meaning. The true paffage is as follows. It is my purpose in the ensuing work to give an account of the first ages; and of the great events, which happened in the infancy of the world. Preface p. 1. No mention is here made of the history of ancient nations; nor are nations at all included. I meddle not with the laws and customs; with the wars and alliances, nor with any of thofe fubfequent events, with which the hiftory of the world is made up. The occurrences, of which I treat, were many of them prior to the very migration of families, and the peopling of the earth. But he not only infists, that I have composed an history upon this subject; but that I have founded it upon these elements and atoms, of which he has faid fo much. But this is manifeftly untrue, as muft appear to any perfon the least converfant in my work and it is exprefly contrary to my own words. What I had faid about these elements I fubmitted with diffidence to the reader: and I then clofed with these remarkable words. If it should appear, that the grounds, on which I proceed, are good, and my method clear and warrantable, the fubfequent biftories will in confequence of it receive great illuftration. But fhould it be my misfortune to have my fyftem be thought precarious, or contrary to the truth; let it be placed to no account, but be totally fet afide; as the biftory will speak for itself, and may without thefe belps be authenticated. p. 215. After this comes an account of the first part of my work; but it is by no means reprefented in that fair and candid way, which might have been expected from a perfon of learning. My fentiments are mentioned, but in a tumultuary manner, being deprived of their first order and arrange. ment, and deftitute of those numerous evidences, with which they were originally accompanied. Hence Hence what I have faid, muft appear not only erroneous, but even ridiculous, to thofe perfons, who receive my ideas through this faulty and confufed medium. I am forry to fay, that he not only takes pains to place things in the most unfa vourable light but he often advances, what, F fhould think, he must have known to be not true. Thus he accufes me (p. 59.) of having transplanted the people of Ammonia Libyca: of placing them in Afia; and raifing them to an unwarrantable degree of glory. Regionem gentemque Ammoniam Libya novimus: eam vero in Afiam induxit, et ad tantam dignitatem evexit, nemo ante Bryantium. p. 59. Now through the whole feries of my writings I do not recollect, that I once mention this people: much lefs do I remove them to other parts; or fpeak of their elevation and dignity. The family, of whom I fpeak, confifted of the fons of Ham collectively. They held the founder of their race in idolatrous veneration: and as they ftyled him Amon rather than Ham; I have fpoken of them in confequence of it by the name of Amonians. And this was no fecret to this writer: p. 56: though he does not quote my words truly. Itaque cum totus hic populus communem avum divino honore coleret, Solemque et Ammonem, vocaret, factum eft, ut communi nomine Ammonæi nominarentur. This, though not precisely related, yet will fhew, how very unfairly he deals with me. And even here there is mistake upon mistake: for I never faid, that they were really focalled; but gave them the name myself for the reason above related. Nor did I raise them to any degree of grandeur, nor tranfplant them at my will, as this writer fuppofes. Three parts out of four of this family may in great measure be ar reft for me. My principal bufinefs is with the fons of Chus. Upon their hiftory I chiefly found niy fyftem and a wonderful history it is; however my learned friend may neglect or despise it. In another place he fpeaks of my ignorance and blindness; particularly in having recourse to a quotation; which, he fays, makes as much against me, as for me. Deinde, quod fæpius jactat Euftathii dictum, ει βαρβαρον το ονομα, ου βαρβαρον το ονομα, ου χρη ζητειν Ελληνικην ετυμολογίαν αυτέ, illud reciprocari non fenfiffe videtur, ut Græcæ vocis originem in barbaris ne quæramus. p. 67. Here again he is totally mistaken, as must be obvious to all, who have read me. I may fometimes fhew a feeming analogy between different languages, fubfifting at the fame time but my elements, whether true or false, are derived from a higher fource: they are not fought for among any nations ftyled barbarous; but taken from a primitive language, antecedent to Greece, and all its contemporaries. I fhall now proceed to his verbal criticisms: and here, I think, the whole difpute between us may be brought into fmall compass. The grammarians have laid down particular rules in treating of Grecian etymology: which this learned critic looks upon as infallible and confequently to be invariably followed. I have an opinion of his learning: yet I cannot by any means accede to his notions. I look upon thefe rules to be arbitrary, uncertain, and oftentimes abfolutely falfe. On this account he infists, that I am but partially informed: and totally unacquainted with the genius of the Greek and Latin languages. Be this, as it may : I will give my reasons for differing from him: and for that purpose will canvass fome paffages; where for his own fake as well as mine he treats me with too much contempt. And yet I must confefs, that I am in some respects worse than he makes me: for I muft affure him, that I do not fin out of ignorance. I know I knowingly and wilfully offend, if any offence there be. μαι. καυσις καύμα, καύμα I had taken notice of the word xavμa, heat; and mentioned it as a primitive word: and fhewed that it was to be found in the Hebrew and Arabic languages: and that it was the fame as Cham, and Chama, (nn) which have the like fignification. Upon this my opponent makes this remark concerning me. Pervulgatiffima grammaticorum præcepta aut nefciviffe, aut neglexiffe videtur. Kaupa a voce Cham repetendo, non de verbo xaw, xauw, cogitavit ; neque de terminatione frequentiffimâ pa. Itaque mire infenfus eft Græcorum terminationibus, quæ eum fæpe male habuerunt. p. 68. I must confefs, that if I had been afked, when a boy, whence xavμx was derived, I should have anfwered from xxxvMai. And xavois I fhould have deduced from Eκαυσαι ; and καυτης from κεκαυται : and I fhould have given a well-known rule ;-that almost all verbals are derived either from the first person of the præterperfect paffive in pa; or from the fecond perfon, if they end in is; or from the third perfon, if in τns. If the genius of the Greek language confifts in fuch flight notices; I was acquainted with it when almost a child. But who can think, that there is any validity in this mode of derivation? Can any body in their fenfes fuppofe, that a word fignifying heat can be derived from I have been made hot: and that the cause was deduced from the effect. Kauna Καυμα is an external inflammatory principle; and be. tokens folar influence, and elementary heat and burning. This will appear from the general, ufage of the term. Οιη δ' εκ νεφέων ερεβεννη φαίνεται απρ Καύμα Καυμα δ ̓ ὑπ' ἀμφοτέρων κατέχει ιοειδέα ποντον. Heliod. Theog. v. 844. It is very proper for grammarians to bring words of the fame relation and genus under a proper arrangement; and to place them under one head for the fake of method and memory. But this way of proceeding, though neceffary, is not always founded in truth: and the subordination is often imaginary. It is very proper to divide an army into various parts; and to place a perfon over every divifion. But the perfon fo placed is fo far from being the father of the whole, that he is oftentimes the youngeft of the corps. We attribute both to the heavens and to the earth meridians and parallels; and circles of other denominations. These are undoubtedly neceffary; and of great fervice: but who ever thought, that they really exifted? The canons, to which grammari ans would confine etymology, are in many instances as ideal as the lines in a sphere. A perfon must not be looked upon as a novice or an ideot, if he doubts of their reality. As my ingenious opponent is fo devoted to these rules, I would fain afk him, which he thinks prior; nouns, or verbs : and by what criterion he determines. I believe, it would prove a puzzling queftion. I would alfo defire to know, whether he thinks, that a fet of men framed language: and that they agreed, fuch terms should be principal; and fuch derivative and dependant: and accordingly formed the canons of grammar. They muft at this rate have been in poffeffion of the very thing, they fought after: which fhews the abfurdity of the fuppofition. Language is certainly artificial; however it may have varied. It witneffes wonderful defign in its correfpondent parts, and arrangement. Nor can we be |