again." out li indicative, suhjiwMive and injinitive, be not ver}^ intelligible

or
?

very sensible, has not imperative real

Is not

meaning
?

hand
is

me

newspaper a

real

m md What
Maker ?

then
}

to be said to "

Give us

this

comday
his

our daily bread"

Does the suppliant command

to

This requires

be covered with metaphy-


PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
sical
is,

153

cobwebs
all

or fine-spun nonsense.

T he plain truth

such modes ot expr ssion are mereiv abbreviations. " Give us this day our daily bread," is, if
that

the ellipsis be

filled

up
up

we pray
:

that thou giva chair,

we

beseech thee to give, &c.

filled

hand nie

is, if

the ellipsis be
or, if

command

thee to hand

the address be to a friend and equal

rc(]uest

thee to hand nie a chair.

Concerning Tenses, the tongues of grammarians

have been divided like true Bubel-builders. Waliis and others have denied that there are any English
Tenses, but the past

and the present;

as

Home Tooke
;

denies that there

is

any present Tense

but such

wonderful grammarians

Lindley Murray,

who

are

too great and profound for simplicity, have said that

" Tense being the distinction of time, might seem to

admit only of the present, past and furure

but to

mark
fect,

it

more accurately,

it is

made

to consist of six

variations, viz. the Pre srnt, the Imperiect,

the Per-

the Pluperfect and the First and Second Future

Tenses."

The

reader will observe, that

is

all this

super-

fluity of technical inanity

for the

sake of marking

more accurately

for

our grammatical folks are

:

men

of wonderful accuracy
;

they think accurately and

compose accurately but the German granimatielins can beat them out and out at marking time accurately, for they haveyb//r
It has

Future Tenses.

been sufficiently proved by

Home Tooke,
is

and indeed by Sanctius before him, that there

present tense
:

no

it

has been sufficiently proved by Wal-

\oi
lis antl

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
others, that thcni
;

is

no future tense of

Enf((if I
is,

lish

verbs

only, one proof worth all the rest

recollect rightly) they

have overlooked

which

that shall and will, called signs of the future,

have

what
verb
;

is

called the past form,

is

the same as any other

oi'

thus of shall
is

should (corruption
oi'

shalled)

of will

u'ould, a corruption

willed

that

must be

a singular sign of the future

which becomes the sign

S/iall&nd will beVi-onderful

of the past merely by affixing ed,

sides betokening
futurity,

have many

properties of promising and threatening and fortelling in so exquisite a

manner that no poor foreigner, and very few poor Scotchmen, can ever acquire the proper use of them which invincible difficulty is
; ;

represented as a great excellence

and one of the

great grammarians of the age has lately published

two

or threescore of rules for the proper application of

shall

and

will.

had purposed indeed

to

despoil

these words of their mysterious import and fancied

importance, by simplifying them into their real insignificance

;

for

it

will be uniformly found,

that

wonderful words with

much

variety of signification
like

and excellence are exactly

quack

medicines

which pretend
form nothing
;

to every thing while in fact they per-

would take me too far from more important objects to hunt down all the remarkbut
it

able qualities of shall and will ;

and therefore

we

must leave them

for the present in the

embrace of

their fond admirers.

Few who have

thought on the subject will give

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.

\5o

much heed
all,

to the

clamour of the grammatical mul;

titude respecting tenses

but
i\

it

may

be thouglit

ufter

that there
;

is

at least
1

past tense of some kind or

briefly

other

and therefore

shall

consider the

modes of expression supposed Have is the same word as /tabeo,

or 13,

to exprf'ss past time.

resolvable into
is

:^p

'f

&c. the hand

as

had

a contrdCtion

of

haved.

which has

little

direct

connexion with

time as the hand or any of

ideas primary ones.

its ofti.'cs.

Men tail

into

great mistakes by supposing associated or accidental

future time

may be

in

The notion of past, present, or many instances associated with

;

the verb in consequence of the nature of the action

or construction of the sentence

but

it

does not

fol-

low

that the notion of tense

is

expressed by the verb

or strictly belongs to the verb.

This case admits of

is

speedy decision
tense
is ed.

the sign of what

called the past

Does ed then express

or imply

any

disis

tinction respecting time?

None whatever;
:

as

evident trom such instances as the following

crookcorn,

ed bark

crook back-d

locked jaw
all

bliTlii-^d

&c.

It

is

manifest that in

such cases

th; le is

no

notion of time either expressed or

true that the notion of past time
is

''iiplied.
oft*
i

It is

associated

with ed'm the mind of the sponker, hearer, writer, or reader but that notion does not arise out of c</,
;

but

is

as

it

were accidentally connected with

I

it.

When

a person says,
;

heard

you

think pthajis of

because you have been accustomed to hear ed in such a construction as plainly indicates

past time

166

nilLOSOPIIIC ETYMOLOGY.
;

or

past time
I

as, I

heard yesterday

1
&c.

heard
:

last

night

heard last

week
I

last year,

you have the

eel

very same notion, however,

without

when

the
;

peasant says,

hear yesterday

hear last night

without expressing the time,

of the discourse.

if it

be understood
it,

from the connexion, orifl njqy so express

the
co7itej:t

from
that

On-

of the fundamenis,

tal errors

of grammarians and lexicographers

of attributing to one word the meaning which belongs to two or more v/ords in composition; for
is it

evident that there must be a meanuig arising from

composition which cannot possibly be expressed by

words

in their single,

separate state

yet from mis-

taking this obvious truth arose the Babel of John-^

son's Dictionary.

The
tive,

termination ed means neither jd5^ time, nor

:

activeness, nor passiveness

like
rii^
((t^h

it is

simply a conjuncen,

<?M,

ad,

t,

and

(formerly
all

the participial termination instead ofing) of

it is

which

merely a variety.
is

What
its

Chinese

in reality true of all

has been remarked of languages " The past

:

tense

is

determined by
activeness

connexion with the

rest

of the sentence.*'

Time,

and passiveness^ are not expressed

ing, eth,
ed,

by the termination
*

&c.

for these

are

Dr. Cronibie has shown

satisfactorily that the termination

:

does not
tlie

express cither activeness or passiveness

all

his other

remarks upon

verb are so metaphysicallj' misty, vacuous and unreasonable, that to spare

him and myself

notice.

liave

resolved to pass

by t4iem without

particular

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
merely varieties of one
an/^.

IJ?
;

"he same word

but are

deductions from concomitant circumstances in the nature of u/ie things spoken of, and their relation to

each other.
true of
cf/,

What Home Tooke

eth^

says of

c?* is

equally
affix
:

ing, or any other conjunctive

"It merely puts

the word to which

it is

affixed in a
;

condition to be joined to
ther, gives us notice
is

some other word or rathis to expect some other word

:

This is the whole mystery of simple adjectives/' also the whole mystery of verbs and participles

though
says)
as
is

Home Tooke

denies

it.

"A

participle

(he

by no means the same with a noun adjective, Sanctius Perizonius and others asserted." Sancand others were perfectly correct
;

tius

but

it is

un-

accountable, or rather accountable

for,

only by sup-

posing enquirers apt to overlook obvious truth, that

thev never saw the identitv of what are called the

personal terminations of the verb and the participial
as well
as

simple adjective terminations.

of
at,

It

was
in

the obvious sameness

ant, and,

Hzc.

as

amat, amanf, amans, amant-is,

ama,nd-us, amal-us,

&c. that

first
;

convinced
for 1

me

of the simple truth on

like

this subject

was sometime,
th.^

Home

Tooke,
far-

unwilling to believe that

much-talked-of,

famed verb was nothing but a noun with an adjective which rffix is so corrupted into or conjunctive affix
;

various spelling and pronunciation as to seem, not

one but many

not

the same but totally different.

mistiness, confusion and self-

There

is

so

much

contradictoriness in

what

Home

Tooke advances on

13S

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
understand them

verbs and participles, as to induce a belief that he

did
Jiot
;

and that he had many

I

weighty reasons for destroy inij his third volume.

know
light
*

not indeed what to

:

make of

his statements

on
all

this part of his subject

one while they seem

and simplicity

another they are involved in

impenetrable mistiness and inextricable perplexity.

Either his faculties must have been impaired

when

he came to verbs and

participles, or
;

he treated of

them at different and remote priods for his statements concernini^ them are as different from each other as Mr. Home Tooke was from Mr, Harris. He puts the question whence comes ed P and he

seems to have found

and, ing,

it

a difficult question

but he
en,
clh,

might as well have enquired whence come

ic,

&c.

He

found no difficulty with what

eji ;

he

calls

the simple adjective termination

or join
;

for

it

was a word meaning add

believe,
it

but he could not

ter-

seems, that the verbal and participial

varieties of this
as

minations were merely

same word.

This

is

the

more remarkable

the obviousness of

en or an as affixed to adjectives and to verbs was

staring

him

in the face at every

is,

view of

his subject.
to

The

truth

Mr.

Home

Tooke's aversion

the

doctrines of Harris seems in

some

instances to have

mis2:uided his understandino-.

Harris had said

some
;

words are merely

joints,

li^ks,

&c.

oi

language

Home Tooke did

not frankly r^dmit the fact, and do,

e.vplain the fact
;

what Harris could not do, himself to work to oppose

but set

in every possible

manner

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
the statements of his grammatical predecessor.
confess myself to have experienced
truth,

159
I

suppose few authors are wholly free from such influence

:

it

and that nothing but love of

ever dearer to

which has been

me

than

my own opinions,

kept

me
"A

strictly just in

could have judging and pronouncing on

the merits of other writers.

Every author
to
I

is

in this

view

party in the cause at issue, and has need to

watch well his own heart, and and as readers and enquirers
;

be well watched by

wish

to stand well

with the judgment of the reader he will allow

liberty in this place, of

me

the

making

few remarks

in reIt
is

ference to

my

strictures

on different authors.

obliges
little

with extreme regret that the nature of my subject me to blame so much and to praise so
of what has been already written on philologv;
for

whatever

may be

thought of

my

manner towards

the insect-multitude of authors, no

praise

man can

^ive
I

and honour more freely and

liberally than

do,

to the choice

few original thinkers

whom
I

the

world, and especially England can boast.

can ne-

ver speak of the great Verulmn without expressing

adoration rather than admiration

and

never praise

him without being

feeling as if
I

better pleased with myself, and

;

stood higher in the rank of intellect

and

in proportion to
is

my joy at
idols

praising true philoso-

phers

my

pleasure in attempting to turn out vile

intruders

contemptible

from the temple of

fame.

The reader will please to observe that I have no personal knowledge of any one of the authors

160

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.

He will admit, quoted and referred to in this work. presume, that ifsuch gramrnur-makers as Lindley I
Murray, have a scorntul glance
as
in passing,
:

it is

quite

much

as they are entitled to

in describing
1

John-

son's Dictionary as a Babel of absurdity,

have not

only
three

Home Tcoke
kingdoms on

but

all

the best philologers of the

:

my

side

indeed

should con-

sider that

man

as having a
after

weak, short-sighted una blind lexicogra-

derstanding,

who

studying the subject would

deny that Johnson was absolutely

pher.
art has

The

reader will perhaps think

Dugald Stew-

been selected from the herd of living authors

victim wherewith to consecrate Philosophic Etymology his intellectual character does not fairly entitle him to that honour but he is a pretty comhe has poser and has a pretty number of readers
as a
:

given

himself certain

philosophical

airs

he
;

has

talked contemptuously of the labours of Mr.

Home
and

Tooke,

as

below the dignity of philosophy

therefore a plain, blunt etymologer

liberty of putting

may

take the

the extinguisher or monk's hood

on his shallow, misty notions. Dr. Crombie I wish to respect and conciliate, for I think he might be-

come of very
though

great importance to true philology

and
less

my

subject has obliged

I

me
I
is

to speak

highly of him thun

wished to do,

have no hesita-

tion. in acknowledging, that he

man

of

much

more learning
than
1

mean learned reading and roting) Mr. Home Tooke is uniformly considered by me as the greatest and most
(I

can pretend to be.

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
philosophic philologer
sorry to represent
as he really
is
; ;

161

and

should be extremely

him

as not so great or philosophic

for in

proportion as contemporaries

were unjust

to his merits posterity

ought to be geI

nerous to his memory.

Perhaps

have forgotten
;

some of the
is

benefit derived from his labours

I

and

it

probable that had not his work preceded

should
If the
1

not have published on the same subject.

friends of philology

would encourage such

a work,

should be glad to see an abridgment of the Diversions of Purley, such as the author himself

would
to re-

be likely to make,
he

if it

were possible

for

him

turn to the subject thirty years younger than

left off.

when

means of his labours being duly appreciated, and becoming extensively useful and none would rejoice more than the
This
is

the most likely

present author to find that the world ascertained

how much, and

Mr.

in

what respects
I

it

is

indebted to

Home

Tooke.

have controverted some of his

opinions, not to rob his

tinction,

but that error

memory of its merited may not be perpetuated

But

dis-

un-

der the sanction of so great a name.

to return

from

this digression

We
reason

have seen that ed

because

is

as really a termination to
it is

adjectives and even to nouns as

is,

to verbs.

The

it

performs alike the same office

wherever affixed or wherever placed; being simply

a conjunctive, like cM, en, at, ad,
all
et,

and, &c. of
T

which

it

is

merely a variety.

Thus:

handed

I(i2

I'lIILOSOPHiC

KTYMOLOGY.
;

cup, thou handed cup, he handed cup

handeth

cup, thou handeth cuj), he handeth cup.

Here ed

and
that

clh,

which
is

are in reality the

same word, perform

so in crooked

simply the

oliice of

+, or sign of addition, indicating

:

hand

to

be joined with cup

back, ed indicates that crooA- joined with bac/c g\\es

the idea intended.
Originall}^

what

is

called the verb ran thus

or

me

thinketh,

thou or thee thinkcth,

thinketh,

he or him
or

thinketh, thinketh.
the

we

you thinketh, they

to

them

This seems

have been pretty uniformly

period of our hisfol-

manner down

to the

Norman

tory, as is evident

from such instances as the

lowing

" Ilevene
His eglien

aiul

erthe he oversieth

(eyes) bitli full bright

all

Suone and mone and

sterren

Bielh thiestre on his lihte,

He

wot

Iniet

thencheth and huet doth

All quike wihte."

Even

so late as the time of

;

Chaucer we
;

find,

me
;

thinketh

the
;

(thee)

neditli

considereth

thou
of

looketh ye
ficult

they loveth, &c.

it
et,

But

as eth

is

dif-

utterance,
es,

began very early to be changed

ed,
it is

into ew,

es(,

&c.

In Sancta Magaretta,

which was
cd,
671,

written,

supposed, about the end of

find cfh,

the twelfth century,

we

changed into

et,

it

&c.

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
*

l6S

Olde ant yonge

I preit

ou oure

soleif for to lete

to bete

Thenthet on God that yef ou wit oure sunnes

Here may

telleri

ou wid woides

feire aiit

swete
Sec.

The

vie of one

meidan was hoten Maregrete,"

The
lovest
lobet,
;

en,

t,

d,

still
:

continue in German instead of

lohe^
;

the old ath or eth

er lobet,

Ich

love

du

lobest,

thou
;

he loveth

mr

lohen,

we
;

love

i/tr
1

you loved du
;

love, sie lohen^ they

love
;

icfi

lohete,

lohetesU

thou lovedst
;

er lohete,

he loved;
;

wir loheten^

we

loved

ihr lohetet^

you loved
which

sie lo-

beten, they loved.

Amono- the different forms was varied, the parsons took

second person singular
prevailed
the
first

into

atli

or eth

a fancy to est for the

it

(for I

cannot find that

;

ever

much

but with them)

it

and

as they

were

grammar-makers

became the authorised

I

form both in German and English.

in this matter, as they
after her
;

suspect in-

deed, that there was some imitation of mother

Rome
to say
in

thought
est

it

their
isti

duty

and she had

and

much

her

mouth.
est^

But, however this be,

it is

observable that

though recommended by the example of the

like priest like people)
in
;

clergy, (and usually,

never
:

became grammatical
ic leer,

Danish, Dutch and Scotch

(Dutch)

learn
;

gy

leert,

thou learns (Scotch)

I

hy

leer I,

he learns

ic
;

Iccrde,

learned

gy
in

leerde.

thou learned (Scotch)

/ly leerde,

he learned.
both

Here the reader

person are alike

will perceive that

Dutch
third
te^isc.

and Scotch the terminations of the second and

;

and

in

what

is

called the past

164
the
first,

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
second,

and third person are

is

alike.

The

terminations of what
lish

called the past tense of Eng;

verbs are also alike

except

in the

second per-

son singular, which by the help of the prayers of

the

monks

has

est

affixed

as,

loved, thou lovedst,

he loved,

we

loved,

you

loved, they loved.

The
will

reason of this regularity in

what

is

called

the past
est)

tense (with the exception of the parsonic

lead us naturally to the cause of the irregularity in

what

is

called the present tense

as also into the true

is

nature of the difference between what

past and present.

called the

As Home Tooke
and
this corruption

justly remarks,

it is

in their ter;

minations that words are most liable to be corrupted

is

the chief cause, not only of

grammatical, but metaphysical nonsense.

The
was

ter-

mination ed in what
Originally

is

called the past tense,

de-

fended by a kind of outwork

another
lovetheih,

termination.

what

is

called, in a

kind of mockery of
I lovelheth,
;

sense and significancy, the imperfect was

which was softened into lovcdeth, loveded, loveden, &c. and last of all it was contracted into loved and loven ; but loved continued the general and regular form, and
lovethelh,

thou

he

lovetheth,

we

&c.

loven prevailed only as an anomaly.

We

have the

anomaly
verbs;

in

what

is

called the past participle of

many

as seen,

instead of seed ;

known, instead of

Such anomalies have been consecrated and perpetuated by a foolish, arbitrary, despotic system of grammar; for had it not been for Wallis and the
knowed.

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
would have righted
from such

16\5

Other blind adorers of established usage, our language

itself

irregularities-

When

foreigners, children

and the

vulg.\r,

say sced^

/cnowed, growecf, they evidently speak

more rationally
yet they

than those

who

say seen, knoicn, grown;

mode of speech by a set of grammatical fools, who know no more of the true principles of language than blind men of colours.
must be
ridiculed into an absurd

This
;

is

one of the great objections to arbitrary gramthat

it

mar it boasts o{' Jixing language; manner of mother Rome from whom
it

is,

in

the

was

learned,

consecrates nonsense and folly into perpetual ido;

latry
it

irregularities

which were casual and

;

transitory

renders perpetual

and

all

grammatical slaves must

despotism
;

bow

to the authority of established

and

the poor roting, repeating things, are proud of their servitude and that they can say after the authorised

custom, as good Catholic worshipers say

priest. It has

after the

been remarked above, that what

is

called

the past tense, was at one time lovcthcth, lovedeth,

loveden, &c. and the grammarians were groping and fumbling about the truth, though they knew not how
;

to take

it

by the right handle, when talking

in

the

usual style of technical inanity about imperfect, perfect

is

and pluperfect.
?|3,

Have, the same as habco, (which

the hand,) becomes had, a conis

resolvable into

traction of haved;

and there

plainly a distinction
:

among money

the following

modes of expression

have

haved money

have havcd

money

166

nilLOSOPlIIC ETYMOLOGY.

At one tinne it had had, or haved haved money. would have been I haueth money I havedeth money haueth hacedclh money havedeth havedeth money. It is evident enough that the only difference between haveth the present, (as it is called) and
:

havedeth or havethcth, (called the past)

affix is in the latter instance

is,

that the
:

doubled or repeated

eth

we

have seen

is

merely conjunctive, and therefore a

it

thousand repetions of
assigned to verbs

would not properly express time, activeness, passiveness, or any of the attributes
:

repetition can indicate nothing

is

but emphasis

and emphasis
;

usually employed to

express ellipsis
elliptically,

for

in

proportion as

men

speak

they must speak emphatically to excite

for

more attention is necessary to perceive what is implied than what is expressed. If I say, we meet at one o'clock noon, I do not employ any
attention
;

emphasis, because the expression

is full

and explicit;
is is

but

if

the sentence be put elliptically, emphasis

;

employed employed

as

we

meet

at one.
it

As emphasis
is

to express ellipsis, so

also

employed

to express greatness, completeness, conclusion, &c.

The

modes of expression will illustrate the foregoing remark :-^We have had many grammatical absurdities repeated to us by the roting disciples of Greece and Rome we hav^e had many, many gramfollowing
:

matical absurdities repeated to us over and over, or

again and again by the roting disciples of Greece and

Rome.
lions are

In the

last

mode of

expression, the repcti"

intended to express more strongly the great-

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
ness of the

l67

number

of graminatical absurdities, and

the multitude of times they have been pubHshed and

republished,
iterated.

stated and

restated, or iterated

and

re-

The

reader will perceive, that

it

depends entirely

on the nature of the case, what effect the repetition

of a word has
:

little,

little

man,

way,
very

he

is

dead, dead,

and similar expressions

;

a long,

longall

proceed on the same

little,

principle

but the

first

denotes

the second very long, and the third com-

pletely dead.

The question then

is,

as to the repe-

tition of e^, (for

of elheth^

we have seen that it is a contraction eded, &c.) in connexion with the verb
; ;

what was it intended to express ? Does it primarily and properly indicate ellipsis, completion, &c. or what does it indicate? The absurdity of calling it
imperfect tense
is

very obvious

past tense

is

not so

absurd though equally untrue

but perfect or con-

may be spoken of seems correct. I have money, may be called present possession I had [havcd) money may 1 sell, may be called past or terminated possession I sold, {sellcd) may be be called present action
cluded action, possession, passion, or what ever
;
:

called past or terminated action

have sold,

had

[haved) sold, also express terminated action, only the

first

expresses
;

it

as

more

near, the second as

more

distant
time,

this nearness

which has occasioned

for

and distance seem to refer to all the grammatical non-

sense about present, imperfect, perfect, and pluperfect tenses

;

men

are ever blundering into absur-

168
dity

PHILOSOPHIC etymology.
Every
it

by mistaking accessory for primary ideas. and action must be performed at some time
;

must
it

also

be performed in some place

and therefore

would have been equally wise, or rather unwise introduce some technical nonsense about place
about
tense.
I

to

as

sell
;

called present tense

called present place
;

be called past tense

sold

may be my I sell my estate here, may be 1 sold my estate yesterday, may I sold my estate abroad, may
estate this

week,

be called distant or absent place of the verb

have

my

estate in

my own
may

house,

may be
;

called the

perfect present place of the verb

estate in France,

had sold

my

be called the pluperfect place;

and
this

sold

my

estate abroad
as

may be
is

called the imspecified

:

perfect place,

no particular place

all

would be very important, serving as good Lindley Murray says, to mark place and tense more accurately for the whole Babel-nostrum of arbitrary grammar was jumbled out of accurate thinkuig and
;

accurate composition.
I

have

said,

that

it

seems accurate

to call

what

is

usually considered past tense, perfect or terminated

action, &c.
;

but there are modes of expression

as

in
tersell

which the ed cannot be considered

minated action
it
it
;

denoting

as,

had

an estate
I

would not

did
:

possess an estate

would not

part with

nor

is

the affix indispensably necessary to the

indicating of past or terminated action, passion, possession,

&c.

When

the peasant says, "

1 sec a fine

I see

many

jolks in London," or "

fox yesterday," the

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
meaning
seed
is

169
said, I

obviously the same as

if

he had

many folks in London I seed a fine fox yesterday when a boy, I hear people talk much of the American war, is the very same meaning as when a boy, I Aearf/ people talk much of the American war ed affixed to hear, is exactly like an affixed to Ame;
:

rica,

but

as the junction is so

obviously implied as
not absolutely ne-

to be understood, the sign of

it is

cessary

as,

when
:

a boy,

hear people talk

much
;

of

the America yv^x

here both ed and an [oven), are

so that

omitted without any detriment to the sense

though

in

some instances the

ellipsis,
it is

affix

may

subserve the

purpose of

in general superfluous

and
ath,

useless, rather than important

and necessary.
called the verb,
;

It has

been repeatedly remarked, that eth or

is

&c, was originally affixed to what

with
this

all

the pronouns, without any distinction

and

was long the only termination, not only

all

to all the

persons but to
to speak)

the tenses, (as grammarians choose

;

of the verb

in other words,

the verbal

termination, being like simple adjective and participial terminations, primarily

and properly conjimcliue,

or

had no variety of form answering to what has been

subsequently called the sign of the past
tense,

by

some
few

rather

more

rationally past actioji.

We

have a

relics of ancient

usage

in

such words

as quoth,

(softened into saifh,) ought,

tnust, (softened

[oicefh or rather ogclh,)

from might or mageth,) which are said

to be both past

and present tense

and

let

it

be ob-

served, that though such

words be called defective,

170
there
is

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
no inconvenience or
loss of

meaning
It

arisinu

from their supposed defectiveness.

cannot be too

often repeated that superfluous variehj and copia are

faults,

not excellencies.

Simplicity

may

be consiit is

dered poverty by perverted understandings, but

always of great

utility,

and to true judges

;

it

always

possesses beauty and dignity

rightly understood

nor can philology be

all

without stripping language of

superfluous parts, and considering what parts are absolutely necessary to express
tion

meaning

not to men:

how important

this

is

to true philosophy

insect

understandings are always entangled

cant parts and particles of speech.
elh

among
I

insignifi-

have said that

was

originally affixed to all the persons

:

and tenses

of the verb

of this the following quotations from the

Saxon version of the Gospels supply abundant proof. " Tha cuaetli se engel ingangende. Hal wes thu mid gyfe gefylled. Drihten mid the. thu eart gebletsud on wifum. Se bith maere. and thses hehstan sunu genemned. and him sylth Drihten God his
faeder

Davides

setl.

And

he ricsath on ecnesse on

Jacobes huge.
cuaeth Maria to
ic

And
tham

his rices

ende ne

bith.
this

Tha
engel.

engle.

hu gewyrth

fortham

were ne oncnawe.

Tha answarode hyre ge

Se halga Gast on the becymth. and thaes heahstan

miht the ofersceadath. and fortham that halige the

of the acenned. bith

Godes sunu genemned.""

The same
life.

passages are thus translated by Wick-

"

And

the aungel entride to hir and seyde, heil ful

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
of grace the

171

Lord be with'thee:

blessid be thou

among wymmen.
*'

This shall be gret

and he schal be clepid the

sone of higheste, and the Lord

the seete of Davitli his
in the
fiidir.

God

schal geve to

him

And

he schal rcgne

hous of Jacob withoutcn ende.

And Marye
the aungel
schal

seyde to the aungel, on what maner schal this thing

be

don?

for

y knowe not man.

hir,

And

ansvverde and seyde to

fro

the

Holy Gost

come

above into thee

and the vertu of the higheste

:

schal over

schadowe thee and therefore that holy schal be clepide thing that schal be borun of thee the sone of God."
:

The

reader will perceive that in these translations

:

d and ih are interchanged in the same word the Saxon version spells David as we do; Wickliffe spells it Davith. This interchange of th and d seems
plainly
affix
all

the difference that obtains in the verbal

of the Saxon version.

is

The

reader will also per-

ceive that cuceth

seyde^

employed where Wickliffe uses and where we would employ said; and where Wicklifie says " This shall be gret," the Saxon ver:

sion has

it

" Se hvh mttr

;"

he shall reign

is

" he

ricsath^ &.c. ;" as if

We

find the
:

we were to write he reigncih. same mode of speech in Codex Arin

is

gentum

what

is

our translation ye shall

eat,

ye

shall drink,

&c.

there wajai/h^ driohuith.

in

We
:

find also

tJi

that

is,

it

same words; was pronounced and spelt both ways

interchanging with d
the

icitoth is

sometimes witoda; haubith^ Uaubida ; faths^

; ;

172
fadis
the
:

I'JIILOSOPHIC
the

ETYMOLOGY.
in

same interchange appears

every page of

Durham Book, and

indeed throughout language

in general.

It has

been remarked, that

at

one time what

is

called the past tense

was
wir

ctheth^ edelh, edcri,

eden^

&c.

and

in

German such
;

reduplication
lobt7i,
;

still
;

obtains:

er lobet^

he loveth
;

we

love

zAr lobef,

you love
it is

sie loben,

they love
;

wir lobeten,

we

loved

i/ir lobetet,

you loved

sie lobeten,
is

they loved. Here

lobetet

plain that the affix

merely doubled in

nor can one of these affixes be meant primarily to

distinguish the plural from the singular, for the third

person singular and the second person plural, in what

is

called the present tense, are precisely the same,

lobet.

being both
1

have intimated that though such reduplication

of the conjunctive affix

or abridged

may

subserve an elliptical

mode
;

of expression in

some

instances,

yet

it is

after all

superfluous rather than necessary

and important
it

and

have had

my

doubts whether

was not
This
in
is

originally

introduced accidentally and

blunderingly, rather than intentionally and judiciously.

plainly the case with such words as

is

eji-

ligh\en^

which the conjunctive

is

both prefixed

and pcstfixed, and which

edsf

unnecessarily and tauto-

logically put several times in enlighteneth, enlighten;

for

we have
is

frequently repeated that oi

;

is

smoolher form of er/

of

and that ed

is

smoother form
et,

cM

which

also softened into

cs^,

&c.

In

proportion as words, and especially

particles,

and

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
affixes

173

become

insignificant, they are ever liable to

be too often repeated and too

position
;

much crowded

in

com-

but there
;

is

another origin of the redupliis

cation of affixes
ting
it

which

the atiectation of imita-

Greek and Latin, and indeed any dialect which

be the fashion to admire
:

may

thus

French and Latin

tive terminations,
ties

affixes grafted

we have many upon our own navarie-

though the one are merely

of the other: such Latin grafts making double

terminations abound in the Gothic and Saxon translations (especially

tin
:

as bidjandans

Monkish ones) of Greek and La(Codex Argentum) which has the

if

Latin participial termination superadded to the Gothic

termination,

as

we were
;

to say begghtging.

Mawri-,

ny such instances might be given from Saxon

ters,

especially translators

and

it is

observable that

the Saxon writings which are not translations have

much

simplicity in their terminations, and very few

superfluous or double affixes.

the following quotation
**
:

This will appear from

Ic

am

elder llianne ic

was

wintre and ec a lore

Ic ealdi

more thanne

ic

dede,

My
*'

wit oglite to bi more.

Se that hine selve vorget

childe,

Vor wive other vor

He

sal

conien on evele stede

liini bi niilde.

Bute God

" Ne hopie wif

to hire

were

Ne were

to his wire.

174

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
IJi

lor

him

selvc cvrirh

man

'Ihacr wiJe he bielh alive.

" Evrich man mid

that he haveth,

May beggen

heveriche,

Se the Usse and se the more

Here aider ihche.

"Hevene and

erthe he oversieth
ful bright, alle sterren

His eghon bith

Sunne and mone and

Bieth thiestre on his hhte.

" He wot huet thencheth and huet doth

All quike wihte

Nis no loverd suich

is

Xist,

Ne no king

suich

is

drihte.

" Hevene and

Biloken
is al

erthe and alle that

is

on his honde,
that his wille
is

He On

deth

sea and ec on londe.

" He

is

orde albuten orde

And ende aibuten ende. He one is evre on eche stede Wende wer thu wende.
" He
is

buuven us and binethen

Bivoren and ec behind,

Se man that godes

will

deth

Hie mai hine aihwar

vinde.

" Eche rune he ihereth

And wot eche dede He thurh sigth eches ithanc Wai huat sel us to rede.
;

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
" Se

17^

mam

nevre nele don god

lif

Ne Er

nevre god
deth and

leden,
to his

dom come

duif

He mai him
*'

sore adreden.

Lovie

God mid
all

ure hierte

And mid And ure

Suo us
*'

ure milite,

enicristene sue us self

lercth drihte.

Sume ther habbeth lesse mergthe And sume ther habbeth more,
Ech
efter than that

he dede

Efter that he suanc sore."

This

is

not amiss for

Monkish rhyme

and
it

if

bar-

bered into the smoothness of present usage

might

actually take precedence of the poesies of this

derfully poetic, clinkam c/awA?/i generation.
I

wonshall

subjoin a few lines from the Saxon Chronicle.

" This gaere

for the

mandi. and ther

King Stephne ofer sae wes underfangen forthi that

alse the

to
hi

Norwen-

den that he sculde ben alsuic

for

com
it

wes. and

he hadde get his

tresor.

ac he todcld

and sca-

tered sotlice.

Micel had Henri king gadered gold

and sylver. and na god ne dide

of.

me

for his saule

Tha the King Stephne to Engla land com tha macod he his gadering aet Oxen ford, and thar he nam the biscop Roger of Seres bcri. and Alexander

war

biscop of Lincoln, and te Canceler Roger hire neves.

and did

aelle in

prisun

til

hi jafen

up here

castles.

Tha
and

the suikes undergaeton that he milde

softe

man

thas

and god. and na justice ne dide. tha didden

176
hi all

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
wunder.
for

Hi hadden him manred makfd and

for

athes suoren. ac hi nan treuthc nc heolden. alle he

waeron

suoren. and here treothcs

man
his castles
full

loren. for

aevric rice

maketc and agaenes him

of castles."

heolden and fylden the land

In this Chronicle there are some double terminations, as

\\\

fylden

the reader will perceive that the

conjunctive

affix is
;

sometimes
as tnakcd,

ed, od,

et,

and someheol-

times en, on. Sec.

deUf undergacloji.
eth had,

macod, maketc,

The

reader will perceive also that

when

this

Chronicle was written, begun to be

often omitted in

This will
quotation
:

what is called the present tense. appear more evident from the following

" Fur

in see bi west

spaynge

Is a loud ihote

cokaynge

Tlier nis lond under hevenriche

Of wel

of godnis hit iliche

Thoy

paradis be miri and briyt

is

Lokaygn

of fairer siyt,

What

is

ther in paradis
flure

Bot grasse and

and greneris

Beth ther no men but two

Ilely

and Enok also

Clinglich

may

hi

go

Whar

ther wonith

men no mo
ant gle

Ok
Wel

al is
is

game

ioi

him

that ther mai be

Ther beth

rivers great

and

fine

Of

oile

melk honi and wine,

to

Watir servith ther

Bot
to siyt

nothing

and

to

waussing."

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
In the above quotation the eth
in
is

177

dropped, except

those words distinguished by italics; and after

much

enquiry on the subject

have been inclined to

believe that ed in

what

is

called the past tense,

eth,

and
re-

past participle,

is

merely a softened form of

gularly put in the ancient

manner

after all

the pro-

nouns.

In ordinary speech
affix

when referring

to present
;

circumstances the

was frequently dropped

but

when speaking
pression

of past or terminated action, as in

writing history, &c. the

was used Another plausible origin indeed might be assigned to ed ; and if Dr. Crombie would promise to instruct
'

more formal manner of exthe affix was preserved.

me

into the true nicities and importance of Latin

I
1

si/nonimes,

dead
half

lift.

often

would help out one of his notions at a wonder indeed how people can see
far

way

into the nature of subjects without being

conscious that they have not seen

enough, and

without fearing to give their half views to the public.

The possessive

case oi nouns. Dr.

seems
s

to be a contraction of /iw
in his or he's
; ;

Crombie says, well but where did

a contraction of?

come from

what

is it

That he did not enquire

the

so he says " the termination

ed in regular preterites appears to be a corruption of

word c?/V/." Knowing, however, oted in did itself had puzzled a great Crombie could not but notice the
therefore he adds
:

that the origin

philologer, Dr.
difficulty,

and

"

It

is

indeed true, observes Mr.

Tooke, that
count
for the

it is

not easy on this hypothesis to ac;

formation of did from doed

for

if

did

178

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.

be a contraction for doed^ whence comes the termiTo derive ed in other cases from did is nation ed P
easy and natural
the primitive
;

but
;

this leaves us ignorant still oi

word

for the
is

question returns, whence

a difficulty not easily re-

comes edP

This indeed

moved
did
is

for instead

of supposing that did was subto express past action,

for doed,
act,
t^*/

joined to the

noun

an abbreviation

and that being added to

as easily

denote the completion of the

to other verbs for the

we may

suppose that ed and not did was likewise subjoined

same purpose.

What

this ter-

mination originally mea,nt

I

we may

conjecture, but

apprehend shall not be able

is

to ascertain/' clever, conveis

Upon my faith this nient way of writing.

first

monstrous

An

opinion respecting ed

brought forward in support of a theory concern;

ing the verb

but finding the supposed origin of ed

tells

beset with difficulties, the author gravely

reader, that the

the

whole matter may be conjectured but This is the manner in shall never be ascerlained. which that great Professor, Dugald Stewart, handles his Philosophy of the Mind whose principles, laws, phenomena, &c. &c. are all perfectly familiar to
;

him

only he

is

ever and anon informing the reader

that they
tained.
sibility
tical

may

be conjectured but can never be ascer-

The
is,

doctrine of mystery and incomprehen-

after all, the best

;

means of
it

resisting scep-

philosophy

and withal

vouchsafeth princely
;

protection to superficial, dabbling authors

for

when

they cannot, or will not, go to the bottom of a sub-

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
ject,

179

they have only to aver that

it

is

bottomless.
I

As

for the Professor of Intellectual Philosophy

have no notion that he will ever ascertain any thing respecting- the laws and phenomena of either mind
or matter
;

but

am

unwilling that Dr. Crombie

fit

should abandon philological enquiry in a

spair,

of de-

and

shall

put him in the way of finding an origin

in a

to ed if he be not satisfied with that already given.

It has

been remarked

preceding part, that one

mode
&c.
is

of expressing completed or terminated action,

repetition
;

and

it is

well

known
in

that there
is

is

a repetition of the radical

word

what

called the
:

perfect of all

thus do becomes dedi

Greek verbs, and of many Latin verbs and the Latin do is the
;

very same word as our do.

As

the Latin do

is

doubled into dedi

in

the preterite^

why

could not

Mr.

Home Tooke
is

and Dr. Crombie have thought

?

that did

merely do doubled

They might have

;

perceived that did was formerly spelt dede what would have served still more to relieve
of </2</ preceding what
to
it

and
their

perplexity, they might have found instances not only

is

called the verb,

;

but affixed

like

any other termination

is

thus the Gothic

verb haus^ which

generally hauscith (in

Codex Ar-

gentum),

is

also

found hausiJedeth, you did hear

said that to
is

rendered in our translation, ye have heard.

Home
to love is

Tooke has
merely do

the sign of the infinitive)

love,

(commonly called the same as r/o, and that

;

&c.

he has not attempted,

affix eth or th is
;

however, to explain what the verbal

n2

180

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
if lie

but

had looked a
the
to,

little

further he

would proba-

bly have been of opinion that the

Gothic
eth,

flM, thau^
c?o,

Hebrew ath, the German thun^ our own affix

all

as well as
;

&c. &c. are

primarily but
is

one word
all

which being of extensive import,

like

similar words, frequently employed,

much

cor-

rupted and mummified in

many

of the connexions

where

it

usually occurs.

It is surprising that in put-

ting the question,

not have thought of enquiring

eth
;

especially

whence comes the ed, he should whence comes the as he was sufficiently acquainted
to

with our ancient literature

know

that this affix

differ-

was put
ence.

after all the

pronouns without any

fact, that

He

has noticed the obvious

affix
;

when

do

is

employed the

disappears
I

as he doth love

not
eth,

he doth loveth

did love,

not did loved.

This was calculated to convince him that do, and

&c. were

at least equivalent if not the

same

word.
I

have treated more prolixly (though

hope not
I

unprofitably) of

intended

and

what 1 hope

is

called

the preterite than

my manner
I

of treating

it

will

convince the reader that

to

have no favourite theory

first

advance or defend

my

wish

is

to

put
;

down
se-

technical nonsense and

learned absurdity

my
I

cond

to explain the nature of language

;

in its real

simplicity and intelligibleness

and therefore

have

given different views of the preterite, because each

of

them

is
;

likely to assist the understanding of the

enquirer

though

in

fact

the seemingly

different

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
origins assigned to
it

181

are resolvable into one;

and

care not
it

by what handle the truth be taken provided

It is
it is

be apprehended.
;

important to put

down

ab-

surd doctrines

but

yet more important to put

down

arbitrary rules

and despotic laws

therefore
in

proceed to the main object of

part of

my

purpose

this

my

work.
rests

The system of arbitrary Syntax

verbs
:

on the foun-

dation of absurd distinctions respecting y?ro;?ow5 and

the pronouns have been already treated of

verbs are now to be considered in reference to the grammatical rules beginning with, " A verb must
agree
as,
it is

nominative in number and person love, thou lovest, he loveth, or loves.'' Here

with

its

evident that this and

all

the other rules con-

nected with the verb could have no existence but for est, eth or es, and the irregularities of what is
called the verb substantive
:

they are therefore mere-

ly foolish observances ordained for the sake of a

relics

few

of ancient usage

for

it

has been proved that

is

eth

was

originally affixed to

what

called the verb,

after all the

pronouns, or
It is

minative.

connexion with any noevident that the affix ought to be

in
it

uniformly preserved as anciently, or uniformly omit-

was before the present arbitrary system of grammar was established. Could it be proved that est in connexion with thou, and eth or es, in connexion witli he, she or it, exclusively served any useful purpose that they are necessary
ted
;

or left wholly free, as

to express

meaning

it

would be very proper

to pro-

182

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
them by grammatical
laws.

tect and perpetuate

But

instead of being useful, they are worse than useless ; serving only to perplex and enslave the English

speaker or writer.

How often

is

the most ready and

accurate composer embarrassed by the petty, trouble-

some laws of English grammar

How

often

is

he

oblio-ed to throw his sentence into another form form less natural and agreeable to the idiom of the

English language, merely to avoid what

is

considered
idle con-

ungrammatical expression

How much

troversy and useless discussion are constantly kept

up among

insect critics respecting proper

grammar
It

One

will have, " the meeting has,'* another, " the

meeting have," to be the proper mode.

might

have been expected that the Babel-jargon of professed grammar-makers would have brought their silly docfor it is necessary to trines and rules into contempt
:

read only a few pages of the grammars that have been published to be convinced, that the whole is not only

much

ado about nothing, but

will not insult

much ado about

by
referring

non-

them sense. I to the silly, simpering pages of Lindley Murray let them take up the grammar of Dr. Crombie, or that of Wallis, and every sentence will convince them of what I am stating. I hope, indeed, that Dr. Crombie will not again hazard the reputation of his understanding, by saying
readers
;

my

/ love and

he loves are right grammar, merely because

;

they have the sanction of present usage and that / loves, he love, would have been right and the other

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
wrong,
if

183

such had chanced to be custom or usage. If he respect himself he shall have my respect as but if any consideration frankly as my strictures
;

whatever can induce him to republish such

sense, shrouded
in senseless,

silly

non-

school-boy quotations
to perpetuate

from Latin authors, and to endeavour

to be treated accordingly.

grammatical absurdity and despotism, he must expect

Such learned and

philoso-

phic authorities as Lindley Murray,

the notice of the present author
;

may

soar above

but he will certainly

shall

look after

such authors as Dr. Crombie, nor

even new school-puffs, under the old name of grammar, be suffered to keep up the farce about present
usage.
It has

been repeatedly intimated that language

is

constantly becoming more abridged or elliptical pro-

vided there be no arbitrary or despotic laws to the

contrary.

This

elliptical process is
it

an advantage to

language,

when

does not cause obscurity, indefiIt saves

niteness or equivocalness.
like short-hand writing
;

time and labour

it

gives force and spirit to

more ideas that can be crowded into few words, the more forceful is composition
language
;

for the

rendered: and as

Home Tookc

has justly remarked,

"An abridged mode of speech is likea maponareduced

scale,

which enables us

to take in
at
if

many

particulars
that

and important relations

wholly escape our notice
extended surface/'

one view,

would

spread over a large or

This tendency

to

improvement

is

prevented by

184
arbitrary

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY^
grammar, which boasts oi Jixing language hardly possible for an original, striking and

and

it is

powerful writer to arise

when

a false and foolish sys1

tem of grammar has been established.

dialect in

know

of no

which arbitrary grammar is so despotic as the French and there is no composition so poor, subdued and enslaved as French composition. It is
;

essentially conventional

and common-place
not from
its

every

word must be
tion,

intelligible,
its

own
:

significa-

but from

previous application

it

must be

applied in the established, authorised manner.

The
page

poor composer must consult chiefly

cedent and authority
;

if

not solely preas

and dangle gracefully

to
:

of honour after established usage.

The same cause may be expected

same effects in grammar began
language,
Britain as in France
to

produce the

since arbitrary
in the English

become despotic
all

English compositions have become pro;

gressively poor and tame

wearing the uniform of

debility,
as vain indeed to

despotism

the badge of servitude decent

It

polished insignificance.

were

expect a Shakespear or a Bacon to arise in this age, (unless, indeed, as ought to be supposed -another

Shakespear or Bacon would set

nances
qualities of freedom in the

all

the petty ordi-

ofpetits maitres at defiance), as to look for the

bosom of slavery. Criticlings may drawl and drivel as much, and as long as they choose about the earliest authors being most
;

original

but here

is

the whole mystery

the early
later

authors of every people are free and bold

the

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.

185

writers are timorous babies in leading-strings, with

their

eye upon old grandmother precedent and grey;

bearded authority

poor

puny grammatical
happy

slaves

afraid of the lash of criticism for offending against

etiquette

mere ^e//65

Lettres things^

to es-

cape grammatical and rhetorical censure, and supremely blessed if

they can Jinger

ztp,

or arrange

words into

such

soft,

smooth, pretty, insignificant composition

Dugald Stewart. It is in this view chiefly that I would oppose arbitrary grammar for in this respect it is far more mischievous than one
as that of Dr. Blair or
;

can easily convince persons,

clearly

who have
If

never thought
it

and deeply on the subject.

merely con;

cerned the surface of composition as

many suppose

if it

did not involve great intellectual questions,

would have disdained to treat of grammar. There has been much boasting o^ fixing the
guage
:

lan-

but

is

there any advantage resulting from

?

fixing imperfection and establishing absurdity

Must

corruptions and anomalies be set up as idols to be

reverenced by

all

generations

Must

insignificant

particles be consecrated into elegant expletives,

that

grammatical composition

may be rendered a difficult and rare attainment ? Had it not been for a blind, superstitious reverence of Greece and Rome, men
could have never adopted such foolish, slavish opinions respecting language as those which have so long
prevailed.

In what
is

is

commonly

called a classical

education, their
ing,

neither reasonableness nor reason:

but a blind following of precedent and authority


PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
is

186
there

no studying of
real

vvliat

language ouj^ht

to 6e,

to

answer the
it

purposes of speech, but merely what

Can our roting, repeating scholar make Latin as Cicero made it ? Then he is truly classical
has been.

quite Ciceronian.

Does he put

insigijificant

words
?

classically together into misty, vacuous composition

Oh

they are

all

elegant expletives

beautiful tauto-

were brought from Egypt to Greece from Greece to Rome, and carefully gathered up by the modern Literati out of the rubbish of antiquity that no classical fragment might
logies

College

mummies

that

be

lost.
is

Does the
nothing

That

make bad sense ? he makes good Latin his compoclassical roter

sition is pure, correct, elegant,

and he can bring an-

cient, established classical usage for every word and the application of every word to be found in his

learned vacua.

This

is

a subject of infinite importance,

which

will

require to be treated both seriously and ludicrously

at

much

length, before the servam pecus can be conI

verted into rational creatures.

as connected

merely notice

it

here

with the arbitrary grammar, which, out of slavish compliment to Greece and Rome, has been
established in the English language.
that so
It is surprising

few should have perceived how destructive of intellect the prevailing classical system of education is or rather that so few should have had courage to
;

avow
and

their conviction respecting classical absurdity

idolatry.

Except Bacon and Hobbes,

know

not that any authors of high rank have ventured to

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.

187

question the importance or utility of the learning,

which has so long stunned the world with the noise

of
its

pretensions

but sure

it

does not require the

solid learning or philosophic sagacity of a

Bacon

or a
'

Hobbes

to perceive the ignorance, nonsense, folly,

and dwarjifying tendency of the kind of learning which has been so much boasted of by brainless pedants.

Let them rote and repeat

(like classical

and learned echoes), after those profound thinkers and original, definite, powerful writers Virparrots
gil

and Horace, Caesar and Cicero, and they

strut

along as majestically as pages of honour to high perlet them rehearse with awe profound, the names and deeds of Greece and Rome, enlarged by

sonages

the mistiness of uncertain history, or rendered sub-

lime by the darkness of classical mystery

let

them

experiment with their Greek or Latin vacuum, and

they appear wonderfully dignified, learned and philosophic beings
;

princely alchymists capable ofturngenerations with their microscopic

:

ing even the dross of Cicero into rhetorical gold, and

of enriching
criticisms

all

and dull researches

withal, they can di-

versify English composition as strikingly as a harle-

quin's jacket, with Latin patches which have been

often clipped off and often stitched on in

piece of literary patch-work

if

some new you attempt to reason

them
ing,

into a

more

rational, less classical

way of think-

they will spit learned quotations

;

(aiming at the eyes no doubt)

in your face, which quotations

have been digested into the very quintessence of

188

PHILOSOPHIC etymology.
;

classical spittle

for

though they never went the way

of other digested matter, they have been often swal-

lowed into

classical

memories and

as often

thrown

up

again

as if the classical interior

were so pregnant
at its ordinary

with original conception, as to keck

food and even
its

choice cordials, sovereign remedies

and patent medicines.

stay

Some of the

favourite morsels

of learned roters are manifestly more reluctant to

upon the stomach than others for they come more frequently up again. Whether this be a recommendation of them, as choice, excellent, fresh, well;

flavoured and nutritious,

may be

a grave question.

floated

As Bacon is of opinion, that down to us only the

learning
;

the stream of time has

light

scum

of ancient

perhaps the reader will think them the

particles of learned

most frothy
whirl,

scum

that float, and

and bubble most actively on the shallow

:

stream of modern, classical composition

classical

one of these

bubbles

is

" Quern penes arbitrium

est et jus et

norma loquendi."
is

Dr. Crombie, imitating high authorities,

their repeating

not con-

tent with setting his boys to blow this bubble from

mouth, and then dance

but actually blows
;

after
it

it

in

foolish admiration,

with his

own mouth

in the face of the public

as if a single

classical puff"

would do the business of convincing

is

his readers that there

no sense or reasonableness
is

in

grammar

and that the whole

merely an

afl'air

of

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
custom.

189

But

after all,

it is
;

a pity to waste classical

air in this lavish

manner

for

no sensible person can

great authorities

want learned quotations from such

is

as Horace, to convince him, that arbitrary

grammar
exist-

wholly senseless and unreasonable.

I will

Let him read

stake

Dr. Crombie's Grammar, and

my

ence on the question, that he will be fully satisfied

without Latin quotations, that there

is

neither rea-

son, reasoning, nor reasonableness in the business.

must not suppose pour contempt on Dr. Crombie

reader

The

that

my

object

is

to

my

sole object

is

to

expose the contemptibleness of the vulgar, learned

notions respecting language
:

as for the

above author
if all

so often quoted and confuted, I question

the

Colleges of England, Scotland and Ireland, clubbed

into one grand University or great

Alma Mater, would

call learning,
is

contain a more respectable thinker or philosophic

scholar: and as to
I

what

college

men

if

may

venture to give a judgment, he

:

superior to
in this

most of them
it is

had he been

less

eminent

way,
but

probable that he would have been more eminent

as a philologer,

and
is

I shall

not

S3.y metap/if/siciaii,

philosopher.

It

a superstitious reverence of

Greece

and Rome, that befools scholars on learned questions and renders so many learned men mere intellectual babies always roting and repeating never thinking

or enquiring.

It

is

impossible that a

man

of so

much

strength of

mind

as

Dr. Crombie seems to be, on

silly

some questions, should have backed

about usage, with a
silly,

nonsense

school-boy quotation from

190

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
it

Horace, were

not

thtit in

one respect he has never

;

been any thing but a school-boy

to classic roting

always accustomed
and
as

and repeating

Hobbes justly

remarks, "

Men think least upon the meaning of those words which they have roted most i)erfectly, and

which they can repeat most fluently." Every reader, worth convincing, is already convinced, that the whole system of arbitrary grammar is foolishly absurd
;

and that instead of perpetuating

cor-

ruptions and irregularitiesby despotic rules, language

should be so rectified into regularity as to require no

rules of syntax.

Such reform
little

as to the

English lan-

guage might be very easily and very speedily accomplished with very

violence even to habit, cus-

tom

or present usage.

we have
affix,

only to

So far as the verb is concerned throw away the useless, troublesome

second and third person
;

in

what

are called the

singular of the present tense

larly in

to adopt the ed regu-

what

is

called the past tense,

and

to

employ
am,

our copula

be,

which has not been spoiled by any

variety of spelling and pronunciation, instead of

art,
is,

are.

True, this slight change will seem odd,

minds,) at

strange and awJcioard, (important words in the voca-

bulary of squeamish ears and

finical

first

but try them

for a

week
:

or two,

and

you

will

get used to them, and then they will rest on the firm

foundation oi present usage

they will be as agreeable

and familiar to you as any of your intimate acquaintLet me persuade and entreat you, as reasonances.
able beings, to consult your own ease and convenience.


PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
as well as the ease
after

191

and convenience of your children

you

and

to choose that

the most rational,

j)leasant.
I

and custom

mode of speech which is witl mahe it the most

and then

wish not to put down usage, but to exalt

it

and establish
I will

on the throne of wisdom

say after

Horace

as devoutly as any of the

classical congregation

"
**

X1SU3

Quem

penes

arbitrium est et jus et

norma loquendi."

And

as a proof that I
I will

am

not given to change good

custom,
petua.

put the

classical

Ame^i

to

it,

esto per-

But who
tion
?

will venture to depart from established

usage, and approved practice, and grammatical sanc-

This

is

the all-powerful argument.

The

prinin

ciples, spirit

and dialect of slaves have, especially

(for I

literary concerns,

would not imitate Hornc

This

Tooke up into

in

mingling Politics with Philology,) grown

established usage.

we owe

to a silly
Italian

affectation of foolish,
literature,

slavish,

French and

and the abject prostration

(I

of classical

understandings,

ought, perhaps, to say memories,)

to ancient precedents and authorities.

The systems

of grammar, rhetoric, &c. so plentifully published

within the

last

hundred years, are

to be considered as

containing the forms and arrangements of etiquette,

made by

petits maitres to direct the petty

multitude

how

to

bow

to arbitrary authority.

We

have

now

in

the true French manner, the despotism of fashion

192

Pill

LOSOPllIC ETYMOLOGY.

the (lespotisiii of taste

the
:

despotism of grammar^

&c.

all is

despotism on the one hand, meanness and

every thing must be in the

slavishness on the other

set form

the authorised manner.

to

An

humble individual cannot hope by himself

accomplish
perform

much
if it

reform in language

but he may have

the satisfaction of attempting even what he cannot

;

and

were only

in

contempt of absurdity

and
and

spite to despotism, I

shall glory in setting all

the petty ordinances of arbitrary

in violating all
;

grammar at

defiance,

the unreasonable precepts of estaif

blished usage
writers

and

only two or three original, bold

would

arise to assist in putting

I

down gram-

matical nonsense,

should not despair of establishing

another kind of usage than that which has prevailed.

It

may be

asked

would
?
;

taught in our seminaries

you have no grammar Most certainly I would

can be
it

have grammar taught

able learning without
tional

for there
it
;

little profit-

but then
is

should be

ra-

grammar, which

so important as to have

been justly pronounced by a philosophic philologer,

Thejirst step
to true wisdotn.

The

philosophical study
;

of language has, indeed, been strangely neglected

1 really

and

question

if

a dozen persons could be found in

all

the seminaries of the three kingdoms, better ac-

quainted with philosophic grammar than Dr. Crombie.

The

technical absurdities of arbitrary

grammar

are

enough in mouths of all our learned and

familiar

thcroting memories and repeating

learning masters and
is

misses, great and small, (for this

the age of liberal

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
education and minute accomplishments)
;

193

and they
;

can

all

talk profoundly about the Belles Lettres

for

they have not only Lindley Murray by heart

they

can say after that great master of rhetorical ceremonies Dr. Blair, as fast as he said after the great Quiutilian, or

any of

his wortliy disciples the

French Bel-

les-lettreists.

They
came

all

know how

coarsely and clum-

sily

English writers composed before true taste and

in at the

true fashion

Restoration of the ever-

when legitimacij took possession of her throne. They can all show how badly those authors have written, who have attempted to express any original thinking. The perspicacious, intuitive Dugald Stewart, for instance, who has a
blessed Charles the Second,

profound acquaintance with words and notions, has

discovered that Burhe
rhetoric
;

made bad grammar and bad

is a very " sufficient lightness clumsy expression, not having

that to say, " handle a subject,"

and delicacy for polite writing orelegant composition."

It
is

wonderful, indeed, what a swarm of pretty crea-

tures appear in the evening of intellect on the surface

of literature
ness

touching
as to
is

it

with such exquisite

in

//o/^/-

and delicacy
It

be

no danger of sinking

to

the bottom.

well

known

that Grecian literature

had reached the very acme of sublimity before Longinus wrote sublimely on the subject when Quiii:

tilian

wrote his incomparable and adorable

Institutes^
its

Latin literature was high in the

noontide of

matchless splendour: the gross genius of Jlabelais

had completely died away before the original

o

JRollin

191
aros(! to

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
introduce Qiiintilian as master of the cere;

monies of jjolite literature

of his

giving much new matter

to use only

own

for the benefit

oi Belles Lettres^ that every

composer might be taught

words of

suffi-

cient lightness and delicacy: since that cver-mcmor-

able era of French literature,

free,

it

has been wonderfully

bold, original, profound, sublime, and withal

;

exquisitely light and delicate

est

for I left the weighti-

remark to the

last, that it

due force

to the masculine,

might come home with mighty bosom of College

;

Professors.
is

We have been looking abroad

It is well

but there

an old saying, look at home.

known, that

the dull, barren, clumsy, unpolished, tasteless age of

Shakespear,

Bacon, Hobbes, Taylor, and Barrow,

Blair,

had long passed away before Dr.

Dr. Beattie,

Dugald Stewart and Dr.

ness and delicacy.
It

Irving,

&c. came creeping

into literary existence, in a stjde of exquisite light-

would

certainly

wound my
in

Scotch pride

to find so

many

of

my

countrymen

the crowd of light,

little

authors that play upon the

if I

surface of literature in the old age of refinement,

had now

as

much overweening
;

seven years ago

pletely cured

nationality as I had but the Scotch Doctors have comI

me

of that affection.

know

not
;

how
but
;

the bigots of the North will take this compliment

their persecution
for
I

defy, as I despise their

meanness

most of them are poor slavish things in every sense of the word and ni}^ remarks are dictated b}^ sincere
;

affection for

my

mother-countr}'',

who

is

worthy of

nobler sons than the present

lords

puny

race of servile

and

lairds

and

finical

Doctors.

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.

19^

The importance of Philosophic Grammar, as merely subservient to what is commonly called composition^ is
sufficiently evident
;

tor those

who are best acquainted

This must be the
theoretical

,with the materials of composition, are surely most

likely to construct

them

skilfully.

case

if

there be any conduciveness in

to

knowledge
Stewart,
in
(for this is,

practical

skilfulness

yet Dugald

the true style of a petty rhetorician,

after all the boasting

about Intellectual

Philosophy, his true literary character,) remarks, " That he hardly ever knew an individual devoted
to etymological studies,

who

wrote his native lan-

guage with ease and elegance."

propriety,

We have had much

simpering about ease and elegance, and grace and

and other important matters connected

taste
;

with true

for

which, no doubt, there

is

an esta-

blished standard founded on

everlasting truth.
I

fixed principles
to

and

do not pretend

be qualified
nor can

to reason about sound palates, or the

style of cookery

most exquisite
;

with the great professor

pretend to say whether those individuals he has

known devoted
style.
I

to etymology,

were capable of good

suspect he had his eye on a certain laborious

has raised a cairn of etymological lum-

Doctor,

who

ber, as well as
rials
first
;

some smaller heaps of the same mateScotch bigotry has pronounced the

and

whom

The compositions of such first-rate etymologers may be somewhat too heavy too much wanting in lightness and delicacy:
etymologer of the age.

if,

however, they be loaded withdulness and pedantry,

o 2

196

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
free of finicalness

they arc

and feminine affectation

for

the author

may not

be sufficiently penetrating

wit

or philosophy,

but he does not play the

^z/^^oe

skippin^,^

dancing master, or

gentleman of

literary fashion.

England can boast of two etymological philosophers,

studied

Bacon evidently it must be studied profoundly, etymologically,) Hobbes and Home Tooke. Will Dugald Stewart dare to pre(I

ought, perhaps, to say

tliree^

for

language

profoundly,

and as

tend that he

is

qualified to criticise the style of

Hobbes and
supposition

Home
;

Tooke

will not express

my

sentiments and sensations as connected with such a

but every true judge of the question

it is

will admit, that

not only a debt of gratitude to

merit, but a debt of justice to intellectual dignity to

repel the petulance of hollow upstart pretension.
I

have no personal

complaint or animosity against

Dugald Stewart I have no knowledge of him but

through the medium of his writings
significantly about metaphysics,
style, taste,
;

and had he
in-

contented himself with writing indefinitely and

beauty and such pretty matters,

and prettily about

I

not have been

at the trouble to notice either

;

would him or

his misty, vacuous, shallow compositions

but as he

has used petulent, indecent freedoms with some of

the greatest intellectual dignities of modern times,
I

should scorn

my own

perceptions and sensations,

if

I had not courage to rebuke such insolence.

Had
in

even Dr. Reid alluded

to

some of our philosophers

the manner of his disciples, every philosophic mind

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
must have been ofTended
;

197
pett}'-'

but
fall

when such

bigots as Beattie and Stewart

to railing at the

memory

and writings of great men, every philosophic

feel

mind must

contemptuously indignant

and we

should deserve to be revisited with the darkness and

horror of the middle age,
if

we

suffered such petty

sophists to simper or clamour the public into a blind

reception of a senseless system of metaphysics,

do

not think

it

proper to put the extinguisher on the

metaphysical glimmerings of Dugald Stewart in this

publication
;

but

am

willing to pledge
his

my
it

intellec-

tual character to

blow up

whole system with a

;

few squibs

in a Torn

Thumb volume

for

would be
out the

an idle waste of time and materials to

artillery of reason to batter

brino''

down such

paste-board,

gingerbread fortifications of the Monkish Theory^ as

the flimsy,

shadowy reasonings contained

" Philosophy
of

in

what

are

quackishly termed " Philosophical Essays," &c. &c.

the

Mind,'^

Oar
and

rhetorical masters,
is

who

are

always judging
critics

legislating (for this

the age of

and task-

masters) respecting true taste,

good

style, elegant

composition, and other profound accomplishments,

seem

to consider thoughts as
;

merely dolls

for intellec-

tual babies to play with

dressing them up fashion-

ably and

somewhat

meretriciously, but vailed with

;

the semblance of modest}^

for

any thing
in

like free-

dom

or boldness

you know, even

meretricious

charmers, would in this age of refinement, lightness

and delicacy,

shock even masculine admirers into

198
hysterics
to the
;

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOtOGY.
and that you know would be dangerous
serious and fatal
ori-

whole nervous system of Polite Literature.

The consequences might be very

ginality
for

indeed of allowing the freedom and boldness of

;

poor Mademoiselle Belles Letcres might

be so

much

affected with rough handling as never

it.

to get the better of

As

can hardly
"
It

command
give a

my

gravity on this important subject,

:

1 shall

must be remembered, that to give our chief attention to mere phraseology, or to be more solicitous about the accuracy
quotation from Dr. Crombie
(he should have said lightness and delicacy) of the diction than the value of the sentiment
is

a sure in-

dication of a nerveless and vacant mind.

As we

es-

timate a
tual

man

not by his garb, but by his intellec;

and moral worth

so
it

it

is

the sentiment itself

not the dress in which

is

exhibited, that deterits

mines

its

character and our opinion of

if not original,
is

author."
1
it

This remark,
sary to

sensible.

regret

indeed that the author should have thought

neces-

adorn such sensible sentences by fringing round with bad rhyme from a bad poet, and them That must be a begold ragged Latin quotations.

garly pride

which

is

pampered by ostentatious borcontributors.

rowing, and pleased with publishing the names and

numbers of its charitable

tice

Such a prac-

may have

the sanction and recommendation of

polite

and learned usage ; but poverty and meanness, vanity and affectation, have constantly had the pro.
tection of present usage
;

and Dr. Crombie should

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.

199

not degrade himself by mingling- witli the servinn

pecus.
I

have thought proper to express

my

admiration
rhetorical
;

of fashionable literature

grammatical and
light,

usage by giving
I

it

few

delicate touches

for
its

w^ould not be so rude or barbarous as to handle

:

dear delicate frame

that

would be dangerous o

in-

deed

and

it is

well

known

that things of great ex-

quisiteness and value are easily injured, as well as

little

babies and pretty playthings.

We
is

have been
into a

considering words as capable of being

palatable cordial for true taste
;

mixed

which

always in
little

the fashion of being delicate and sometimes a

sickly and squeamish
;

or (as there are

than one to please) their capabilities for

more senses soft, smooth

and harmonious composition

with

to

sooth dainty ears

much sweet melody.

inferior,

These, no doubt, are the

;

primary and most important uses of words

but they

have also some

yet necessary offices: besides

being playthings for literary gentlemen and ladies

who

have no other business but amusement, they

are the tools of poor intellectual miners, labourers

and mechanics,

who have

to

do

all

the drudgery

connected with discovery, invention, cxperimentino-,

proving, laying foundations, raising superstructures,

when such hard working thinkers as Bacon and Hobbes are busy at their tools, for they have often as much trouble with them as Newton had with his glasses, to make them answer the purpose of instruments Mr. Kant and Mr. Stewart are up
&c,
: ;

200
in the
fing:

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
empyrean regions of spiritual meditation quaf-

the choice nectar of immaterial essences and

metaphysical abstractions, or dozing and dreaming

about intellectual theories.

No

doubt these have

much
still

the best of

it,

for

they are pleasantly dreaming

;

Avhen the others are anxiously toiling

and what

is

more they

are

put on the same Calendar with

all

Plato and Aristotle, and

the gods of Greece and

Rome, and worshiped by

of literary orthodoxy
labourers
;

the holy Catholic church

while those poor intellectual

who

dig about the foundations of things

are reproached
tors

and persecuted

as heretics, innovaall

and reformers, intent upon undermining

sound

faith,

saving knowledge, true theories of mind, and

matter and logic and ethics and rhetoric, good go-

vernment and
Jbyc himself
;

social order,
for the

and the very throne of

is

world

considered in danger

by

peaceful, industrious, hard thinkers,

it is

whose

sole
is.

object

to find out if possible what the world

it is

Under these circumstances

of course)

not probable that the

deeper (which are the lower and inferior departments

will be over-crowded.

and more laborious recesses of sciences Most people prefer amuse-

ment

to labour,

and would rather please the ears of

in the
balls,

the multitude

concerts, and converzapla^^ing

tiones of polite literature,

by

with words as
vulgar tools

instruments of music, than oifend orthodox understandings and good taste with

them

as

or mere instruments of thinking.

The metaphysical

Professor has indeed

among

other profound, original

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.

201

inventions, discovered that words are not intellectual

tools or instruments;

and indeed not any thing

whollv insignificant

mere nonentities.
;

Could

this

position be established

the true ilieory of the soul

would have some chance

sical

and

its

author would be
in

entitled to take precedence oi

Kant

the metaphy-

department of learned mysteries. Perhaps some

will think that

none can judge of tools but workmen, and that Dugald Stewart must serve an apprenticeetymology
(for that

ship, if not to the study of

would

be below the dignity of philosophy)

ly of intellectual instruments.
for

at least to the

business of thinking, before he can speak intelligentI

am

willing, indeed,

once to compliment his sagacity by supposing

that he perceived the danger (to the true theory of

the soul) rather than inutility of etymology

for

it is

the great w^ork-shop and armory of intellectual tools

and instruments.

Metaphysically misty and rhetounderstanding

is,

rically superficial as his

he must
de-

have perceived that Ilobbes and

struments and spears, and

Home Tooke
intellectual

derived from etymological studies their probing inall their

weaif

pons

perhaps he would like these tools better

they were blunter, or handled with more lightness

and delicacy

for his

heavy charge against etymolo-

gical studies, as unfavourable to delicacy, lightness

and good
that
is

taste,

must be admitted.

true etymolo-

ger always calls things by their proper names, (and

often very unpolite) and always
:

employs vulhe would not

gar instruments for vulgar purposes

202

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.

be at the expense of silver nippers to crack rhetorical insects, nor would he attempt to
for instance,

chop up a metaphysical block with a

razor.

Those

who consider words insignificant and worth nothing

can afford to lavish them on lightness, delicacy and
pretty composition
;

but etymology makes

little

its

stu-

dents quite stingy (and sometimes a

in the use of

stinging)

words;

for

like chemistry,

it

teaches

the value of what

many people throw away. Perhaps

is

the worthy Professor (who

no doubt entitled

to

judge and
taste) will

legislate in all the high

concernments of

pronounce
and very

all this

below the dignity of phithe true philosophical

to a

losophy
style.

far

from

have never had the honour of lecturing

College congregation, and therefore ought to be very

modest, diffident and humble, but

ted to give

may be

permit-

my

unlearned, or self-learned notions of

style; not that 1

all

would

dictate or dogmatize:
I
;

may

the classic gods at once forbid that

should turn
seeing that

critical legislator,

t^Tant or task-master

the whole

literary

multitude are already groaning as

patiently as donkeys under the chains and burdens of

legal,

authorised, established oppression.

would
the

rather see

them

as wild, lawless

?^x\([

fetterless as

bold Arab and his spirited courser, than the poor

subdued, enslaved,
are:

dull,

stupid things they nov/

whether

they are capable of being rendered free

:

and bold may be a question

for it is

with the

mem-

bers of the Republic of Letters as

it is

with nations
fairly

and donkeys

when once

the spirit

is

broken

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.

203
:

down

it

is

hardly ever raised up again

and what
thr.t

renders their case more hopeless than even

poor, stupid, heart-broken ass

of a

they

are

vain

and

boastful of the means and forms of their bondage and

oppression

and are ever braying about precedents

and authorities and fixed opinions and established

usage and the principles (though arbitrary) and rules

and laws and perfect models (and imitators must ever

be serviim pecus) of grammar, rhetoric,
style, taste
:

all

must be chained down

to the set

form

the aucome
they are

thorised manner.

As

for the host oi critics that

into existence in the old age of literature,

the regular standing

ters

army of the Republic of Letcorrupt ^nd despotic

;

when become wholly

and

at every

conspicuous place

literary centinels are sta-

tioned to watch the

movements of authorship and

re-

keep down reform, innovation, insurrection, or

volt from established
literary janizaries

bondage and oppression. These

despots
;

are all little

strutting

round the whole

airs

circle of criticism

with wonderful

of importance and authorit}'.

;

Many
and

luckless

of killing

kind and authorised) the victims of their malice or wantonness are never
as this
is

authors they sabre without mercy

no murder (being

legal

more heard

of:

many prudent

spiritless

authors are

glad to pass them with a slight beating or kickino-

but not a few of their comrades, acquaintances and such as have civilly shaken hands with them, thev

welcome
tical

into public notice by shouldering their cri-

arms

giving

afeic dejoie

or clearing a passage

204-

piriLosoPiiic

etymology.

for
in

them by knocking every body down that stands Every time the old royal, legitimate their way.

authors

come out and appear

is

before the public in a

new

suite there

a general

review

and there

is
;

wonderful runnino- and crowdino; to see the review

especially
if

any of the Grecian and

Roman

princes

and numerous as German ones) be (who on the field or if such great lexicographic and grammatical personages as Dr. Johnson and Lindley Murare as great
;

any of the other royal dukes of the English But with all their constant language, be present.
ray, or

training, exercising

and manoeuvring, there

is

hardly
fire-

one of these critical regulars that can handle his

bett

lock in such a soldier-like style as old corporal Cob;

though they consider him

;

as belonging to the

awkward squad
their tongues

for

when they
powerful
for

find home-bred, vi-

gorous intellect too

them, they

loll

out

and drivel about learning,

taste,

gram-

mar, rhetoric, and such wonderful accomplishments;

as if classical saliva

had the singular property of slab-

away the understanding. I mean to use great freedoms with some of the literary idols and to deliver some very illegitimate doctrines concerning ^/^/c
bering
;

the giants of taste, criticism and learning

maybe

exsti-

pected to rise in a body

if,

however, they will

pulate to keep lightness and delicacy out of the fray,

i

will undertake single-handed to put

with such weapons only as

them all down etymology supplies I

:

have some confidence

in

in

myself

much

confidence

my weapons very ness of my cause.

great confidence in the good-

PIIILOSOPlirC

ETYMOLOGY.

20o

THE QUALITIES OF GOOD COMPOSITION

CONSIDERED.

One would suppose good

composition a very sim;

ple affair, admitting- of few words

for

they are

al-

ways the most doubtful and spurious texts of science that require the largest comments and the minutest
critical notes
;

but amazing quantities of rhetorical

dust, varnish and flowers, have been heaped on the

subject of style or composition.

It

is

amusing

in-

deed

to witness the

slow, laborious operations of

rhetoricians in wrapping

up

their little

thoughts in line-spun verbosities

buzzing

silk-worm
all

the

while about the excellencies of composition.

certainly do excel
in

They
which

some of the
:

qualities

they ascribe to good style

they are great masters

of lightness,

delicacy,

prettiness,

smoothness and

harmony

in all other respects

they are too ignorant

dull

and senseless
:

to

instruct

too

and witless

to

amuse they have always indeed been surrounded by a gaping crowd of admirers, a few degrees more
dull and witless than themselves,
else

the wit of

Butler would have laughed them out of existence.

But such
calens

lecturers as Dr. Blair

and Dugald Stewart

;

need never despair of a congregation

might become so
free

and College
as to negl'^'Ct

and bold

lightness and delicacy if they were not duly trained


PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
by
doctrine, pre-

'206

into the true taste and best style

cept and exanii)le.

The

first

step to the acquisition of a good style

is

to disbelieve, disregard

and scorn the doctrines and

precepts of the rhetoricians.

cient philosophers said
rhetorical rules
:

What one of the anof laws may be truly said of

they arc like cobwebs, which en-

tangle the weak, but

which the strong break through.

nor can there be any strength

Strong intellects cannot he held captive in the petty

laws
ot' pelifs

maitres

of mir\d without breaking

down

the fences of the

ser-

vtim peciis, and trampling the chains of intellectual

bondage under

foot.

Before a

man

can be a good

thinker or a good writer he must be free and bold

he must be roused to noble daring

he must
a

feel his

whole soul

risino-

in

scornful indisrnation
for a

at

the

thought of having been

blind leaders

day a blind follower of

a slave of slaves

member

of the

herd of creeping, crouching, servile minds.

Slaves

may bow

gracefully,

fawn smoothly,

flatter politely,

use inuendos of

uncommon

lightness

and delicacy,
the best

apply misnomers with ready

models,

facility, imitate

or great personages, closely,

and

strut ele-

gantly after despotism according to the etiquette of

established usage
;

but are slaves capable of

intellec?

tual originality, energy, dignity, or sublimity

Are

slaves capable of bold thinking and fearless expression

?

Can

servile

composers

in the harness of rules

dreading the lash of criticism, limping upon quotations with their eye

upon precedents and

authorities

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
create a style at once

207

new and
is

striking, yet just

and

proper

All real greatness

the offspring pf free-

dom
risy,

there

may be

absurdity, folly, cant, hypocfinical

squeamish delicacy,

politeness, sickly

sentimentality,

mawkish

affectation in every possi-

ble fantastic form of fashion

and

varict)^

but there

cannot be original, substantial excellence without

manly thinking and feelfirst rule of good composition is, THAT THE COMPOSER BE FREE AND BOLD.
intellectual independence,
ing.

The

The SECOND rule del OF STYLE.

Imitation
is,

is,

that he adopt no moand

servility
is

in reality, servility;

destructive of excellence.

Their master,

Horace,

might have taught the

pedis

roting, repeating, imitating,

classical multitude, to consider themselves a

;

servum

yet these same repeaters are ever clamouring

style.

about perfect models of a perfect

But when

we examine

these perfect models they are found to

be contemptible idols of superstitious worshipers. The Latin models so much boasted of are, after all,
bad imitations of bad models that never were
nals.
I

origi-

know what an
minds
a
;

uproar this will

make among
willing to

classical

but

I assert,

and

am

prove
Virgil
tor,

my
is

assertion,

any way they choose, that dull versifier, and that their famous orain
is

Tully,

petty rhetorician.

They

will,

per-

haps, talk profoundly and loftily about long and in-

timate and minute acquaintance with the prince of

poets and prince of orators,
I

pretend to no long,

OOS
intimate,

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOCxY.
minute
wish
accjuaintance
to

with

their
;

petty

princes, for 1

keep better company

but

if

the birds of the air can discover

trial,

by

a single peck^

or

whether

fruit

be good or not,

it

must be strange

indeed

if rational

beings cannot, after

many
;

trials,

pronounce on the merits of Latin authors

or if they

must
tues.
liglit

rote and repeat at

them

half a life-time, or half

a century, to find out their coy, modest, latent vir-

Latin excellencies are perhaps so exquisitely

and

little as to

require
;

much

microscopic

re-

flection
for

and criticism

and perhaps the true taste

them can be acquired only in childhood when the mind is yet free from every incredulous bias occasioned by heretical and sceptical philosophy
those
;

so that

who

bring the eyes and understandings of tnen

to classical models,
their merits.

This

may be disqualified to appreciate may be my hapless, hopeless

I

case

and therefore

would be
depth

diffident

and

fearful

of getting beyond
tion.
I shall

my

in so

profound a ques-

There
I

are

many

classical excellencies wdiich

never be qualified to appreciate, or even to

:

perceive
tion as I

pretend only to judge of Latin composi:

do of plain home-made English I merely ascertain its sense and its nonsense the latter I find as frequently and plentifully sprinkled as, if it were
:

Attic

salt,

or classic seasoning, to preserve sufficient

;

lightness and delicacy

for sense is

heavy and clumsy,

and withal so vulgar that the Scotch metaph3'sicians

thought they could not do better to render their haby

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.

209

of philosophy a favourite with the public than baptize

it

Common

Sense.

Neither wit nor reasoning from an humble, selftaught thinker, may have any influence on the disciples of tradition, precedent and authority
;

but they

must reverence the opinions

they must tremble before

Bacon

the awful majesty of the creator of philosophy.

was aware of college canting and raving about ancient

learning

but Bacon was bold to say, in the face of the classical multitude, that " The stream of time has floated down to us the light and empty, and sunk
;

the weighty and solid parts of ancient learning."

"We have plenty of the exquisite, light, delicate, pretty, soft, smooth cobwebs, and silken, fine-spun
nothings of the literary insects that swarmed in the

evening of Grecian and

Roman

intellect

when

free-

dom,
feeling

independence,

originality,

manly

thinking,

and acting had departed,

leaving behind a

poor, dull, servile, imitative, theatric set of artificial

creatures, strutting about the stage of life in

pompous
or
in

insignificance
latry

adjusting the ritual of classical idoclassical

and the ceremonial of

fashion

lolling out their tongues

about learning and taste

absolute fatuity.

We

have labyrinthian and Babi/lonish masses, and

in

multitudes of works made

Greece and

Rome

after

the period of the Restoration

ture
is

histories, (for litera-

wonderfully narrative in her old age)

biogra;

phies, systems of rhetoric,

cal dissertations

grammar and
p

logic

criti-

on mole hillocks,

butterflies, mites

'2\0

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
aiiimalciilfe
;

and

poesies of

all

sorts

and sizessome

of them

as large as the

White Doe of Roylstone

others as minutely elegant as the composition of

Dugald Stewart,

or the pr-etlinesses of his admirer and

;

worthy disciple the Editor of the Examiner commonplace books without number, and cyclopaedias of as numerous compartments and mighty magnitude as
the labyrinths of Egypt and tower of Babel.

But

amidst
ink,

all this

waste of intellectual riches, paper and

where

are the

few

rare authors that

wrote before
?

the true taste and the true

manner were established

Where

are those deep, dangerous-thinking

Democrituses, the Bacons and the

men the Hobbeses P They

were mortal and perished, because they were never consecrated and deified. Only such sound orthodox
philosophers as Plato, Aristotle and their disciple
Cicero, were worthy of being put on the catholic

calendar

and of occupying the temple of fame.

to the
art

Thanks

of printing, that our literature

;

has not shared the same fate

intellectual jewels of

else all the lights

and

Bacon had been extinguished

and buried under the rubbish

the
j)ecus.

the chaff the straw

present purpose of the

very ordure and clumsy hoofs of the servum

The

appropriateness to

my

following quotation, from the philosopher of philo-

sophers

is

so evident as to require no
(says

comment: "
shall

We

plainly perceive,

Bacon) that the sciences will

till

not be considerably advanced,

men

be naade

thoroughly acquainted with the proper characters and

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.

211

merits of those ancient and modern philosophers they

so

much

admire.

The
and

present design

is,

therefore,

mark on such pretended philosophers as we take to have been more fabulous than the poets debauchers of men's minds and falsiand to make as free with fiers of the works of nature
to deal roundly,
fix a
; ;

that degenerate, servile tribe,

terers,

their followers, flat-

and the hirelings

who

corrupt mankind for

gain.

And we
;

shall take the liberty to cite

lest, as their

each of

them by name

authority

is
;

so great,

we

should be apprehended only to act a part

colour, side with

and under
since they

some

or other of

them

cherish such violent disputes and animosities

among
1.

themselves. " Let Aristotle

first

appear
;

whom we

charge
;

with abominable sophistry

3. a vile sporting

2.

useless subtility

and

with words.

Nay, when men by any

gale, arrived at

accident, as

by a favourable
;

any truth
and com-

and there cast anchor

to fetter the

this

man had

the assurance
;

mind with the heaviest

art
is

irons

posing a certain

of madness, enslaved mankind

with words.

[This

what Kant and Dugald Stewart

would

fain accomplish.] " Again, from the nursing and tutoring of this man,
triflers
;

have arisen a shoal of cunning

their backs

who

turning

upon nature and

by the

all

the light of things and

history, overspread the world with

numerous mock-

schools
cipally

raised

restless agitations of wit, prin-

on the extremely ductile matter of his precepts

and positions.

But

they, indeed, are

more excusable

'2

2iy
tluiii

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
their

haughty dictator;

for

they did not, like

him, oilend against better light and knowledge.

he, after

For

having trod in the open plains of history

to himself a
idols.

and viewed the works of nature, dug

dungeon and fdled

it

with the vainest

And

what adds

to his guilt, he has

even upon the history

of particulars raised certain cobweb structures which

he would palm on mankind for causes whilst in but reality they are matters of no validity nor value
;
;

nearly resembling those,

which

in

our

own

time, that

antipode to things, as well as to himself. Cardan,

busied himself in forming. " But whilst I thus arraign the works of Aristotle,
let

me

not be supposed a conspirator in league with

that

Ramus,

modern

rebel against him.

have no

affection for that skulking hole of ignorance,

sort of holes

[what

would he have called the German and Scotch metaphysicians and rhetoricians ?] that destructive

tomes, who,

book-worm of learning, that father of epiwhen he wrings and presses things with the shackles of his method and contraction, the substance, if there was any, immediately starts out and escapes him whilst he grasps nothing but the empty
;

chaff and exhausted carcase.

" Aquinas has gone further, and spun a variety of

things out of nothing, leaving

by way of consolation
:

a solitude in things themselves

yet he has the as-

surance to be frequently talking of

that
I

human

uses

so

take

him

for a

most prevaricating

sophister.

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.

213

And

the same accusation

bring against Scotus and

his followers.

" Let Plato next appear

being
.3.

whom we
;

charge with
;

1.

a well-bred sophister
;

2. a

timid poet

and and

a fanatical divine

who, by

finely polishing

working together certain philosophical rumours, and

dissembling his pretence to knowledge, endeavoured
to loosen and unsettle men's
tions
ter
;

minds by vague induc-

and has thus, indeed, supplied abundant mat-

of table-talk to

men
life,

of letters in respect of civil

conversation, polite
familiar discourse.

ornament and sweetness of

But when he falsely asserted was not an inhabitant of the human breast, but a stranger come from afar, and turned men's
that truth

thoughts from the history of nature and from things

themselves, (though never sufficiently applied
to)
;

and taught the mind to enter into

itself;

and

there,
its

under the name of contemplation, to tumble over

own

blind and confused idols

then

it

was he comaccuse him.

mitted the capital crime of which

we

And no

less

impiously has he introduced the canon-

ization of folly,

and had the assurance

here
lies

to skreen his

degenerate and corrupt notions under the cloak of

religion.

And

the strength of the charge.

But

for his

being the father of polite literature and

elegant writing, who, by his example, authority and

success captivated and led iwmbers to content themselves with a character for wit, politeness, agrceableness,

and a popular knowledge of things,

a severe

to the detri;

ment of

and rigorous encpiiry

after truth

we

214
account

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
this a less

heinous offence.

And among the

men

thus captivated by him,

we

reckon Cicero, Se-

neca and Plutarch, with numerous others no way

comparable to them."
Philosophers.
If the reader

Critique of the more eminent

criticism of the
idols,

Bacons Works. would see more

description on

more of the learned

to

same he must

consult the works of the above noble author.

We
above
but
it

might show how applicable

certain

rhetorical
are,
;

metaphysical vaporers the descriptions

given, of Aristotle, Plato and their disciples

is

more important
boasting)

to

remark how poor

(after all

the

classical

those models must be,

whose

highest and most philosophic patterns were the writings of such misty, vacuous, shallow composers as

Aristotle and Plato.

classical idols into
foolish,

It

is

necessary to bring the

contempt, to cure the world of a

;

contemptible idolatry

and the most effectual

that they are not

means of putting
imitation

a stop to a mean-spirited, slavish

is

of models,

to

show

worth imitating.

Among
Tiiodel

English writers, Addison

;

is

considered the

of the middle style

and

all

the world of com-

posers have heard about giving their days and nights

to the

volumes of Addison.

This

is

the

way

the

farce and delusion of hollow, heartless, artificial opi-

nion are kept up: Johnson

knew

that he

must say

something extra-superjine and supremely antithetic about Addison and his superfine antithesisms were
;

as cheap articles (for they cost

him nothing, but

it

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
might have given him not
the public

215

a little trouble to try to

do

without them,) as he could give his bookseller and

;

but

do not believe that he ever gave a

doubt,

single half-day or half-night to the volumes of Addi-

son in his

life

nay,

if

he ever read a single

volume
styles

or half-volume of Addison.

Not

to

mention

the unassociablc, repellent natures of their tastes and

Johnson

had too much intuitive penetration

in
trifling,

and intellectual strength to hold dalliance even

idle

hours with such flimsy,

indefinite,

common-place,
diffuse,

inaccurate,

loose,

tautological,

ill-constructed

compositions as those of Addison.

I

Twenty

times have
I

attempted to read the writings

in getting

of Addison, but

could never succeed

I

through a single volume.

Virgil

did get twice through

;

by the gracious

aid of an etymological motive

but
drag

believe twenty etymological motives

would not
;

me

through the volumes of Addison

and

de-

upon my honour and conscience, as an author, would rather fairly eat them up and digest them down, (all, saving and excepting the boards,) than give them my precious days and nights.
clare,

that I

One
minds:

is

sorry to hurt the delicacy of light

and tender
such

no doubt, the
as

literary conscience of

weak brethren
offended at
heresy
:

Dugald Stewart,
daring
scepticism,

will be greatly
infidelity

my

and

the good Professor

was much
to

distressed,

because he could not bring

tate his favourite

Bums

admire and imi-

model

and he delicately bewailed

the want of true taste in the coarse, home-formed


m6
tellect of

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
:

palate of the ploughman-poet

but

after all, the in-

Burns was great enough

to bestride that of

Addison, and that of Dugald Stewart on the top of

it,

Hercules

is

reported to have sarcastically said on

the gods

seeing Adonis
nity in thee/*

among
It

" There

is

no

divi-

would be wonderful, indeed, if such minds as that of Burns could admire such authors as Addison and Pope ; even though they have been consecrated and deified by the literary church
of true believers
;

who

cease not dai/ and night to

I

adore and imitate, praise and serve them,

a thousand

expect

classical tongues to be darted at

;

me

for

my provoking doctrines
many

and much

literary dribble

roted morsels and critical crudities, with the

very quintessence of established opinion, and general

consent to be spitefully spit in

my face

but delicate
taste

mouths never

spit fire

and the saliva of polite

all

has the singular

property of taking away

the dan-

gerous and deadly qualities of the

hostility
;

venom

of classical

so that the bite of a well-trained literary

viper

is

as harmless as the hiss of a goose.

Perhaps

some

great critical gander will

come

flapping and

flourishing out of the flock to peck at the legs of the

present author

but a single kick or two (and

it

can-

not surely be unpolite to kick gander-cham^'ions),

will send the hero back
into his

own crowd and

muddy

hole.

know what

courtly simperers will

think and say (or rather hint

for the timid things

dare not speak out), of this contemptuous, uncharitable, unpolite, unphilosophic style of writing
;

but

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
should despise myself
if I

21?

could admire what they

prai<^e
;

admire, or praise what they

loathe

and

should

my

existence with consciousness of hypocriti-

cally cloaking

my

real

opinions and feelings to ap-

pear orthodox, or become popular

among
all

a canting,

mystical, visionary race of roters, eternally saying

after consecrated authorities.

After

the cant and

clamour about perfect models

found
as
?

where

are they to be

Must

a petit maitre be set

all

up on
?

a pedestal
finical

fugle-man general to
of

composers

proser that could never get a sentence out in the

House
in

Commons,

(for

in

this

respect

he was

another Blair)

that

could
for

not write a

state-paper

necessary time

state-business

that
!

would
all this

arrest the press to alter a

comma;
left

yet with

Jingering jinicalness^ has not

a single well-con-

structed paragraph in his whole writings

as a

Surely,

man,

have a right to

feel

indignant at the insult

offered

to
sets

men, by that

pettiest of all despotisms

which

up

a petty idol,

commanding them
it

to

bow

the knee and prostrate their minds before

un-

der pain of literary censure and reproach.

The whole
:

herd of imitators are following Johnson and Addison

it

seems

to be

now

decidedly the authorised opinion,

is
is

that the style of

to be a

Johnson
it

bad model

admit

it

bad model, but

in

every view infinitely

finical critics as

better than that of Addison.

Such

Dugald Stewart, may talk of the quaint antithesis and had taste of Junius, (for he was too prudent to make free with Johnson, though the proper example of

218

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
;

what lie meant) but after all, what they blame js far more excellent than what they praise. I am afraid of their becoming models and idols,
else I

would point out some specimens of excellent

in the

composition

English language (and no language

:

would analyze them and show I would rest their excelwhy on lence on their fitness as means or instruments not on any slippery, the foundation of eternal reason nonsense about taste; concerning which the slabbcrt/
can boast of better)
1

they are excellent

is

roters

might have learned from one of their old ragged

Latin quotations, that there

certainty
rags to
;

no disputing with
convert their
the composifaultless,

but they

know

not

any valuable purpose.

how to Were
and

tions studied as models, perfect

the

imitation of

them w
;

ould be certain to cause a falling

of the imitator

off in excellence

the composition

would have
tion

that character of

meanness which ever

step and

attends the page or slave,

whose every

moI

and accent, indicate a conscious

to analyze

inferiority.

had purposed

some of the compositions of Addison and his admirer Dugald Stewart but I find that to experiment much upon these very solid, wellorganized bodies, would exhaust too much time and
;

paper.

There
ed as

is

a kind o{ imitation

which

is

not consider-

at all servile,

though

it

has in fact the same

:

slavish tendency as that above noticed

mean

the

applying of words only as Johnson, Addison, Swift,

and the oihcx 2ncedent writers or established autho-

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
rities

219

have applied them.

This

is

the good old tra-

ditionary

pons

in

custom of handling the intellectual weathe style of some great literary fugle-man; and
is

good Dugald Stewart

rity of

seriously alarmed, lest in the

application of words composers abandon the autho-

Addison and Swift, and run wild like savages in the woods of etymology for too much freedom of style would be very dangerous to the whole eti;

quette of true taste, tender delicacy, and

tinue of literary despotism
too
:

all

the re-

sober-minded authors
can shelter themselves
tall,

who

are industriously inventive in finding out

precedents and references,

under the authority of that

It is the

towering genius,

Addison, like asses under a stately shrub.

applying of words only in a certain authat gives to composition that wornthorised

manner

out character

that badge of meanness,

:

poverty and

absolute pauperism which literature wears in the old

age of invention

the garb

is

indeed very

fine,

very

fashionable, well-brushed,

neatly made, fitted and

put on
it

but

it is

miserably old, thin and thread-bare;

evidently came out of a second-hand shop, or be-

longs to a poor gentleman in reduced circumstances.

The meanings and

as different as

the applications of words arc

any weapon or instrument and the

it is

uses to which
it is

applied, or the

manner

in

which

handled.

The
is

uses or applications of words

:

should be directed solely by their meaning

rule of composition
as I

any other
;

arbitrary

and enslaving

and,

have so often repeated, arbitrariness and slavish-

^2V0
iiess are

I'lilLOSOPHIC

ETYMOLOGY.
It

destructive of intellectual excellence.

would be amusing
train

to see the long ever-dwindling

of literary pages of pages well represented on

paper or canvass: what a stately procession of

Tom

Thumbs and Punch puppets would be seen rank and

file

at the tail of

Addison or Pope, tapering down

one

descending steps of a stair to the giant stature of industrious ants, mites and aniposting from sentence to sentence in malculaj
after another, like
;

quest of precedents, or applications of words by their

great lawgivers and

supreme judges

WHOEVER WOULD HAVE A GOOD STYLE MUST DISREGARD ALL THE POPULAR AND FASHIONABLE DOCTRINES ON THE SUBJECT.
The above
under that
cians
to
it
;

proposition

is

in reality

comprehended

laid
I

down

respecting professed rhetori-

but

wish to

arrest the attention of the reader

in a distinct

and separate form.

The popular

doctrines

which ought

particularly to be disregarded

are those which belong to literal and metaphoric expression^ delicacy^ propriety, elegance,

and such pre-

cious matters.

Among
professor
;

the other quack critics of this quackishly

critical age,

Dugald Stewart appears

as a first-rate
ori-

and delivers certain very profound and

ginal discoveries respecting language

addressing

his
I

readers in the following very wonderful

manner: "

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.

5^21

have contrasted some of the opposite perfections of

the philosophical and of the rhetorical or poetical
style.
its

The
it

former, I have observed, accomplishes

purposes most effectually, when like the language

confines our reasoning faculties to their

of algebra,

appropriate province, and guards the thoughts against

any

distraction from the occasional wanderings of

fancy.

How

different from this

is

the aim of poetry

Sometimes to subdue reason and in all her higher efforts

pressions and to the
first

itself

by her syren song;

to revert to the first im;

language of nature

cloth-

ing every idea with a sensible image."

This
rect

is all

very pretty, and no doubt perfectly cor1

the

algebraic, or true philosophic style.

have

been troubled with doubts about the lansua^e of algebra, but there can be no doubt respecting the correctness of the algebraic OY true philosophic style of

the true theory of Scotch metaphysics

pressions as clothing an idea with

for

such ex-

a sensible image have ablaze of evidence which not only overpowers conviction but renders the understanding dark through

excessive brightness.
Poetry,
it

seems, reverts to the

first

language of
!

nature, and subdues rer.son itself by her syren sono-

But what poetry does the profound Professor mean ? The poetry which is said, sung, grinned and simpered after the tragedy of
free,

bold, original think-

ing and during the farce of polite literature

try of the

the poe-

Popes and Wordsworths certainly reverts to

the

first

language of naturvi

to

the nursery and ba-

229

PHILOSOPHIC etymology.

byisra of intellect

or rather to the drivelling fatuity

;

of second childhood

but Mr. Stewart must not

think himself degraded from his true metaphysical

rank

when
in

I tell

him

that there

is

more true

philoin

sophy
all

few pages of Shakespear's poetry than

volumes.

his boasting
is

The

true language of true

:

poetry

the language of nature

all

tribes

of

men

have begun with the language of poetry, not of choice

but necessity
:

imagery (the soul and body of poetry)

;

as the chace was a necessary before it was a luxury the business before it was the amusement of was as venison was common food before it was a man
;

costly dainty or choice delicacy

thers

as furs

and fea-

were put on

for

use before they were worn for

ornament.
physicians

Nature made men poets

them philosophers
dreaming dotards.

metaphysics
^Lvejirst

philosophy

poetry made

made them meta-

rendered them drivelling,

When
for

words

applied figuratively to intel;

lectual matters they can hardly perplex or mislead

they are frank and modest

they pretend not, like

to the rela-

confident mystics, to have discovered the laws or

principles of ywmc?;

they

merely point

tions of things (and

without things thoughts are but

dreams) more remote from immediate sensation as

they have been registered in the

perception and experience.
write so figuratively

memory by

habitual

Never did philosopher

so

intelligibly

so justly about

mind as Tucker

(at

Stewart hints in

whose supposed bad taste Dugald the true slavish manner by a half-

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
formed inuendo)
:

233

if

he does not lead his readers to

much

certain discovery in the intellectual regions,

he does not mislead them into foolish conjectures,

unmeaning abstractions and absurd notions pretending that they are intellectual data, phenomena
;

primitive laws
theory.

or inductive researches into

the

true

Tucker was too

great and too honest a phi-

losopher to employ such quackery.

The whole

flock of little critics are

constantly

chattering and gabbling about literal and figurative

language without understanding what

thc}'^

say or
it

whereof they affirm

seems, that language
that
ral

for
is

they cannot perceive,

;

made up of metaphor those expressions commonly considered

in

and
lite-

are

general
:

merely
is

worn-out

or

nimnmyall

fied
tive

metaphors
language

what
7iew

commonly
or

called figuraretains

is

coin,

what

the
;

distinctness and boldness

literal

of the original impress

language

is

old coin with the image or signa-

ture

worn out by passing through many hands.

As

much
is

of the smootli blank coin that passes currently

depreciated or base, being as devoid of intrinsic

value as of extrinsic signature, so

much

of the lan-

guage called
not reject

literal

that passes currently

is

completereaders do

ly insignificant;
it

and the only reason

why

is,

that they have always been accus-

tomed

to take
if

it ;

though they are

as little enriched

thereby as

they received base coin for sterling

money.

When

Mr. Stewart keeps

to abstract language

made

231

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
insignificant words,
it

up of

or

words insignificantly

put together,

is

difficult to detect the absurdities

it is

of his notions (for

jects in vacuo)
;

impossible to see or

show

ob-

but the

nothings a local habitation and a

moment he gives to his airy name whenever he

ventures to give an image of his thought or notion

he

is

committed irrecoverably.

He

writes

much

in-

significance about the insignificancy of

neral,

words

in ge-

which may pass with some

for

profound, ab-

stract reasoning (for people usually think

composi;

tions deep

when they cannot

is

see to the bottom)

but

when he

introduces figurative expression

that

the office of language

by saying of an anamorphosis made

forfeits

up oi unmeaning patches^ he
judges
all

with competent

claim to true thinking or sound reasoning.

had good reason, however, to declaim against ideas and analogical expressions : while such witnesses testify against his theory
it

He

must be found
in-

chargeable with inanity and absurdity.

It

cannot have escaped the observation of the

telligent reader, that

both the
;

best

and worst writers

abound much

in

metaphor

dent, blameless authors,

who

while the cautious, pruinhabit the middle re-

gion of literature on the confines of praise and blame,

esteem and contempt, seldom venture to depart from

good, sober, approved,
literal

expression.

They

are

men

of more judgment than to hazard the bold ex:

periments of genius
coin, if as thin,

they

know

that old well-worn

as a

smooth and poor

Birmingham

button or Jewish sixpence^ passes with more facility

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.

225

than that which has the appearance of being newly

stamped.
ions and

People have been accustomed to old opinexpressions and therefore never examine

them

but they are suspicious of

reason

new and

strange

appearances.

The
abound

why some

of the worst class of writers

:

it is not the in metaphors is very obvious metaphors that render them bad writers, but their

venturing to employ metaphors that proves the emptiness

and crookedness

the weakness
all

and poverty
understand-

of their intellect.

It requires a superior

ing and imagination (for after

the canting non-

sense on this point, there was never yet a good understanding without a good imagination)
to

invent

and apply proper images

of thought.

as instruments

and vehicles

In the flowery class of writers

who

in-

troduce metaphors merely for ornament,

childishness of intellect
ter

we

see that

which delights more in glitand show, than solidity and utility constantly
;

presenting us with posies instead of fruits

in

the

mere common-place, literal models of the middle style, we have not only the gravity and steadiness, but all
the dulness and infirmity of old age.

The

writings of the Bacons teem with metaphors;

but these metaphors are rich with meanings

are as useful as splendid

they

they
to im-

are

fit

means

portant ends,

being
all

instruments

and vehicles of

thought
creation

they have

the beauty and sublimity of

but they are chiefly valuable for their rich

contents and powerful influences.

22C

iMiiLosor'H re
truth
is,

etymology.

The

figurative expression skilfully, inis

:

vented and judiciously applied,

as

much
(as

a philofar

sophical as a poetical excellence

and so
song

from

charming down reason with

Stewart ignorantly remarks)
imposture.

a syren

Dugald

or

misleading the unit

derstanding guards and preserves

It is the mistiness

from error and

and vacuousness of

abstract expression that bewilders and deceives the

understanding by detaching
jects of senses

it

from sense and the obit

and shutting

up

in

metaphysical

vacuo where

intellect
if

may

languish a while but must

ultimately perish

not extricated.

We

might

as

well suppose that children

bound down with

fetters

and locked up
Aristotle

in

an iron dungeon would grow into

giants and scale the heavens, as expect such

men

as
to

the
who

schoolmen

Kant

and Stewart,

make important

discovery.

No

one

has ever gone below the surface in

the study of words and ideas, requires numerous rea-

sons or hioh authorities to convince him of the o

lity

futi-

of common-place criticism concerning figurative

;

language

but

it is

pleasing to turn from the frothy

discourse of mock-philosophers,

and

listen

to

the

weighty, convincing reasonings of profound reflection.

" Aristotle (says Bacon)
tise, really

when he thought to commended Democritus in saying,

in earnest

chas'

If he

would dispute
risons,'

and not hunt

after

compa-

&c.

as if

he would tax Democritus with be:

ing too full of comparisons

whereas they whose

instructions are already grounded in popular opinion

PHILOSOPHIC ET\MOLOGY.
have nothing
left

29/
;

them but

to dispute

and improve

whilst others have a double task whose doctrines

transcend the vulgar opinion

viz.

first

to render
it.

what they
taphor,
it is

deliver intelligible, and then to prove

to

AV^hence they must of necessity have recourse

the better to enter the

meFor

human

capacity.

a rule in the doctrine of delivery,

that every

science which comports not with anticipations and

prejudices
allusions/'

must seek the

assistance of similes and

presumptuous editor of

this

noble author

(for

a great

man may

fall

into the hands of a vile execuaffix the

tioner)

had the assurance to

:

following note
all

to the above paragraph

"

The

reader will

along

bear in mind

that this

was the
it

situation of the au-

thor in his time and on that score dispense with his

figurative style
;

though

necessary at present,

may when we

not be altogether so
are

more accustomed

to think philoso})hically

and freely."

The

flippant,

vaporing Voltaire^

who was

not worthy to

stoop
sandal,

down and

unloose the latchet of Bacon's

makes similar petty criticisms on his figurative style. Dispense with the Jigurativeness of Bacon's style
!

The

reason

main

to eternity

the necessity of the unless human beings

utility

it

will re-

shall at last

be dwindled

down and worn away

is

into thin, shadowy,

metaphysical ghosts.

Good Dugald Stewart

for

not only distressed about

the true theory of the mind, but mightily concerned

the true philosophy of elegant composition.

"

q2

^228

'

I'll

I.OSOIMIIC
(siiys

ETYMOLOGY.

liuvo hardly
ail

met

the above philosopher) with

individual habitually addicted to etymological

studies,

who wrote

his

own

language with ease and

elegance."

Perhaps the style of those referred to

clumsy and pedantic as his is flimsy and inaccurate but the style of Mr. Home Tooke will be remembered and esteemed when that of Dugald

was

as

Stewart will be forgotten or despised.

ture

Light furni:

may

be

all

the vogue for fashionable minds

l)retty, delicate erections

may

captivate the present

race of literary amateurs

but even the Gothic struc-

tures will present their bold, lofty heads, hoary with

age and venerable for antiquity,

when

the reigning

mode

has vanished away, leaving not a wreck belittle

hind, save a few

fragments in the finical cabitaste

net of the curious.

Good
;

and elegant diction

is

are the insects of a season

sound sense

innonuta-

ble

and immortal.
grace, elegance, taste
;

We hear much of ease,

and

propriety from our literary fashionables

but

little

of the bold, original and manly qualities of the understanding and imagination.
tres

Monsieur Belles Let-

must take care what sort of words he puts in his mouth he must know none but people of fashion, and be ignorant of all life but high life. If he chance
:

to

have any concern with the vulgar people, and

lie east

matters that

of Temple Bar, he must on no

;

account whatever handle or mouth them

act all

but trans-

business relating to them by pretty' shrugs and

elegant

dumb-show

polite

misnomers and delicate

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
inuendos.
as possible,

229 and senseless

even
in-

He may be

as

weak,

finical

but he must not be so

ill-bred as

Plato, the great father of polite literature,

who

troduced crocks and pitchers in discourses on philo-

sophy

nor

must he resemble Tucker, who,

pre-

ferring clearness

and aptness to neatness and politeness, fetched comparisons from the stable and the scullery, when none occurred suitable to the purpose

in the parlour or the drawing-room.

Longinus

in-

deed has

said, that a vulgar

idea

is

sometimes more
;

powerful and sublime than a polite one

but the
it,

composer must
for the It is

for

that very reason not

employ

sublimity of vulgarity must be horrible.

granted that writers would be more free and not restrained by the petty

bold

if

laws of petits
lightter-

maitres concerning the high concernments of

ness and delicacy

but freedom and boldness are

rible qualities to the exquisite sensibilities

and

deli-

cate niceties of a finically refined age. It

would shock

tender intellects into hysterics to introduce such horrid ghosts

as the

images of vulgar objects and de-

parted manners.

The fond
for

lover of polite literature

if

would
were

faint

away

in the arms of his mistress

we

at

any time,

any purpose,

to stir
It

sediment at the bottom of language.

up the would be

necessary to fetch the Scotch Doctors and their college smelling bottle to restore the olfactory delicacies

of the patient.

"

May

there not be

Professor,

some risk (says the worthy Stewart) that by such etymological studies

i?.30

FIITLOSOPIIIC

ETYMOLOGY.
knowis

the taste

may
It

lose

more

in the nicety of its discrimi'

nation than the understanding gains in useful

ledge."

seems

then that taste and the tniderstand-

ing are not twin graces, or two fond lovers.

certainly a great pity
;

That

could the understanding be

taste, there

induced to take a fancy to

might be some

grand dis})lays of gallantry between them, and a match

might be ultimately accomplished.

But
rivals
;

seriously
in

the
;

understanding and taste are

is

proportion as the understanding

preferred
is

taste is

disregarded

in proportion as taste
is

prefer:

red the understanding

enfeebled and enslaved

the

mightiest intellect that ever pulled

down

the pillars

of consecrated absurdity and established error would

soon be shorn of
lilah.

its

strength in the lap of this

De-

When

our mighty, immortal authors wrote,

:

taste

was not even heard of

century or half a cen-

tury after (at the Restoration of the vile, foppish

Stuarts just
zans)

come out of

the lap of French courte-

came

creeping into literary existence a feeble,

finical race,

mawkishly puling about

taste,

as if they

had no receptacle but their stomach, and no standard of excellence but their lolling, drivelling tongue,

which has long ago indicated their ing fatuity to the whole world.

helpless, disgust-

There never was a true genius either before or after Shakespear whom literary artizans and dancingmasters did not
tried

condemn
;

as guilty of

bad

taste

when

by

their petty laws

but

it is

the high preroga-

tive of such a genius to be a laio to himself; scorning

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
every slavish yoke as
ing-strings of infirm

i?Jl

much

as the crutches

and lead-

and childish minds.

His works

may

contain deformity as well as beauty

rugged
ful:

wastes and wilds as well as smooth and

is

fertile plains;

but there every where the simplicity the ness the variety the sublimity of
creation

in the
is

well-cultivated garden of polite literature there

no-

thing but dull regularity and sickly exotics arranged

according to arbitrary rules of propriety and clipped

into a stiff or fantastic shape

by the

finical fingers

of

laborious dulness.

All the faults of an original writer arc amply com-

pensated by great and numerous excellencies

but

no virtues can atone

faults of those

for the

unpardonable sin of mere

roting or repeating instead of inventing.

Even the

who

give their thoughts fresh from the

general preferable
;

spring of original thinking are in

to the excellencies of dull imitators

and

in

speaking
say with
:

of the peciUiariti/ of their faults

Montesquieu

" Liberty
human
it

we ought to
fair \:>\ay,

is

the glorious cause

it

is

liberty that gives

nature
itself;

and allows
for

every singularity to show

less agreeable

and which

one

oddity

may

bring to light, gives to

the world ten thousand great and useful examples."

Before arbitrary principles and rules have become

despotic original thinkers can be nobly singular with-

out fear and without censure

fully established

but

after

tyranny

is

and generally acknowledged, even

Originality cannot exist un-

they must submit in the prescribed, the established,

the authorised manner.

939

PHILOSOPHIC etymology.
:

der the deadly shade of despotism

slaves can neither

think nor feel nor speak as free men.

Mr. Stewart would not only have us abandon

etymology, he would refine us out of the best half of
our language
:

he would not only

strip

words of

their

original import,

when wild

in the

woods of Germany

he would banish many of them from good composition for rudeness and vulgarity. Handle, he says,
has not sufficient lightness and delicacy
ing,
for fine writfine,

and ought to be superseded by that

smooth

Italian

word

treat,

that can nicely touch the finest

nerves of the most delicate ears, without causing the

slightest jar or discord
*'

among

their notions.

In short,

(to

adopt the words of a writer as sen-

sible as

original,

when he

does not plunge into

unexamined depths
life

or strut after Johnson) he

would

proscribe literary genius from every walk but high

;

which, though abounding in fools as well as the

station, is

humblest
mour.)

surdity, (or

by no means so fruitful in abthe means and materials of wit and huwell-bred fools
little

Among

we may
;

despise

much, but have

seems

to

laugh at

nature [art]

to present a universal blank of silk, ribbons,

smiles and whispers."

Our

polite literature

is

mere silken blank of

thin, polished,

worn-out senti-

ment and

expression.

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.

^33

WHOEVER WOULD WRITE WELL MUST HAVE NO RHYTHMUS OR TUNE OF COMPOSITION.

The rhymers
dainty ears with
are all pretty singers,

who
;

soothe
in pro-

much sweet melody

is

and

portion as the art of rhyming

improved and

refined,

the sense

is lost in

the sound ; for

you cannot get the

meaning of the song from the mouth of a fine singer. Pope is one of the sweet singers of polite literature and Wordsworth puts the dear baby to bed with such
;

sweet and sovereign lullaby^ that

should wonder

if it

waked again
:

before the morning of the resurrec-

tion of genius

the mysticism of German and Scotch

metaphysics, has been already introduced to give

music of poetry, (for music has most effect in the stillness and darkness of night,) and the mists and clouds have only to thicken round the
effect to the

intellectual horizon, to involve the understanding in

eternal night

when the ghosts and dreams of diseased

fancy will hold their uninterrupted revellings, masquerades, balls, concerts, or literary converzationcs.

The music and harmony

of composition are not

wholly monopolized by the elegant rhymers

tunes.

the

prosers too have their favourite airs and respective

Most of our

historians have

rhyme
is

as well as

reason in their composition.

There

much

of the
;

roundelay in the far-famed pages of Robertson

not a
little

and

of the clinkum

clankum

in

the profound

2,T4

nill.OSOPHIC ETYxMOLOGY.
of

compositions
tion, the

Gibbon.

Addison's
style,
is,

composi-

model of the middle manner, very intricate, and

irregular, (as meretricious

in the Italian

as

it

were, carelessly

charmers affect a careless,

easy manner)
fingered.

but nevertheless much-laboured and

of Johnson's composition
airs or inarches
is

The music
it
:

formed on one of the martial

of old

Rome

strides
it is

and struts along with the true

goose-step

high and sonorous

full

of clattering
in-

arms and

bristling spears.

You

might suppose,

deed, the writings of Johnson to be the move pointed

passages of Tacitus, Seneca, Sallust and Justin, done

into English.

The tune
;

is

a very easy and perhaps a

very good one

but

according to the
of a good thing

common
:

say-

ing, there is too

much

the ears are

constantly consulted,

but they are surfeited and

sickened with the author's fiivourite measure.

We

have no objection to be pricked on now and then with the point of antithesis, but
to
it

is

rather too bad

dull, sluggish*^

be constantly goaded, as

if

we were

literary asses. Such great masters of composition as Johnson, are not content to nail rare thoughts into our memory with pointed sentences, but treat it as
if it

were merely pincushion to the

toilet

of polite

literature,

which they might

is

stick full of all sorts

and

sizes of useless points

and conceits.
the greatest objection
or a diction in

The above
words

not, however,
;

to a tune -composed style are set to

which the
affects

music

the

rhythmus

the

veracity

and

credibility of the composition.

Socrates

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
is

935

reported to have exclaimed on reading the dialogues

:

of Plato

" Ye gods, how many

fine things has this

young man made me say

that I never uttered !"

How

many fine words are put

tences
to

into fine compositions merely

because they were wanted to point or round the senthe fancy of the author
!

as

unmeaning

particles

and elegant expletives are put into sublime poesies, merely to supply them with beautiful chime
that the
full

rhyme may beat time or to make up the complement oifeet, to enable them to hobble or
;

crawl along the straight line of euphony.

Perhaps the reader will say

Just as impossible as
to the
is

is it

not possible to
to

make good sound an echo or companion

it is

good sense ?

to secure equal attention

meaning of the song and the tune to which it sung. The tune was originally shade, echo, or
to the
till

accompaniment
gain ascendency

meaning, but continued to

sound became, instead of echo,

extinguisher of the sense.

like the

Meaning and euphony

arc

two opposite

scales of a balance

as the

one

rises the other sinks.

THE STUDY OF LANGUAGE IS A NECESSARY PREPARATIVE TO GOOD COMPOSITION.

This
is

so self-evident, that had

it

not been for

some remarks of the rhetorical metaphysicling, I should have deemed the statement wholly superfluous, as a mere truism. It would be as reasonable,

936

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
is

indeed, to deny that the study of telescopes

utility to the science of astronomy

of any

that an acquaintis at all

ance with philosophical instruments

vient to philosophical discovery

subser-

or that a thorough

knowledge of the

tools of

any

art facilitates practical

skilfulness and expertness, as to question

whether

philology be subservient to good composition

and

what is far more importaiit, true knowledge and sound opinion. It is true that some very ready performers

may

not

know much

of the principles of
;

music or nature of musical instruments

cal

so

some may
no-

play very dexterously with words in making rhetori-

harmony

or pretty composition,

who know

thing of the principles and structure of language

the Blairs^ Beatties and Stewarts are performers of
this description
;

but the question

jjlay

is,
?

did they ever

do any thing but

with language

Could they
?

ever experiment with

it

as an instrument of science

Were they
the style

to cant

about composition to eternity,

to
in

would they be able

compose a single paragraph of Bacon, Hobbes, or Home Tooke ?

is

Not only
science

words
:

language in general an instrument of

are intellectual tools

by which the

business of thinking and communication of thought

is

performed

this
:

by

real thinkers

seems now pretty well understood Locke was fully aware of it, though
might have been.
began
" When, (says

rather too late to render his Essay as clear, definite

and useful

as

it

Mr. Locke)

I first

this discourse of the

un-

derstanding, and a good 'while after, I had not the

PllTLOSOPinC ETYMOLOGY.
least idea that
necessarij
(it is

237
was at all

any consideration of

icords

strange that this mistake has been so

general, for

it is
;

stumbling at the very threshold of

ori-

philosophy)
ginal

but when having passed over the

ideas, I

and composition of our

began to exaI

mine the extent and certainty of our knowledge,

found that
it

had so near a connexion with words,

that unless their force and

manner of

signification
little

were
*'

first

well observed, there could be very

said clearly
I

and pertinently concerning knowledge/'

am

apt to imagine, that were the imperfec-

tions [and perfections] of language, as the instrument

of knowledge more thoroughly weighed and more

duly considered, a great many of the controversies

that

make

so

much
lie

noise in the world,

themselves cease, and the

perhaps peace too

way

to

would of knowledge and

it

a great deal opener than

does.

'The consideration then of ideas and words,

great instruments of knowledge,

as the

makes no despicable part of their contemplation, who would take a view of human knowledge in the whole extent of it. And perhaps if they were distinctly weighed and duly considered, they would afford us another kind of logic
and
critic

than

we have

hitherto been acquainted

with."

Had Locke made

to the

the important discovery relative

medium
;

of thought, the instrument of know-

ledge

or rather had he attended to the doctrine of

Bacon, Hobbes, Wilkins and others on the subject

before he began his Essay,
it

would have been more

238

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.

valuable to the world and a nobler

monument

of his

correct judgment, patient reflection, and persevering

industry.*

The defects of his workmanship

are solely

owing

to the defectiveness of his instrument, or rather

his unskilfulness in the nature

and use of the

intel-

lectual tools.

He

had the stamina of a o:ood writer

;

as well as sound thinker but he did not sufficiently study the signs of ideas the medium of thought and he ended his Essay at the beginning of his subject.

Yet

strange as

it is,

and though Mr. Locke

it,

like

many

of his readers was not aware of

his

Essay on the

Understandino- was more a treatise on words than

ideas.

The

truth

is,

they cannot be treated of apart:

we might

as well

attempt to take the soul and body

asunder and dissect them separately, to discover the

principle of life and the nature of mind, as attempt to
treat intelligibly of ideas apart

from words, or of words

apart from ideas.

Home Tooke pronounces the Essay concerning the Human Understanding a treatise on grammar;
Mr.
and
it is

certainly as
;

much
(as

entitled to that

denomina-

tion as an other

but

he justly remarks),
it,

who

would have read

it

or talked of

(for I fear there is

much mere

talk in the business,)

had

it

been called
to con-

by a more proper name had it not professed tain the noble theme of the Understandino- ? 'O
*

Such

Mr. Stewart and

similar

critics

speak of Mr. Locke's wonderfirl

!

originality

^powerful

and creative genius

But the

first article

of their

creed

is,

that words are arbitrary, insignificant signs

unmeaning patches

and

their practice proves their faith.

PHILOSOPHIC ETY.MOLOGY.
dignitaries of intellect as

$39

Dugald Stewart would have

be>-

considered

it

below the digniti/ ofphilosophy ; and "

longing to the same branch ofliterature with that which

furnishes a large proportion of the materials of our com-

mon lexicons and etymological

dictionaries."

These

giants oi Belles Lettres and Fathers of Orthodox meta-

physics can reach the airy summits of intellectual/>Aeno-

mena^ and the cloud-capt pinnacles of the philosophy of mind without being indebted to hard clindbing and sure footing they are as light and vacuous as they
:

are

tall

and powerful, and can

trip

over the vasty

deep of unideal vacuity without sinking to the bot-

tom

Avhile their delicate fingers are bus}^ putting

insignificant

words into pretty composition,

as un-

meaning patches are formed into a beautiful anamorphosis. And what is more, they can make a furious
outcry about religion, like their master Plato and his
frothy, raving discipleTully,

who,

like

Dugald Stewart,

was so outrageously mad

at the idea of the true theory

of the soul being 2w danger^ that he could not write sensibly on the subject.

Every one who has compared them must have

perceived
for

how

inferior

Locke

is

to his great original

though he was

a judicious borrower,
:

he-was no-

thing of an inventor

his inferiority to his original

may be
lender;

partly attributed to his copying instead of

inventing, for the borrower

must be poorer than the

that the one had stuother, for
a

but

apprehend the chief cause of the

difference in question to be,

died language deeply

the

long time

240
at least,

PIJILOSOPIIIC

ETYMOLOGY.
study of studies

wholly neglected

this

this

fundamentally essential and important kind of learnAmong all our original thinkers, no one was a ing.

more determined and formidable adversary

mysticism and jargon of the schoolmen,
philosopher of Malmsbury.

to

the

than the
all

Mr. Stewart, with

the littleness of a college monk, brings the old everlasting charge (with which true philosophers have been persecuted), o^ atheism against him, and especially against his etymologt/. We have nothing to do

here with his aberrations^ (and w^iat

ever infallible?) but
it

human mind was

is

evident that he could not

have been so clear a thinker and definite a writer

without the help of etymology for as he justly remarks, " the most necessary and important study is
;

the study of words :"

tions,

" etymologies

are not defini-

but the best helps to

definitions.''

Persons of crude knowledge and ill-digested opinions, think to proclaim their philosophic sagacity

by exaggerating the importance of the study of thmgs^ and depreciating the dignity and value of the study
Johnson, in his usual antithetic manner, thought himself repeating (for he was saying after an
of words.

ancient authority), a sentiment exceedingly profound,

supremely excellent or extra-superfine,

guing that

when

ar-

we ought

to

pay more
:

attention- to thought

than expression, he said

things are of heaven."

" JVords are of earth but

for the

But

very reason that

attention to

words are not divine but humati^

much

them

is

necessary

because being, like every thing

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
human, imperfect and
liable to corruption

241

and per-

version, they occasion, without constant care,

much
:

mistake, deception, absurdity, folly and mischief.

Things themselves are

it is

in general

simple and uniform

the 7nedium through which they are viewed that

renders

them obscure,

or

shows them crooked,

:

double
it

in false colours,

magnitudes and relations

is

the
all

medium

of vision or perception that occa-

sions

our illusions, false opinions, mental misti;

ness and confusion sary to study the

and therefore

it is

more necesour

mediums than the

objects of

knowledge.

The words
so

of the Philosopher of Malmsbury, are

much

to the present purpose, that I shall not hesi;

tate to

quote them

for I

should despise myself

if I

could be deterred from receiving the sound opinion

and

solid reasoning of a true philosopher,

:

goted clamour of blind zealots

truths (says

" Seeing then, that

by any

bi-

Hobbes) consisteth
to

in the right ordering

of names in our affirmations, a

cise truth

man

that seeketh pre-

had need
for,

remember what every name he

it

uses stands

and to place

accordingly

else

he

will find himself entangled in words, as a bird in lime

twigs

the more he

struggles

the more belimed.

it

And

therefore in

Geometry

(the only science

hath

pleased

God

hitherto to bestow on mankind),

men
;

begin at settling the significations of their words

which
"

settling of significations they call dcjinitions^

in the

and place them

beginning of their reckoning.

By

this

it

appears

how
R

necessary

it

is for

any

242

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
tliat

man

aspires to true

knowledge
;

to

examine the
or

definitions of former authors

and either correct them

where they
himself.

are negligently set

down

make them
theminto

For the

errors of definitions multiply

;

selves as the reckoning proceeds

absurdities,

and leads

men

which

at last

they see but cannot avoid

in

witiiout reckoning

anew from the beginning;

which lies whence, it happens, that they which trust to books, do as they that cast up many little sums into a greater, without considerii^g whether those little sums were
rightly cast
visible,

the foundation of their errors.

From

up

or not

and

at last finding
first
;

the error

and not mistrusting their

grounds,

know

not which

way

to clear themselves

but spend time

in fluttering over their books, as

birds that entering

by the chimney and finding themselves enclosed in a chamber, flutter at the false light of a glass window for want of wit to consider which way they came in.

So

that in the right definition of

is

names

lies

the

first

use of speech, which

the acquisition of science.

;

wrong or no definitions lies the first abuse from which proceed all false and senseless tenets, which make those men that take their instruction from the authority of books and not from their own meditation, to be as much below the condition of
in

And

ignorant men, as those endued with true science are

above

it.

For between true science and erroneous

is

doctrines, ignorance

in the

middle.

Natural sense

and imagination are not subject to absurdity. Nature itself cannot err and as men abound in copious:

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOr.Y.
ness of language, so they

24,'3

become more wise

or

more

letNor is- it ters, for any man to become either excellently wise or (unless his memory be hurt by disease or ill-con-

mad

than ordinary.

possible without

stitution of organs), excellently foolish.

are wise

For words

men's counters

they do but reckon by

them: but they are the money of fools that value them by the authority of an Aristotle, a Cicero, or any other Doctor."

The importance
had almost
"

of this subject could not escape

thinker,
I

that clear, comprehensive and profound

said, that

omniscient philosopher, Bacmi.

The

idols of the market, (says that

wonderful
;

intel-

ligence,) give the greatest disturbance

tacit

and from- a

agreement among mankind, with regard to the

?t"0>r/5

imposition of

and names, insinuate themselves

:

into the understanding

for

words

are generally given

according to vulgar conception, and divide things by

such differences
of: but

as the

common

people are capable

careful

more acute understanding, or a more observation would distinguish things better,

a

when

words murmur against

in definitions,

The remedy of this lies but these themselves are in many cases
it.
:

for words gehowever men may imagine they have a nerate words, command over words and can easily say they will
;

irremediable, as consisting of words

speak with the vulgar and think with the wise.

Terms of
skilful,

art

also,

which

prevail only

among

the
defi-

may seem

to

remedy the mischief; and

R
^2

nitions premised to arts in the prudent mathematicul

244

PIIILOSO^illC

ETYMOLOGY.
:

uranner, to correct the

wrong acceptation of words

in

yet

all

this

is

insufficient to prevent the seducing

incantation of

names

numerous

respects,

their

doing violence to the understanding and

recoiling

This evil, THEREFORE, REQUIRES A NEW AND DEEPER REMEDY."

upon
it

from whence they proceeded.

Every sentence of this great master of wisdom, proves him to have studied words as much as thoughts and things ; and that he employed words as honest
interpreters of nature

not as

false witnesses against

truth, or pretty play-things to

amuse

childish under-

standings

for

he was not a bigoted theorist employwith insects.

It

ing pious frauds, or finical rhetorician playing with

words
to

as babies

were as vain, indeed,

expect true philosophy or substantial good writing

from

men who
as
it

neglect and depreciate the study of

language,

would be

to expect

mathematical

science from persons that have never attended to ma-

thematical signs and instruments.

opinion of a rational dignitary on this subject " This design (says Wilkins deserves to be quoted.
in his

The

Inquiry into a Real Character) will likewise

contribute

much

to the clearing of

some of our mowild errors that

of affected

dern difiTerences by unmasking

shelter themselves under

many

the

diso;^uise

which being philosophically unfolded according to the genuine and natural import of words will appear to be inconsistencies and contradictions and several of those pretended mysteries and profound
phrases
;
:

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.

24iD

notions expressed in great swelling words, whereby

some nnen set up for reputation being this way examined will appear to be either nonsense or very flat
and jejune.
this,

And though
it

it

be of no other use but

mischief that

yet were

well worth a man's pains to study

language considering the

done, and the

common

is

put upon

many impostures and cheats that arc men under the disguise of affected, insigniof the ingenious and original Tuckin

ficant phrases."

The sentiments
er are

worthy of appearing
I

those already given. "

am

pasfes with persuaded (says Tucker)

the

same

that in cases of the highest importance

arrive,
if

we may
as full

often

not at mathematical demonstration, yet at

a degree of evidence that shall

command

and

merit as unreserved an assent.

lead

me now and
I

then to

This persuasion will bestow more time than I

:

could wish upon the signification of words

disquisitions
fear

such
not-

may appear

tedious to

many
shall

withstanding that no pains in

my

power

be
;

spared to render them easy, smooth and palatable

but

hope

to find

of the thing.

excuse in the absolute necessity For without accuracy of language it is

impossible to convey a chain of close reasoning to

others, or

even to be sure of carrying

because

it

on unbroken

ourselves

we must always

deliver our con-

ceptions in words, and foj the most part

in

we

think

words."

" Wherefore in these sciences philology

as partner or

must go along with philosophy, not

companion,

but attendant or handmaid.

For the

2A6

I'll

LOSOI'HIC
is

KTYMOLOGY.
criti-

kr.owlcdgc of things

our principal aim, and

shall

cisin

no further than

be found expedient to

secure our meditations against confusion, and our

discourses against misapprehension."

The Kmits and Stewarts are not worthy of appearcompany with the above philosophers, else I would now introduce some of their cobweb notions to show how soon their light, exquisite, delicate coning in

texture

is

completely spoiled by a mere straw or

If they

breath of argument.
theorij

would have the

it

true

exempted from the

certain danger of being

brushed out of existence, they must keep

the vacuo and mistiness of abstraction
;

snug

in
it

weaving

round with metaphysical composition made up of

of the alphabet : if they creep out into broad day-light, they will be seen

words as insignificant as the

letters

and caught

as sure as they are

metaphysical spiders

and rhetorical silkworms.

The meaning
is

of words

is

evidently of great impor:

tance in every department of knowlege

to the

etymology

qualities of substances.

meaning of words w^hat chemistry is to the Chemical experiments are not always absolutely certain, but they are the surest means of arriving at certain knowledge of the properties

of substances

etymological investigation

may

not in every instance dissipate the obscurities of

words

but

it is

the surest means of rendering their

signification clear

and

certain.

No

one that wishes

to be considered a thinker

tion of his

would hazard the reputaunderstanding by disputing or depreciat-

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
ing the utility and dignity of chemistry
is
:

247

etymology
it is

equally important to science while

;

equally

susceptible of absolute certainty

at

least,

though

much

neglected hitherto,

it

is

already more allied

to chemistry than to

alchymy.

Etymology has been

will refme

the alchymy, but shall be the chemistr}- of language;

whose experimenting processes

dross of philosophy

away

the

purify

intellect

simplify

and

abridge the methods of learning and acquisition of

expose the gilded basencsss of counterdetect the pious frauds of the schoolof the sophists the subtle men the verbal imposture of juggling metaphysics displode and
knowledge
feit

eloquence

tricks

dis-

sipate the stagnant vapours and mistiness

which have

so long

hung around the mental atmosphere

car-

rying a blaze of light into every corner of every de-

partment of science and region of discovery.

this

All
brief,

and

much more

than can be expressed in a

rapid sketch

would be accomplished by a proper Etymological Dictionary, which petty thinklings

quackish

pretenders affect

to

despise as

mere

school-book below the dignity of philosophy.


i^48

PIULOSOPIIIC ETYMOLOGY.

ONE RULE OF COMPOSITION IS NECESSARY, AND THAT ONE RULE IS SUFFICIENT LET THE COMPOSER CONSTANTLY ENDEAVOUR Tp EX:

PRESS HIS MEANING IN AS FEW WORDS AS

POSSIBLE.
This rule
conceive
it

is

so useful and necessary that I cannot

possible for any one to

compose

readily

and excellently without its assistance. The conceptions of the author are exceedingly apt to be entangled and oppressed by verhality ; and the best

means of obtaining
of an idea
is

a clear, full

view and firm hold

its

to

throw away as mere incumbrance

existence.

every word and syllable not necessary to

When

I find

my

thoughts

less free

and distinct

more confused and oppressed than

mediately convinced that there
of words around them
disperse the
as if
;

usual, I

am

im-

is

too great a crowd

multitude,

and the moment I begin to I see my way clear I feel

coming out of a thicket into the open plain, or as when my view is gradually brightened and enlarged by the melting or rolling away of the mists It is with that had hung around the atmosphere.
conceiving and expressing thought as
velling
:

it

is

with

tra;

the shortest cut

is

the straightest direction

and he who takes the straightest course proceeds to the point proposed with most ease and certainty indirect and meandering paths are most apt to bewil:

der and mislead the steps of the passenger.

; ,

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.

249

What

tends to clear and simplify the conceptions

of the writer must tend also to assist the perceptions

of the reader

as clear expression
;

is

inseparably con-

nected with distinct conception

perception of the meaning
is

so a quick and just

certainly connected

as

with perspicuous composition as a distinct and bold

image of our face

fountain.

is

with a bright mirror or pure

Many mistakes
are afloat

respecting concise and diffuse styles

on the current of common, traditionary

authorised 'opinion.

Of all

these errors that

is

the

most erroneous which supposes the

short-cut of style

most
style

liable to obscurity,

and the long round-about

most

likely to be clear

and definite

for it is

evident in almost every page of every book that obscureness, equivocalness, and indefiniteness are the

natural offspring not of conciseness but diffuseness.

It is true that lawyers

who

have been always iaw-

framers proceed on the principle, that the

more

words the
a

better, as if

they could prosecute and com-

pel composition into perspicuity

and definiteness by
;

crowd of tautologies and circumlocutions but aftheir craft would be in no small danger if legal writings were made to lean as much to the exter all,

treme of brevity as they have hitherto done to that

of prolixity.

True, indeed, composition

maybe

ob-

scure and even unintelligible because too concise

deny that there may be a deficiency as well as superfluity of words ? The question is, on what side do writers most frequently err? It refor

who

will

2J0
quires very
tliat

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
little

attention to the subject to perceive

is

the general fault

that of verbosity.

Some

concise styles are bad (this has nothing to

;

do with the question)

yet the advantages of a conare

cise over a diffuse style

many:

brevity and di-

rectness save time and labour and expense,

are

which
is

no unimportant considerations where there

writing,
transcribing,
It is

much

printing,

reading,
last

rere-

peating and roting.

presumed that the

;

mark will rivet conviction in the voters for they must have experienced how difficult and laborious it is to commit and retain the diffuse and straggling
sentences of the favourite models.

would rather rote off all the volumes of Bacon and Hobbes than a single chapter of Locke or page of Addison. A
I

skilful builder can construct a good, sufficient, well-

proportioned, well-compacted edifice out of few materials

:

a good packer can put

little

much
;

value, and even

in proportion

much

quantity into

bulk

and

to the smallness of the

bundle or parcel,

conveniently handled and carried.

more Quantity and

is it

value, bulk and strength, or solidity, are so differ-

ent as to be in most instances contraries.

Chaff,

straw

and

stubble

are

bulky commodities,

(and

useless Avords in composition are as chaff in grain)

pure grain, gold, silver and precious gems are com-

prehended

in

small compass.

Johnson's composi-

tion will perhaps be referred to as a

specimen of confair

ciseness and strength

it

but

it is

not a

example

has

more sound than sense

more

bulk than


PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
Strength
:

9.51

it is

ponderous rather than sohd, and clum;

sy rather than well-compacted

and

its

eternal

moonce

notony of cmtithetic chime indicates humming rather

than thinking.
If the ear or undcrstandinu: be

surfeited with the style of Johnson, perpetual distaste

is

the certain consequence.

my

days and nights to

I

onetime the volumes of Johnson freI

gave

at

quently have

attempted to revive
:

my

first

fondness

the love of my youth

my taste
or distaste,
in

but

could not succeed

my

ears, eyes, understanding, or at the

something
It has

and about me, absolutely kecks

Doctor's doses.

been justly remarked by

Home

Tooke, that
a re-

a concise style serves the purposes of a

map on

duced

scale,

particulars

which enables us to take in numerous and important relations at one view that

would wholly escape our notice if spread out on a wide surface but what is most important to remark on this subject brevity or directness is the NATURAL ALLY OF TRUTH DIFFUSENESS IS THE NATURAL ALLY OF ERROR: truth is simple
; : ;

and direct

as

a straight line

error

is

involved and
Verbality

crooked as the windings of the serpent.

is the covering which such quack philosophers as Kant and Stewart put over their poor, naked, false

theories

simplicity

is

the seal of truth.

My

onlv

regret at hurrying the present

work

(for I

have com-

posed
at

much
heels)

of
is,

it

at full speed,
1

with the compositors

my

that

have not had time to discover

and strike out some hundreds more of unnecessary

252
words.

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.

As

to the opinions, reasons

I

and reasonings
they were such

of the work,
as to require

should despise them

if

much

guarding, with that finical kind of

in

accuracy which consists

many

careful touches

and

cautious retouches of the composition.

553

PART
A STANDARD OF

V.

ORTHOGRAPHY ESTABLISHED.
for I

This
confine

part

win not detain us long

mean

to

my

proofs and illustrations within the

pass of a few instances.

comPerhaps, indeed, some are

already alarmed lest the established order of English

Orthography be disturbed, unsettled and overturned but a very little reflection (if any reflection be necessary), will

convince them that whatever

is

may be
;

established there

no

order, simplicity, regularity or

reasonableness

in

English

Orthography

all

is

wildly irregular and capriciously absurd.

At one
and

time there was something like simplicity and uniformity in English spelling
;

but

later authors

lexicographers seem to have thought that they could

not pursue too devious a course, or adopt too capricious a mode.

The only

question

is,

shall their ab.?

surdity be consecrated into immortality

Shall that

usage which has been introduced and established be

rendered perpetual
?

wish,
in

if

possible, to
;

accomand
if

plish a needful reform

our orthography

men

are so bigoted to present usage or establisheil

folly, as obstinately to refuse

any alteration even

is

in

these matters, any important improvement

hope-

254
less
:

PlIILOSOl'lIIC

ETYMOLOGY.

the slaves of authority

the

disciples of cus-

tom the literary bigots are not worth reasoning with. I do not pretend to legislate but to point out the true principles of legislation. True etymology ought
to regulate orthography
;

and the intention of

my

reasonings

is

to unfold the nature

and establish the

authority of true etymology.

Perhaps no one has studied the pronunciation and spelling of the English language so much as Mr.

Walker

and that author has justly remarked

is

"

Our

orthography

not only an insuperable difficulty to

foreigners, but an eternal source of dispute and perand though it would be in vain plexity to ourselves
;

to think of

removing every intricacy [why vain

?]

that

is

constantly arising from indolence and caprice,

a

yet that
a

considerable

number may be remedied by

view of the general laws of formation will be readconceived by those

ily

who

enquire into the origin

of.

of the difficulties complained

By
many

an affectation

of approximating to the orthography of the learned

languages

we have

rooted out

useful letters

up naturally with exotic words, and have been led to exclude all letters in our compounds which are not actually pronounced, though their existence in these words is often no less necessary to
that sprung

prevent ambiguity than

in
e. is

the simples themselves.

Thus
of
its

the useful servile

hardly ever suffered to

a feeling

have a place in composition, though from

importance
it

we

are almost intuitively

tempted

to let

remain in the branches whenever

we

rccol-

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
lect
it

2o3

in the root.

The omission
/,

or insertion of this

occasions a numerous catalogue of rules and exceptions.

The

other serviles

s,

&c. are no

less

ab-

surdly omitted in composition, though their power

remains, and by this means both orthography and

pronunciation arc confounded.

The

duplication of
is

consonants when an additional termination

thography, as

assumor-

ed forms another difficulty in our terminational

it

may be

called,

which has embarIt is

rassed the most correct and accurate writers."

This

is

the lano'uasfe of sense and reflection.

(if

human folly can surprise one who has looked long and much around him in the world) how absurdly men persevere in perplexsurprising

indeed any kind of

ing

methods without ever stopping

to enquire whererectified.

in the evil consists, or

how

it

may be

Boys
ra-

are actually several years in

learning to spell the

English language (what with a simple, uniform,

tional orthography

might be learned
;

in a

few weeks,

or at most, a few months)

nor are they then, or

indeed to the end of

spelling of

life,

certain about the proper

some words.
useless
;

tance to prevent

were of no imporlearning, and render language

if it

As

simple and easy

we seem
is

to think
difficult.

it

cannot be ren-

dered too perplexing and

plained of indeed

The

evil

com-

like all the other evils

connected
attribu-

with mistakes concerning language

"

wholly

table to the neglect of rational etymology.

To

detect (says Mr. Walker) the orthographical

il

irregularities of our language

will be necessary fust

266
to lay

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
down such
general

maxims
place.

in spelling as

have

almost universally taken

By

these

we may

judge of the impropriety of those deviations which

are

owing perhaps

to a

formation as here exhibited,

the irregularity extends."

want of seeing the laws of and knowing how far

The aphorisms
and meritorious

laid

down
I

by the above

sensible
;

author

for though he thought the evil shall examine he complained of too deep to be remedied, and therefore endeavoured to bring the absurdity into a fixed

and regular shape,

cannot perceive

why

it

may

not

be cut up by the roots at once instead of being

established for ever.

" Monosyllables (says Mr. Walker) ending with/,

/,

or

5,

preceded by a single vowel, double the

;

final

consonant

as sta,^\ inill^ pass,

&c."
;

This

is

according to general practice

but there
:

is

no reasonableness or utility in the practice

/. and double ently (as they /.
/,

double
differ-

&c. used to be pronounced

are in
;

still

some

dialects) from" single

is

and single

/,

&c.

but as there

now no

differ-

ence whatever in the power of the double and single form of the same letter, why double it uselessly ?
If
it

were

for

no other purpose than to save time,

it

labour, trouble and expense,

would be of impor;

tance to drop the superfluous letter

sion of
it

and as the omisbe omitted.

would
it

greatly simplify the orthography of

our language,

ought manifestly

to

There

is

something
ss.

like a reason indeed for retain-

ing the double

as

it is

usually pronounced differ-

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
ently from the single form of the same letter
/iiss ;
;

257
as his,

as, ass.
z.

It

should be observed, however, that

s. is

either

or single
;

superfluous, as they have both

if it

one sound
spelt
iz,

thus

is

has the same sound as

z. is

were

&c.

The

rather an alien than a native

in the English language,

and might be very easily

:

would move (hoping the practice of every good writer will second the motion) that the following be adopted as
and
I

expelled as a nuisance or cumberer

the principles of English orthography.

FIRST PRINCIPLE OF ENGLISH ORTHOGRAPHY.

THAT NO SUPERFLUOUS LETTER IN ANY SYLLABLE OF ANY WORD BE RETAINED.

Thus
J

instead of 5/a^spell staf ; and for inill put

mil &c.

SECOND PRINCIPLE OF ENGLISH ORTHOGRAPHY. THAT THE SPELLING OF THE SAME WORD BE NOT CHANGED IN ANY CONNEXION.

Why
words
;

should y. be changed into

as spi/ into spies,

i.

in
;

so

many
into
calls

instead of spt/s

carry into
;

carrier, instead

oi carry er, or rather carycr

?

pay

paid, instead of /?aj/ef/, &c.

this an

Mr. Walker justly

It
is

unaccountable caprice.
s

a caprice

that

2.5S

PHILOSOPHIC ETY.MOLOCV.
or-

serves no one purpose whatever but to render

thography

difficult

and perplexing.

THIRD PRINCIPLE OF ORTHOGRAPHY. LETTERS OUGHT NOT TO BE DROPPED OR SUPPRESSED WHEN THE WORD TO WHICH THEY BELONG IS COMPOUNDED WITH OTHER WORDS OR PARTICLES.

The
duely
;

following instances are

dull/,

all

at variance

with

the above principle:

truly,
;

instead of truely
chastly, chastness,

wholly instead of wholely

;

for chastely, chasteness

for blameable,

blamahle, curable, sensible,

cureable,

&c. &c.
is

The

reason of the above principle

obvious

such
as in

capricious and irregular omissions of letters,

duly, truly, wholly, &c. can serve

no purpose what-

ever but to render spelling difficult and perplexing.

FOURTH PRINCIPLE. Letters OUGHT NOT TO BE NEEDLESSLY ASSUMED.

The
lowing
general practice of spelling on

which the
founded,
:

fol-

Aphorism

of Mr. Walker
foregoing

variance with the

principle "

is

is at

Words

ending with a single consonant, preceded by a single

vowel and with the accent on the last syllable, upon assuming an additional syllable beginning with a

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
vowel ory, double the consonant,
tor
;

559

as to abet, an abet;

to begin, a beginning'

a fen, fenny

thin, thin-

nish,

&c."
is

This

a most

uncertain and perplexing

rule,

which not only occasions much trouble

but even
graph}^
;

to learners,

to old practitioners in the business of ortho-

hence some spell worshipping, counselling,

bigotttd,

&c. instead oi worshiping, counseling, bigoted, though the accent be not on the syllable in which the " Why, (says Mr. Walker) we letter is doubled.
libelling, levelling, revelling, I
;

should write

am

totally

at a loss to determine

and unless

/,

can give a better

plea than any other letter in the alphabet, for being

doubled
sion."

in this situation I

must, in the style of Lu7'.,

cian, in his trial of the letter

declare for an expulit

This

is all

very good so far as

goes, only

it

does not go

far

enough

Why

not declare for

an ex}

pulsion of all supernumeraries, idlers, and cumberers

The

reason

why
was

the consonant

was ever doubled

&c.
is

in

such instances as
enouo'h
stress
:

abettor, beginner,

obvious

it

intended to indicate the accent or

syllable,
;

laid

on that

but such indication

is

wholehj unnecessary

for the

accent was sufficiently

understood to be on

that syllable before the consonant

was doubled.

260

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.

FIFTH PRINCIPLE. THE FINAL C. SHOULD BE EMPLOYED SOLELY FOR THE PURPOSE OF LENGTHENING THE PRECEDING VOWEL AND SOFTENING^, c. as in matc^ niite^ note, inute, mete, &c.
; ;

bulge, mince, &c.

In such instances as the foregoing, the final

real
less

e.

has

use
;

in all other instances it is

worse than useab-

such
/.

as love, give,

&c.

In almost every case

of a word
it
;

when

occurs in the

last syllable

e.

is

surdly enough put after instead of before

trouble, dribble,
bel,

as battle,

&c.

instead of battel or batel, trou-

dribbel or dribel.
as

The

reason of the thing, as

especially foreigners,
to be adopted.

^vell

regard for

learners,

plainly

shows what mode ought

SIXTH PRINCIPLE. SUPERFLUOUS SPELLINGS FOR THE SAME SOUND SHOULD BE AVOIDED.

The above

principle

is

exceedingly comprehensive,

having relation to vowels and diphthongs the everteeming sources of useless, troublesome variety

which corrupted dialects and disordered dictionaries exhibit so pomIt will require a dictionary to show the full pously. extent and importance of the principle above stated
that gouty, dropsical copies verborum,
;

for I

do not write unadvisedly

in addina:,

that two-

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.

S>6l

thirds of Johnson's mountitudinous pile of lexicogra-

phy
I

are merely useless spellings.

object not to such varied

;

spellings

as

serve

the purpose of ellipsis

head^

heed.,

hood, hat^ hvd,

and many others are merely varied spellings (answering to varied pronunciations) of the
in different

same word, taken

for dif-

views and relations, or employed

ferent purposes: in a proper dictionary, however, all

such forms of the same word would be collected or

grouped into one view.

It is well

known
word

to those

who have

attended in the

slightest degree to the subject, that

when

the final

syllable of a

is

unaccented, the quality of the

sound

is

so indeterminate as to be indicated v/ith

:

equal precision by any of the vowels * thus lover

might have been spelt

lovar, lovor, lovij\ lovur

reason
;

might have been spelt reasan, reasen^

reasin, reasun

servant might be spelt servent^ sercont, servint, servunt.

The

quality of the sound being in

it

all

such cases so

uncertain, that

cannot be expressed to the eye

;

with more definiteness by one vowel than another

the only consideration
is

to

adopt a certain uniform

orthography of the
en, on
;

manner of
cr,

spelling, to render the

language simple and easy.

or, ir, ur,

We

have ,

ar,

&c.

ad, ed, id, &c. as terminations

The

reader

may

consult the Principles of English Pronunciation,

;

prefixed to Walker's Pronouncing Dictionary

subject as philosophically treated, as
it is

where he

will find the

possible to treat the Proteus of

is,

pronunciation: the only fault of the author's reasonings

that they arc

not suflicieutly etymological.

2()!2

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
6r,

but as

c,

ed, are the general^

they ought to be

the uniform manner: beggar should be spelt heggei\

or rather heger like lover\ baker ^ bretver,
acior,
acter.

&c.

author,

and such words should also be spelt auther,

Instead of

some terminations being

instead of

ant,

and

others ent, as servant, regent, they ought to be uni-

formly servenl, regent, &c.

some being on
ought to be

and others
uniformly

en,

as blazon,

blazen, they

en, as in leaven, golden,

&c.
from being

The

only reason that can be given for the above

is far

useless, troublesome diversity,

rea-

sonable.

Foreign words,
in a foreign in

it

seems, must be spelt and

pronounced
been
years
settlers
;

manner.

They may have

the English language a thousand

but they are on no account to be naturalized:

they are to be aliens in English to

they have, like parsons and Jews, an indelible character

;

all

eternity.

In no dialect has there been so

affectation (for
it is

much

of this foolish

like

our other

literary absurdity

a bastard

propriety begot by vanity on superficial

;

knowledge,) as in English to which ignorance and senselessness have given the whimsical appearance
of a harlequin's jacket, or rather the wretched character of a beggar's coat, bunglingly pieced up of

patches from

ail

the dialects of the world.

In this

view

it

may be

considered the Clootz, (or Clouts)

the orator of the

dern philology
earth.
It

human race come to harangue moin the name of all the dialects of the

may be

said

our language

is

actually

made up

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
of
all

263
has been
it

languages

and

much nonsense
it

retailed concerning this matter,

some boasting of
meet
1

as an excellence, and others deploring

as a fault.
in the

Both these extremes of

silly criticism

point of ignorance concerning the subject.

mean

not to rectify vulgar errors on the subject in this

place
;

it is

sufticient to remark,

that the sole reason

why

the English language has a

more grotesque,
has been more

harlequin, beggarly, borrowing, patched-up appear-

ance than

its

neighbours

is,

that

it

absurdly treated
spelt.

As

to substantial excellence

more whimsically pronounced and

true greatness,

the English language can look

tnaitres of France, Italy

down on

the petits

and Greece, like Hercules and scornfully say, " There is no divinity on Adonis,
in thee."

There was something of Doric dignity

freest republican age;
little

that might have vied with the Gothic, about the old

Roman

in his

but the Corin-

thian graces and airs of the

things that play'

about the lap of Venus

life

that strut about the stage of

arts,

with true elegance, and buzz about the Jine

the Belles Lettres, and the easiest manner of running

in the harness of rules,

and bearing the burden of op-

pression and the lash of criticism,

the

language of

the musicians, dancing-masters, perfumers, frizzlers,

gilders,

picture-connoisseurs,

farce-amateurs,

doll-

dealers,

&c. &c. &c.

is

so very different from the

rude, barbarous style of Gothic or Herculean thinkers,

that

it

would not be

fair to

contrast their differ-

ent excellencies.

2()4

J'llILOSOlMllC
the

ETYMOLOGY.

numerous and almost innumerable superfluous spellings of the same sound, the following
deserve to be noted with a view to salutary retreuch-

Among

ment

?/,

ey^ at,

ei,

as in prai/, prct/, vail, veil,

&c.

None but

those

who have

looked only a

little

way
In

into language, will think

such varieties useful.

dropping superfluous forms of words

we

should be

guided by etymology
tained

that for7n only should be re-

which

indicates

most distinctly the derivation

it

of the word, or the tribe of words to which

?/ is

belongs:

the general form in our language, rather than cy,

ci,

more nearly related to the parent form ag than any of the other kindred forms of the same descent oi/ and ol come under the foregoing remarks ee, ea, ie, eo, are employed to denote the fust is the general, and therethe same sound
ai or

and

it is

fore

most

rightful

form

and

it

is

the most rational,

because the most

of

certain
e,

and
ee
;

intelligible

method
being
It

expressing

long

is

the

letter

doubled, which

pronounced emphatically. is would render our orthography far more simple,

to
spell all
;

unitreat,

form and certain,

receive, believe,

such words as
receev,

people
are
as

treef,

beleev, peepel,

&c.

oa, ow, oe,

employed

to express the

same
is
:

sounder long
oii\

a.,

in coat, grott),doe; the first

the general and therefore ought to be the only form

oa express the same sound, but the

to
;

first

only

ought

be retained

aw, au,

express
:

the

same
re-

sound

one of them should be dropt

;

ew, eu, ue,

express the same sound

the

first

only should be

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
tained
:

26o
;

oo,

ow, u^ express the

:

same sound

the

first

only should be retained

ing of the above sound,

oii^

properly a French spell-

is

most absurdly sprinkled

over our whole

in
it

Ian2rua2,e,

and almost incurablv fixed

by the towering authority of our lexicographic

Pol3^phemus.

Why

should
;

we

write labour instead

of labor, or rather laber

or piteus P

and piteous instead ofpiteos,

our orthograpluj
tissue of the
is commost capricious

The

truth

is,

plete moileij-graphy

absurdity that was ever put into a dictionar}'.

I

have remarked

in a

preceding part that pronunafter

it

ciation

draws orthography

so long as there

is
:

no orthographical standard generally acknowledged

it

that both the pronouncing ought to follow the guidance of etymoand spelling
is

evident, however,

logy, else they will proceed in

no certain

direction.
neior-

There has been much grave debate among men,

ther qualified forjudging nor legislating

whether

thography ought to be brought to pronunciation or

pronunciation
ever,
to

orthography.

It

requires,

how-

no profound study of language to perceive that

both ought to be regulated and fixed by rational ety-

mology

any other standard of propriety

It is

is

worse

than none.

to be regretted

that

Mr. Walker
to dig
a

did not venture

little

(for

he was well qualified)

deeper, and lay a firmer foundation of English

Th;it he perceived the

pronunciation and spelling.

absurdity of setting
\x^

guage

is
is

custom as the arbiter of lanevident from the following quotation " Bur
:

what

this

custom

to whicli

we must

so implicitly

266 submit?

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
Is
it

the iis^ge of the multitude?

This

has never been asserted by the most sanguine abettors of its authority.
in

Is

it

the usage of the studious

schools and colleges, with those of the learned

professions, or that of those

who, from

their eleva-

ted birth and station, give laws to the refinements

and elegancies of a court ? To confine propriety the latter, which is too often the case, seems an
jury to the former
;

to
in-

who

from their very profession

least,

appear to have a natural right to a share, at

the legislation of language,
reignty.
if

in

not to an absolute sove-

The

polished attendants on a throne are as

apt to depart from simplicity in language as in dress

and manners

and novelty

is

too often the jus

et

nor-

ma

loqiiendi oi a court."

"But

alas! reasoning

on

language, however well-founded,

may be

all

overit

turned by a single quotation from Horace.

This

must be confessed,
troversy,

is

a short

way

of ending the con-

and by
in

virtue of this

argument we may

become
This

critics
it."

language, without the trouble of

studying

is all

very sensible, yet he was so

much

over-

awed by

that kind of criticism

which

is

exempted

from the trouble of studying language., as to say, "If once custom speak out, however absurdly., I sincerely acquiesce in its sentence."

This acquiescence in
all his

absurdity has unfortunately rendered

baseless fabric
;

labour a

for the evil requires a

deeper remedy
the talk about

than he ventured to apply.

^.I'iwo* language,

After

all

no one surely needs

to be convinced

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
that
if it

267
is

be absurdit/ fixed more harm than good

done.

The

instances of superfluous forms of

spelling

above given are connected with vowels and diph-

thongsthe

great innovators, changers and corrupt;

ers of language

constantly tending

to render

it

Proteus or chameleon, subject to no fixed principles

or certain reasoning
:

instead of idolizing these mis-

chievous
li?igs,

letters in the

manner of ignorant grammatic-

they ought, as

much

as possible,

to

be expel-

led or suppressed.

Among
ci,
ti^

other superfluous spellare of frequent

ings of the

same sound the following

shi,

occurrence;

si;

as

in fashion,

occasion,

vexation, special,
o?ie
;

&c.

All these forms arose out of

in

and

o)ie

form would be

every respect a great

advantage over the several that

The

following principle
it

is

now exist. of so much importance

that I shall put

into a peculiar form for the pur-

pose of exciting attention.

THE GREAT CANON OF SPELLING AND PRONUNCIATION.

T/iai

mode of

spelling

and pronouncing should

effectuality

he

adopted which indicates most

tion

the

denta-

and primanj meaning of the word.

following arc a few of the
to

The
ca7i07i
:

many words

that

might be given

show the importance of the above

height should be spelt hight, being high and

'2i)b

IMIILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
l.

the affix

contracted from ed,

eth,

&c.

neighbour

should he pronounced and spelt nighhour, or rather

?iio/ibcr,

he'mg ftigh prefixed to

^er,

or nigh with an

affix

butler should

be pronounced and spelt boUler^

or rather boiler^ being the

word

bottle

(which should
should

be

botel)

with the

affix er
;

loadstar, loadstone,

be leadstar, Icadstone
xnino)

load, (the leading vein of a

loadsman
:

lead,

leadsman: wardtnote should

be wardmeei

hoe should be hew.

If the above principle were steadily kept in view

our language might soon be rendered

simple, uniform and intelligible.
or

much more
such double
;

In

all

many forms
farther
dole
;

as bale, bane, baleful, barieful

;

fur;

ther,

blanch, blench, flinch

jjlain,

plane

deal,

jail,

gaol

fly, flee,

&c. only one form

and that which has the best recommendation ought to be retained in good writing and in dictionaries
:

all

those words ought to be grouped into one view

;

that are closely related

as die, dead,
ivell,

(which should
;

be died) death
first

ichole,

weal,

wealth

probe,
or the
;

prove, proof (the last should be spelt

/>ro/<?,

proov,

and pronounced
;

accordingly)
bite,

fear,

feared, afeared, afraid

It is

mouth,

bait,

meat.
si-

evident that with these, and a thousand

milar examples, lexicography, orthography and pro-

nunciation might do
7'inthian

much

in

diminishing the

labtj-

hugeness and intricacy

in

reducing the
it

diseased bulkiness of our language and rectifying

into simplicity, regularity and (what
is

of most im-

portance) intelligibleness.

PHILOSOPHIC ETYMOLOGY.
I

269
Prospectus)
;

had purposed (when

put forth

my

to treat

more

full}'

and minutely of orthography

but

as the Introduction of

my

intended Dictionary will

embrace the principles of spelling and pronunciation

I shall

not add more on the subject in this work.

have done enough to enable the world to judge of

my
its

philological qualifications for performing such a

as will give

work

mc room

to treat of language in all

I

height and depth,

length and breadth.

have

done enough

to convince true enquirers

and judges

how simply and intelligibly language may be unfolded, and how important such a development
must be
to

true science, intellectual progress, and

human

happiness.

THE END

G. Smallfield, Printer, Hackuey.

UC SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY

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