The first names man ever had for his own dwelling, with several other etymologies, such as barrack, good-by, property, coin, copper, maistre, castor, out-cast, caserne, quoit, cat, The delicate meaning of certain words The extraordinary wisdom displayed in the formation of words: 51-62 The etymology of squat, cower, square, four, year, fair, faire, Property noticed again. Many important discoveries rise out of it. The Latin termination tas, the French termination té, and English termination ty, explained. The analysis of * The many etymologies connected with the account given of each In the account given of the letters of the Greek alphabet are to be found explained the letters of all languages. To what this knowledge may lead. Shown how the twenty-four Meaning of the twenty-four letters of the English alphabet, with What men first understood by the ideas, being, animal, trinity, truth, eternity, &c., showing, when coupled with the know- ledge of previous inquiries, the fundamental principles of The ing in being accounted for. Meaning of big, wig, mig, &c.; of hat, oyster, &c. ; of eight, octo, &c. ; of nigh, near, night, &c. The literal meaning of negatives and affirmatives. The science of grammar as hitherto known. The present discovery superior to it. Why men were in the beginning of the world more intelligent than they are at present. Shown how all words had once a good How all numbers make but one. No such thing as a plural 321-336 Concluding observations resumed. The difficulty of believing in this discovery. The great wisdom it contains. The language supposed to be spoken in heaven The advantages to be derived from this discovery. How Ma- Logicians, and Philosophers, are likely to consider this discovery. Other works proposed The many im- ideas. The view which the man of enlarged ideas is likely to take of it. The author's pretensions. His confidence in the ultimate success of this discovery - 347-358 The members of the press. Book-making. THE DISCOVERY OF THE SCIENCE OF LANGUAGES. THE reader who has not read thus far slowly and attentively, and who has consequently passed by many things in this work which he has not clearly and fully understood, should, before proceeding any farther in it, go over the whole of the first volume again. This advice I take here the liberty of giving, from knowing that the following discoveries, which lie more hidden than any we have yet seen, cannot be at all conceived without an intimate acquaintance with all those by which they are already preceded. The feminine of mon, ton, son, that is, ma, ta, sa, as well as the supposed plural number of both genders, that is, mes, tes, and ses, are now to be explained. The a in ma, ta, and sa, is also for one thing or the thing, and it corresponds with ea in Latin. Then ma is the same as me ea, or ea me, and means, "the thing to me." And in like manner are ta and sa to be accounted for. But mes, tes, and ses, are no more in the plural number than mon, ton, and son, or than ma, ta, and sa are; since it is only the single pronoun es which is added to m, t, and s, just as on and ea are added to these letters for the masculine and feminine singular. This at first sight will appear incredible; but let Frenchmen reflect upon it seriously for only five minutes, and they will admit that, though it appears very strange indeed, it is, however, very true. Then this es is on such occasions preferred, that it may correspond in form with the other es by which it is followed. Thus in mes livres the meaning is, "to me this book book," literally, in French, à me ce livre livre; but in order not to name the word livre twice, the pronoun es is employed in its stead. This we may more clearly perceive when we recollect that livre ought to be written liver, for it is no other than the Latin liber, the v being used for the b, as this frequently happens. Then mes livres is for me es liver es, "to me it book it." Hence the pronoun or article going before liver in the above instance, might as well be on or er as es; but as the pronoun which follows liver in "mes liveres" stands, both as to meaning and number, in exact apposition to that pronoun by which liver is preceded, it should, to have the agreement perfect, correspond with it in form also, and this in the French language very fortunately happens. But when we say in English "my books," we have not |