however, that the language of a primitive people, if preserved. from corruption, and not obscured or overwhelmed by those revolutions which are too often the consequences of inordinate ambition and the lust of conquest, might still retain evidence of the state and mode of their original existence in social connexion. This view of language presents a curious subject of inquiry, and if any light can be thrown upon it, by attention to the structure of any now living language, or of any of the learned dead languages, it may not perhaps be deemed unworthy of the regard of the curious philosophic mind.

"Bred up in civilized society, we view its complex structure without surprise. The composition, the copiousness, the clearness, force, and elegance of a language, produce not marks of admiration in the great body of the people who speak it, while a philosophic inquirer analyzes its combinations with a mixed sensation of admiration and delight. A critical examinator views the stupendous fabric with wonder, and concludes with a thorough conviction, that ages without number must have contributed to the erection of so astonishing a fabric of art and ingenious contrivance. Not satisfied with contemplating its general beauties, the inquisitive mind examines its component parts, and naturally seeks, with keen research, to obtain knowledge of the elementary basis of so grand a monument of human production."

Aversion from any laborious exertion of the members of the body, is found universally to prevail among mankind. It is necessity that puts in motion the inventive faculties of the human mind. Man is satisfied with the spontaneous productions of the field for his subsistence, and with the natural excavations of the earth for his habitation, while these are found barely sufficient to preserve his existence.

That the primeval progenitors of the Gael originally made use of caves to cover them from the inclemency of the weather, or from the attacks of wild beasts, the Gaelic, Greek, and Latin languages furnish, we think, satisfactory evidence.

came more into use.

The primitive Gaelic words for a house are tai, and teach. The word by which a cave is expressed, is uai or uamh. Tai, though appa, rently a simple root, is a compound of ti, a being or person, and uai, a cave; tai is a contraction of these two words, and the literal meaning is, man's cave. It may be observed, that in Greek the simple word do signifies a house, though dan This word, as well as the Latin domus, are derivatives of the Gaelic tamh, which signifies residence, and which is a compound of ti and uamh, a man's cave. The Gaelic word teach is preserved in the Greek tux, murus, and the Latin tectum, a house. The Greeks, in modifying the original word to the genius of their language, added the termination a, and the Latins us, to the original word tamh, and the one

os, and the other tum, to the other original word. In this manner appear modified all the words of the original Gaelic language, which have been preserved in the Greek and Latin languages. This modification we shall have frequent occa sion to remark in the following pages.

The Pelasgians, who introduced into Europe a new and improved language, communicated also their language to the more ancient inhabitants of Greece and Italy, insomuch that the native language of these countries came to be overwhelmed by the influx of those eastern invaders; and although the old language was not totally extinguished, it underwent such inflections and modifications as were suitable to the genius of the language of the prevailing people, and thus becoming so altered in its form and structure, was no longer to be recognized as a different language, or considered to be at variance with that of the more improved eastern people, with whose language it came to be so intimately incorporated.

In early periods of social existence, the relations formed by a regular and permanent union of the sexes were unknown; still, however, man being a social animal, motives of attraction were felt that linked him to his kind by ties, which, as they evidently excited and guided his actions, must have early obtained a name by which they were distinguished. The relation of blood was formed through the mother; but those relations

were not of so strong and powerful a nature in early society, when the children of the women of a community or tribe, being of uncertain fathers, were esteemed to be the children of the community, were reared under the public care, and not by the joint offices of one male and one female. The great ties were expressive of a public relation, and arose from the objects of the society being productive of joint care, exercised in common.

We have undoubted testimony to the fact, that women have had great sway among barbarous nations, and that they were the best hostages to be given to insure performance of engagements, or to preserve peace and amity.*

Relation of blood was reckoned by the mother. Hence it was, that among the ancient Germans the children of the sister were dearer to their

uncle than to the reputed father. The con

nexion was deemed even more sacred and binding upon the uncle.†

Mankind being found in early ages to be universally divided into families or tribes, it might naturally thence be inferred, that the relation or ties of connexion in society would be expressed by names descriptive of those circumstances, which constitute the essence of the bond of union. Let us examine the Gaelic, the Greek, and Latin languages, to see if they throw any light upon this subject.

*FALCON. p. 335.

† TACIT. German.

The words by which family is expressed in Gaelic, is teadhloch and cuedichc, or coediche: These words, though applied to family, the first is more properly expressive of family, quas nox coegerat sedes, as referring to residence; the other more properly denotes the company who commonly eat together. Teadhloch is a compound of three original words; tai, a house, dol, inflected dhol, going, taidhol, resort, and oich, night, which signify resort at night. It may be observed, that is signifies house or family in a collective sense, in Greek; nochc, the present night, Gaelic, nor, Latin. This resort was one capital circumstance which marked the connexion or relation of a primeval society. Their nightly residence and common habitation formed a bond of union of a very strict kind. Their eating toge ther was another important circumstance in social intercourse, and formed also a very strong link of connexion. This was expressed in the Gaelic language by the word coediche, which literally signifies eating in common, and is used at this day to denote a company met for the enjoyments of the table: this is the proper acceptation of the word, and it is used to denote the members of a man's family, as forming his ordinary companions at meals. The compounds of this word are radicals in Greek and Latin. Co denotes common in both these languages, as well as in Gaelic; though in the former it only appears in compounds, it is in the latter a significant primitive