cafion to many curious Difquifitions, and sometimes perhaps to Conjectures, which to Readers unac quainted with this Kind of Study, cannot but appear improbable and capricious. But it may be reafonably imagined, that what is fo much in the Power of Men as Language, will very often be capriciously conducted. Nor are thefe Difquifitions and Conjectures to be confidered altogether as wanton Sports of Wit, or vain Shews of Learning; our Language is well known not to be primitive or felf-originated, but to have adopted Words of every Generation, and, either for the Supply of its Neceffities, or the Encrease of its Copioufnefs, to have received Additions from very diftant Regions; fo that in Search of the Progenitors of our Speech, we may wander from the Tropic to the Frozen Zone, and find fome in the Valleys of Palestine, and some upon the Rocks of Norway.

Befides the Derivation of particular Words, there. is likewife an Etymology of Phrafes. Expreffions are often taken from other Languages; fome apparently, as to run a Rifque, courier un Rifque; and fome even when we do not feem to borrow their Words; thus, to bring about or accomplish, appears an English Phrafe, but in Reality our native Word about has no fuch Import, and is only a French Expreffion, of which we have an Example in the common Phrases venir à bout d'une affaire.

This

In exhibiting the Defcent of our Language, our Etymologifts feem to have been too lavifh of their Learning, having traversed almost every Word through various Tongues, only to fhew what was fhewn fufficiently by the firft Derivation. Practice is of great Ufe in fynoptical Lexicons, where mutilated and doubtful Languages are explained by their Affinity to others more certain and extensive, but is generally fuperfluous in English Etymologies. When the Word is eafily deduced from a Saxon Original,

Original, I fhall not often enquire further, fince we know not the Parent of the Saxon Dialect; but when it is borrowed from the French, I fhall fhew whence the French is apparently derived. Where a Saxon Root cannot be found, the Defect may be fupplied from kindred Languages, which will be generally furnished with much Liberality by the Writers of our Gloffaries; Writers who deferve often the highest Praife, both of Judgment and Induftry, and may expect at least to be mentioned with Honour by me, whom they have freed from the greatest Part of a very laborious Work, and on whom they have impofed, at worst, only the eafy Task of rejecting Superfluities.

By tracing in this Manner every Word to its Original, and not admitting, but with great Caution, any of which no Original can be found, we fhall fecure our Language from being over-run with Cant. from being crouded with low Terms, the Spawn of Folly or Affectation, which arife from no juft Principles of Speech, and of which therefore no legitimate Derivation can be fhewn.

When the Etymology is thus adjusted, the Analogy of our Language is next to be confidered; when we have difcovered whence our Words are derived, we are to examine by what Rules they are governed, and how they are inflected through their various Terminations. The Terminations of the English are few, but those few have hitherto remained unregarded by the Writers of our Dictionaries. Our Subftantives are declined only by the plural Termination, our Adjectives admit no Variation but in the Degrees of Comparison, and our Verbs are conjugated by auxiliary Words, and are only changed in the Preter Tense.

To our Language may be with great Justness applied the Obfervation of Quintilian, that Speech was not formed by an Analgoy fent from heaven. It did

not

not defcend to us in a State of Uniformity and Per fection, but was produced by Neceffity, and enlarged by Accident; and is therefore compofed of diflimilar Parts; thrown together by Negligence, by Affectation, by Learning, or by Ignorance.

Our Inflections therefore are by no Means conftant, but admit of numberlefs Irregularities, which in this Dictionary will be diligently noted. Thus Fox makes in the Plural Foxes, but Ox makes Oxen. Sheep is the fame in both Numbers. Adjectives are fometimes compared by changing the laft Syllable, as proud, prouder, proudeft; and fometimes by Particles prefixed, as ambitious, more ambitious, most ambitious. The Forms of our Verbs are fubject to great Variety; fome end their Preter Tenfe in ed, as I love, I loved, I have loved; which may be called the regular Form, and is followed by moft of our Verbs of fouthern Original. But many depart from this Rule, without agreeing in any other; as I Shake, I book, I have fhaken, or book, as it is fométimes written in Poetry; I make, I made, I have made; I bring, I brought, I wring, I wrung, and many others, which, as they cannot be reduced to Rules, must be learned from the Dictionary rather than the Grammar.

The Verbs are likewife to be diftinguished accordang to their Qualities, as Actives from Neuters; the Neglect of which has already introduced fome Barbarities in our Converfation, which if not obviated by juft Animadverfions, may in Time creep into our Writings.

Thus, my Lord, will our Language be laid down, diftinct in its minuteft Subdivifions, and 'refolved into its elemental Principles. And who upon this Survey can forbear to wish, that these fundamental Atoms of our Speech might obtain the Firmness and Immutability of the primogenial and conftituent Particles of Matter, that they might retain their Sub

ftance

flance while they alter their Appearance, and be varied and compounded, yet not destroyed.

But this is a Privilege which Words are scarcely to expect: for, like their Author, when they are not gaining Strength, they are generally lofing it. Tho' Art may fometimes prolong their Duration, it will rarely give them Perpetuity; and their Changes will be almost always informing us, that Language is the Work of Man, of a Being from whom Permanence and Stability cannot be derived.

Words having been hitherto confidered as feparate and unconnected, are now to be likewise examined as they are ranged in their various Relations to others by the Rules of Syntax or Construction, to which I do not know that any Regard has been yet fhewn in English Dictionaries, and in which the Grammarians can give little Affiftance. The Syntax of this Language is too inconftant to be reduced to Rules, and can be only learned by the diftinct Confideration of particular Words as they are used by the beft Authors. Thus, we fay, according to the prefent Modes of Speech, The Soldier died of his Wounds, and the Sailor perished with Hunger: and every Man acquainted with our Language would be offended by a Change of thefe Particles, which yet feem originally affigned by Chance, there being no Reason to be drawn from Grammar why a Man may not, with equal Propriety, be faid to die, with a Wound, or perish of Hunger.

Our Syntax therefore is not to be taught by general Rules, but by fpecial Precedents; and in examining whether Addison has been with Justice accufed of a Solecifm in this Paffage,

The poor Inhabitant

Starves in the midft of Nature's Bounty curft,
And in the loaden Vineyard dies for Thirst,

it

it is not in our Power to have recourfe to any eftablished Laws of Speech; but we muft remark how the Writers of former Ages have ufed the fame Word, and confider whether he can be acquitted of Impropriety, upon the Teftimony of Davies, given in his Favour by a fimilar Paffage.

She loaths the wat'ry Glafs wherein the gaz'd,
And shuns it still, although for Thirft fhe dye.

When the Construction of a Word is explained, it is neceffary to pursue it through its Train of Phrafeology, through thofe Forms where it is used in a Manner peculiar to our Language, or in Senses not to be comprised in the general Explanations; as from the Verb make arife these Phrases, to make Love, to make an End, to make Way; as, He made Way for his Followers, The Ship made Way before the Wind'; to make a Bed, to make merry, to make a Mock, to make Prefents, to make a Doubt, to make out an Affertion, to make good a Breach, to make good a Caufe, to make nothing of an Attempt, to make Lamentation, to make a Merit, and many others which will occur in reading with that View, and which only their Frequency hinders from being generally remarked.

The great Labour is yet to come, the Labour of interpreting thefe Words and Phrafes with Brevity, Fullness, and Perfpicuity; a Task of which the Extent and Intricacy is fufficiently fhewn by the Mifcarriage of thofe who have generally attempted it. This Difficulty is increased by the Neceffity of explaining the Words in the fame Language; for there is often only one Word for one Idea; and though it be eafy to tranflate the Words bright, fweet, falt, bitter, into another Language, it is not eafy to explain them.

With regard to the Interpretation, many other Questions have required Confideration. It was

fome