Our readers will not expect us to discuss the propriety of the author's eight hundred derivations. After the cautions which we have suggested, respecting the ground on which most of them rest; and the admonition which we have thought it our duty to give, concerning the moral defects of the work; we refer to an examination of it, those whose constitutions are proof against nausea or infection, They will, indeed, have to search into a dunghill; but their task however disgusting may not be altogether unprofitable. We proceed to consider what influence Mr. H. T.'s researches, may have on grammatical arrangement in general; and particularly, in our own language. In doing this, we must refer to the early part of his work, for the only intimation. which he has given of his plan: we shall then compare it with the course which he has hitherto pursued; and subjoin such hints as the revision may afford, for general use. The first aim of language,' says our author, (part I. p. 27.) was to communicate our thoughts: the second, to do it with dispatch. On these principles, he proposes to proceed in his inquiry into the manner of the signification of words.' They lead him, ، 1. To words necessary for the communication of our Thoughts. And 2. To Abbreviatious, employed for the sake of dispatch.' ib. p. 45. In English, and in all Languages, there are only two sorts of words which are necessary for the communication of our thoughts.' 1. Noun, and 2. Verb, p. 47.' In the strict sense of the term, no doubt both the necessary words and the Abbreviations are all of them Parts of Speech; because they are all useful in Language, and each has a different manner of signification. But I think it of great consequence both to knowledge and to Languages, to keep the words employed for the different purposes of speech, as distinct as possible. And therefore I am inclined to allow that rank only to the necessary words: and to include all the others (which are not necessary to speech, but merely substitutes of the first sort) under the title of Abbreviations.' p. 48. On these premises, some expectation might naturally be founded, of methodical and luminous arrangement in the subsequent discussion: and whether the author had first erected the pillars of his edifice, by treating of the Noun and the Verb; or had chosen to begin with the abbreviations and reserve the use of his more solid material, till he had assorted the rest; we should gladly have given him credit for a preference that might be condered as the result of investigation. After the most laborious search, however, we have not been able to discover that he kept any plan in view: and the only means by which we can give our readers any idea of the manner in which he has proceeded, is to lay lay before them the heads of his subsequent Chapters in both parts of his work. Part I. Of the Noun.-Of the Article and Interjection. Of the word THAT.-Of Conjunctions, and their Etymology.—Of Prepositions." -Of Adverbs, Part II. The Rights of Man.-Of Abstraction (four Chapters, extending to 412 pages.)-Of Adjectives.-Of Participles. Of the Verb, and the Pronoun, nothing as yet, is said; and of the NOUN, next to nothing, éxcept on the derivations of abstract nouns, which form the principal subject of his chapters on abstraction. Many of these, he deduces (as we have already intimated) from the past participles of Verbs; mostly in the Greek, Latin, Italian, and French languages. Many others, he traces to past participles of the Northern Languages, terminating with d, t, or n; or changing the characteristic vowel, or dipthong, of the verb to which they belong. Some he derives from the third person singular, of what he calls the Indicative;' or what is commonly termed, the present tense of the Indicative Mood. So far as he has established this dependance of Nouns on Verbs, he has therefore demonstrated, that the former belong to the class of abbreviations; and not to that of 'words necessary for the communication of thoughts.' This is evidently incompatible with his primary arrangement; and seems to require that the Noun, which he defines to be, "The simple or complex, the particular or general sign or name of one or more ideas,' (part I. p. 52) should be separated from all abstract terms, and placed in a different general class. If, however, he degrades this numerous species of nouns from the rank which they have hitherto held, he seems willing to supply their place from the tribe of ADJECTIVES, whose claim has of late been strongly contested. An Adjective is the name of a thing which is directed to be joined to some other name of a thing. And the substantive and adjective so joined, are frequently convertible, without the smallest change of meaning: As we may say-A perverse nature, or, A natural perversity.' Part II. p. 431. 'It is therefore well called Noun adjective: for it is the Name of a thing, which may coalesce with another Name of a thing.' ib. 442. But let not, this promoted subaltern prematurely exult. His blushing honours are suddenly nipt by our author, page 458. 'If, in what I have said of the Adjective, I have expressed myself clearly and satisfactorily; you will easily observe that Adjectives, though convenient abbreviations, are not necessary to language: and are therefore not ranked by me amongst the Parts of Speech. ib. p. 458. The 6 The only consolation we can give for hopes so cruelly disappointed, is to declare that we do not think the author has expressed himself clearly and satisfactorily' on the subject; nor that he has acted fairly in conferring the title, but withholding the rank, of a Noun. Equally are we at a loss how to dispose of the PARTICIPLE; of which Mr. H. T. has treated copiously, though he has withheld his opinion of its principal, the Verb. Of the Participle, he says, : This kind of word, of which we now speak, is a very useful Abbreviation for we have the same occasion to adjective the VERB as we have to adjective the NOUN. And, by means of a distinguishing termination, not only the simple Verb itself, but every Mood, and every Tense of the verb, may be made adjective, as well as the Noun. And accordingly some languages have adjectived more, and some languages adjectived fewer of these Moods and Tenses. And here I must observe that the Moods and Tenses themselves are merely Abbreviations: I mean that they are nothing more than the circumstances of Manner and Time, added to the Verb in some languages by distinguishing terminations.' ib. p. 467. Thus, the Participle appears to be nothing more than an Abbreviation of an abbreviation; yet, as it is a Verb adjective; and a Verb is an essential part of Speech; and an adjective is entitled by our author a noun, it seems to have a less equivocal claim to rank, than that which is often made to an extinct peerage. Dismissing, however, this difficult question, let us attend to the participles of Moods and Tenses, which Mr. H. T. proposes either to distinguish or to introduce. We had formerly in English only the simple Verb Adjective: and the Past Tense Adjective. In addition to these two, we have now the convenience of four others. Which I must call, The Potential Mood Active, Adjective; And The Future Tense Active, Adjective.' ib p. 469. By the simple Verb adjective,' the author means, what is usually called, the Active participle of the presentTense; and by the Past Tense Adjective,' what is termed the passive participle. He maintains, that the former is not limited by time; and that the latter is merely the past (or preter-imperfect) tense of the Verb, used as an adjective. His 'Potential passive Adjective' comprehends words derived from the Latin verbalia in BILIS, and from correspondent terms in other languages; as audible, which may be heard; affable, who may be spoken to, &c., and some contractions of similar meaning; as missile, which may be sent; docile, who may be taught, &c. He is, at the same time, aware, that many words terminating in ble have not a potential passive signification; and that some of them have several different meanings. Thus, as he observes, the term sensible is indiscriminately applied to an intelligent man, to an object that can feel, or to any thing that can be felt. ib. p. 486. This confusion obviously arises, in part, from our figurative use of the word sense; which the author has not remarked. Our corrupt use of the termination, he considers as having been received by us from the French; and by them, from the Italians. To the language of the latter, he seems usually inclined to ascribe a greater degree of influence on other tongues, than we think it likely to have obtained: but, in supposing that their termination vole, which he regards as the source, in several instances, of ble in French and English, was derived from a German termination, which he calls vol, he only betrays, as on almost every occasion, his ignorance of the German tongue. Voll signifies full;' and these words are frequently compounded with others, by the Germans and the English: but by the former, voll is prefixed, when it forms part of a word. So, for powerful,' the Germans say vollmächtig. The author applies the title of 'Potential Active Adjective,' to words ending in ive, (from ivus), and in ic (from ‹s); as coercive, that can coerce; didactic, that can teach, &c. The title of our REVIEW, is of this class of adjectives; and if such a term as selective, had been sanctioned by respectable precedents, it might have been substituted, as likely to be more generally understood. None else would precisely have characterized our work, as one that can select' in distinction from those which profess to criticise every book that is published; an engagement, which neither is, nor can be, fulfilled. To the source above-mentioned, Mr. H. T. properly refers, also, some abstract nouns; as Critic, Motive, &c.; and he objects, with reason, to the substitution of Missive, for Missile; and Relative, for Relation; but he might have objected, on the same ground, to many terms that are in more familiar use. His 'Official-Mood-Passive-Adjective,' comprises a few words derived from the Latin Gerunds, and Participles in dus; as, reverend, which ought to be revered: a title once assumed even by Mr. Horne Tooke! These, however, are mostly nouns; as, Legend, Dividend, &c.; and their use is chiefly technical. The last of our author's classes of participles, is still less capable of extensive utility: for the word that characterizes it, is, we believe, the only one used in the sense of his FUTURE-TenseAdjective.' The nouns Venture and Adventure (from venio) are, however, of similar origin; and our assemblies of Judicature and Legislature, may be considered as being about to judge, or to legislate. Instances are adduced, of attempts, made by translators, during the most corrupted epoch of our language, to graft this participle into it; in the uncouth phrases, to coming, to taking, &c.: but, happily, the author does not lay the same stress on their authority, in this instance, as he has done, we think with no better reason, on several other occasions. Of the four new classes of participles which he is desirous of establishing, the former two might be usefully and frequently applied, if the exceptions to his rule were not almost as numerous as the examples of it. The latter two classes may be compared to a draughted regiment, of which only some of its officers are in existence. None of these distinctions is, therefore, likely to be adopted by English Grammarians. The public, is, notwithstanding, indebted to the author, for this part of his work. It strictly belongs to his subject; and its tendency is useful. It throws light on the proper signification of many familiar terms; and may consequently guide to a correct use of them while it erects a barrier against the corrupt imitation of foreign words, or their introduction into our language in forms uncongenial with its idiom. Where we have found so much to blame, it affords us the greater pleasure to meet with anything worthy of commendation. With the same impartiality, we hope to finish our task; by investigating the author's account of the Articles, and what were formerly called the Particles, of English Speech: but a due attention to these must be deferred to our next number. (To be concluded in our next Number.) Art. II. The History and Antiquities of the Deanery of Craven, in the County of York. By Thomas Dunham Whitaker, L.L. D. F.S.A. Large 4to. pp. 438. price 21. 2. Payne, White, Hatchard, &c. 1805. THE HE man who sits down to write topographical history, must expect very inadequate compensation. To popular applause he makes no pretensions, and even the praise which he obtains from the learned, seems an acknowledgement of respect rather than of gratitude; a tribute paid to his labours and talents, rather than a reward for the pleasure and information they procure. His book, therefore, is splendidly decorated, and laid upon the shelf. From this unmolested enjoyment of otium cum dignitate, the volume before us, will, in some measure, be excepted: it is so much enlivened by picturesque description, by judicious remarks, by sketches of biography, and by natural delineations of life and manners in different periods that we lay it aside, for the present, with little weariness, in the hope of resuming it with renewed satisfaction. |