(seq. 40)

10

title the study of language to a comparison and rank
with those sublime and useful employments?

"Language," says a learned writer, "is an assemblage
of expressions, which chance, or caprice has thrown to-
gether among a certain people. It depends, contin-
ues he, on usage and custom; but has nothing to do
with reason." Language, then, is neither science, nor
sentiment, though it serves for the dress of both. As
clothing is necessary for the purposes of social life; so
language is necessary for the communication of sen-
timents. But we never estimate a person's real
merit by the particular mode or color of his dress;
shall we, then, rate the value of knowledge by the
arrangement or figure of the characters under
which it is communicated? The change of name alters
not the thing. Human nature, for instance, is the
same, whether it be designated by homo, ΑΝΘΡΩΠΟΣ,
homme, אנוש, man, or by any other name whatever.
Can any rational person, then, consider his time
usefully employed in acquiring ability to clothe
his sentiments in a habit, which serves no other
purpose, than to render them unintelligable to
the majority of mankind? Is it not better to in-