Infinitive with Accusative before it, 143. Contracted Accessories formed by the help of Participles, STRUCTURE OF LANGUAGE. INTRODUCTION. § 1. The signs employed in making known to others our feel ings, emotions, and thoughts, may be divided into two distinct classes, (1) NATURAL SIGNS and ARTIFICIAL SIGNS. (2) In the class of natural signs we include, 1st, signs addressed to the ear-the various sounds indicative of the emotions of our minds; as, sighs, groans, cries. 2d, Signs addressed to the eyethe various indications of emotion by the expression of the countenance, by smiles, frowns, &c., or by various gestures of the head, arms, and other members of the body. And, 3d, a more limited number of signs addressed to the sense of touch; as the grasp and pressure of the hand, &c. (3) Between this class of signs and the feelings or emotions which they indicate there exists a natural bond of association. They do not, like the class of artificial signs, owe their origin in any degree to human contrivance, to the consent of men, to an arbitrary agreement that they shall be used to express exclusively certain feelings, or certain emotions. On the contrary, they flow spontaneously from nature, are not acquired by human industry, and are intelligible alike to men of every nation. (4) The signs of this class constitute what has been called natural language. (5) It may be remarked, in pass § 1. (1) What two distinct classes of Signs are employed in conveying our thoughts and feelings to others? (2) Enumerate some of the Natural Signs employed for this purpose. (3) What distinguishes these signs from those of the second class? (4) What do these signs constitute? (5) What are they best fitted to express ? ing, that this species of language is much better adapted to express feeling, or emotion, than to express thought; and that it is possessed, in a greater or lesser degree, by the lower animals. § 2. In the class of artificial signs we include (1) those (in some sense, at least) arbitrary, acquired signs, which constitute the endless variety of dialects employed for the interchange of thought amongst men. (2) These signs, unlike those of natural language, have no necessary connection with the ideas which they represent, but owe their significance to the contrivance, or to the consent of the distinct races of men who employ them. This class of signs for the communication of thought is distinguished (3) by the name of artificial or articulate language (a). § 3. The signs of natural language have (1) the advantage of being universally understood by all mankind. They serve as the only means of communication between those who have not a common dialect. They also express the stronger emotions in the most vivid and impressive manner. (2) But, on the other hand, only a limited portion of our feelings, and few of our thoughts, can be clearly conveyed to the minds of others by these signs. (3) We must have recourse to articulate-artificial language, for the purpose of communicating to others the nicer shades of feeling, and the various products of our thinking powers with a satisfactory degree of perspicuity and fulness. § 4. (1) Such a means of communication as articulate language affords, is indispensable both to the complete development and to the proper use of man's rational powers. (2) It is an instrument necessary for the improvement and advancement of reason, for giving precision and fixity to human thought, and securing its retention in the memory of the inquirer, as well as for the mutual interchange of the products of thought among men. (3) Our gracious (a) See Appendix to this Introduction. § 2. (1) What are Artificial Signs? (2) What is the distinguishing characteristic of this class of signs? (3) By what name are they called? § 3. (1) Point out the advantages of natural language. (2) Point out its defects. (3) Mention some purposes which cannot be effected without recourse to artificial language. §4. (1) To what particular purpose is articulate language indispensable? (2) Repeat what is said in illustration. (3) How has our Creator displayed his bounty towards man in regard of this matter? Creator has, accordingly, to complete his bounty to his rational offspring on earth, added to the gift of reason the gift of organs adapted to enunciate distinctly the truths which reason discovers. § 5. It is proper here to observe, that (1) the combination of natural with artificial language is requisite to the most effective communication of our thoughts. (2) Emphasis, inflexions of the voice, tones, expression of the countenance (especially of the eyes), gestures, &c. (all borrowed from natural language), when united with artificial language, contribute much to render it perspicuous, as well as impressive. Hence, chiefly, the superior charms, and the greater power of spoken compared with written discourse. (3) The accomplished and skilful orator combines with the arbitrary signs of artificial language other signs from a language which addresses every class of minds. Even when, on account of the ignorance of his hearers, artificial signs are imperfectly comprehended, natural signs, which are universally intelligible, serve to interpret their meaning. They infuse spirit and life into the dry bones of articulate speech, and may be said to endow it with a living soul. § 6. (1) The grammarian's researches are exclusively directed to artificial or articulate language. (2) Some few signs, belonging properly to natural language, are found mixed with the signs of artificial language. (3) But these signs-commonly called, in our grammars, interjections-do not come under the laws of grammar. The grammarian has only to distinguish them from other signs, give them a name, and pass them by. (4) To explain the laws of artificial language is the particular province of him who proposes to teach the science of grammar. (5) To guide to the proper use of the signs of artificial language, and to the correct interpretation of the thoughts of others embodied in f 5. (1) What is requisite to the most effective communication of human thought ? (2) Illustrate this assertion. To what are the superior charms and the greater power of spoken discourse attributable? Answer. Chiefly, if not exclusively, to the combination of natural with artificial language. (3) Illustrate this assertion. § 6. (1) To which of these languages are the grammarian's researches directed? (2) Are the signs of natural language ever found mixed with those of artificial language? (3) If so, what are they called-do they come under the laws of grammar, and what has the grammarian to do with them? (4) What is the province (or peculiar business) of him who teaches the science of gramLaar? (5) Of the teacher of grammar as an art? (6) What is the course pursued in |