Blems, sacred and profane, there is no end; every prayer-book exhibits the ox, the eagle, the man, and the lion, as attendants on the four Evangelists;-these animals being originally the old emblems by which were distinguished the four principal tribes among the Jews, Judah, Reuben, Ephraim, and Dan. These same beasts, beside, we may observe drawing the mystic chariot seen in vision by Ezekiel, Chap. 1. v. 10; and the Christians adopted them, doubtdess, because the same creatures were exhibited in the isle of Patmos to St. John, as he tells us, Apocalypse, Chap. 4. v. 7.-In these latter days the taste for emblems and emblematical devices, which are all of oriental original, is fallen into decay from the mere propagation of literature.-As to signs and figures, most oriental writings, and in particular the Holy Scriptures, are found full of them. The Empire under the twelve Cæsars; and the Papacy with the triple Crown are clearly figured out and explained. But the rainbow in Genesis is a sign promised by God as an everlasting token that he will no more drown the world.

Tranquillity, Peace, Calm.

Tranquillity, respects a situation free from trouble, considered in itself; peace, the same situation with

respect to any causes that might interrupt it; calm, with regard to a disturbed situation going before, or following it.

A good man enjoys tranquillity, in himself; peace, with others; and calm, after a storm.

Tyranny, Oppression,

Are not exactly synonymous. When Caligula wished the whole Empire had but one head, that he might have the pleasure of cutting it off, he expressed a tyranny the most diabolical. When one of our kings, to extort money from a wretched Jew, caused him to have a tooth drawn every day till the sum was paid, which he insisted on the man's lending him, oppression was the true word for such proceeding.

Vale, Valley, Dale, Dingle, Dell.

Of these nearly synonymous substances, the first upon the list seems the first in rank, the others imply smaller space. Our ideas connect something de

lightful to the first word, something sublimer to the second.-A dule is deep but not extensive.—A dingle is an unexpected little valley in a flat country. A dell is that dingle ornamented.

Vesture,

Vesture, Clothes, Raiment,

Are synonymous in books, but not in conversation. Raiment is an old-fashioned word, and clothes is the word most in use; whence the first and last are totally excluded in conversation, except the discourse turns upon very serious subjects.

War, Hostility,

Are not strictly synonymous.

War is indeed a

state of hostility; but there may be hostilities unal

lowed by the laws of war.

Warmth, Heat,

Are allied in affinity, yet not synonymous. The heat of passion, the warmth of affection.

To Weary, to Fatigue.

The continuance of the same thing wearies us; labour fatigues us.

Wisely, Judiciously, Discreetly, Prudently.

If Doctor Johnson's notion of sex in words be just, the two first of these naturally belong to men, the two last to women; who seldom have occasion to act wisely and judiciously, although by managing

prudently

prudently and discreetly they may lighten the load of life to mortal man.-Prudence and discretion are domestic virtues; wisdom and judgment are requisites in a statesman, a soldier, and a scholar.

With, By.

With expresses a more close and immediate connection; by, a more remote one.-We kill a man with a sword; he dies by violence. The criminal is bound with ropes by the executioner.

Zone, Girdle, Circuit, Boundary, Limit.

We say the limits of an empire; the boundaries of a parish; the circuit of the globe.-A lady's girdle may be jestingly called her zone, a term applied to circles on the globe.

145

PART IV.

LANGUAGE.

1. ORIGIN OF LANGUAGE.

VARIOUS theories have been formed to account for the origin of language. The only rational and satisfactory method is, to refer the origin of speech to the great Creator himself.

To whatever part of the globe we direct our view, we shall find additional reasons to conclude, that all the languages now spoken in the world were derived originally from one and the same source, notwithstanding their apparent difference and variety. When we remark certain words in Latin, that resemble others in Greek, we are not surprised, considering the intimate connection which subsisted between the two nations, and the evident derivation of the former from the latter. It is natural to suppose that the modern tongues were derived from the ancient, which were spoken in the same country. Thus