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    were surprised the name of Wakefiel ^ l was btnitt&i ambrig the powerful supr porters of the former hypothesis . Maoy judicious observations , however , are made oi | ^ Le other sji 4 ^ > and aii inger niou £ attempt is made to trace it

    through its various stages , of improvestient . We have seen an Essay , which will shortly appear in a new volume of the Manchester Society ' s Meriioirs , which seemslikely to set this question completely at rest .

    The succeeding chapters , on general Grammar , by Dr . Carpenter , .. containa luminous general view of the subject , in which many important observations are drawn from Mr , Dalton , Professor Young , ( whose Essays * on various

    subjects , connected with philosophical grammar , we are happy to hear will shortly be given to the public , ) and especially from HorneTooke , of wliose hypothesis , " that all the words usually called conjunctions and prepositions , as well as adverbs , are the

    abbreviations Or corruptions of nouns or verbs , and are still employed with a sense directly referrible to that which they bore when in the ackaowledged form of nouns or verbs , * ' he gives a very clear account , and illustrates it by a variety of examples . He accompanies

    his account , however , with this important caution , " that in several instances this gfreat philologist appears to have too much overlooked a procedure which meets us in various stages of language , viz . that among the ideas connected with a word , that which

    was originally of primary importance , heeomes by accidental circumstances secondary ohly , and sometimes , by degrees , is altogether lost fr' 6 m the view of the mind , giving place to others , with which , from sbme cause

    or other , the word has been associated . " The subject is concluded with some judicious pbservations , on the seyeval authors , whose . perusal he recommends . The next three chapters , by Mr .

    Joyce , on the Structuire of Sentences , contain a number of useful rulea , illustrated by a v&iiety of examples ; in regard to some of which , however , w € conceive that many of his readers vvill take leave to differ ;"

    Next follows a chapter on the hackneyed subject ofi / Taste ; concerning which aomev directions are given , which it may be useful to attend to

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    in writing : bftt , as Dt \ Aikin jv ^ observes * . •* after afl the ait em pts whi £ h have feeiert made to establish a standard of taste , the wide differences Mill subsisting among thosfe wKo lay claim to this quality ^ sufficicffltiy provesr the ill success of these efforts . ' -

    The chapters on Figurative Language are good , and illustrated by , in general , apposite examples . The snnie tf * ay be said of those on Poetry ; the first chapter on whifth contains a view of ancient poetry , particularly that of the Scriptures \ of

    classical poetry- ^ the epic , lyric ind dramatic—first of the Greeks , then of the Romans 5 Of modern poetryy arid the origin bf rhyme ^ of English versification ; with remarks oik the

    thoughts and language of pdetry , and the several kinds of it , chiefly abridged from Gregory . Then follows a short chapter on Elocution . Ih pointing out a method of studying the Belles Lettres , the author recommends , as a first book , Dr < G *

    Gregory ' s Letters on liiterature , then Blair and Barron , Lord Karnes ' s Elements df- 'Criticism , and Dr » Priestley ' s Lectures on Oratory and ( Criticism , a work " brought forward avowedly with a view to illustrate the doctrine of the association of id # as , in vvhjch there is a constant reference through

    the whole of it , in order to explain facts relating to the influence of oratory , and the striking effects of excellence in composition , upon the general principles of human nature . ' * Having mentioned a few other works , he concludes with some useful , practical directions for acquiring a just taste in

    composition . In chapter xyit Mr . Shephercf resumes the pen , on the important subject of history : of which he traces , with great ability , the utility , pleasure arid great importance , as favourable ;

    to freedom , to the attainment of practical experience , ( Dionysius calls hiartory " philosophy teaching by examples , '') and to a just dependence on a superintending Provid en ce . € * When \ y ^ behold , " isays he , f * tlie most important events brought about by ^ the most seemingly insignificant . cadsea ; when we see the schemes pf the

    intelligent and prudent frustrated by circumstances which th ^ y c oul d not pwr sibly ^^ have taken into their calcutaiioa of corttingencien ^ when iVc ^ flnd- ^ flie

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    Jlex ) iew <> - *^^ 517

• Citation
  • Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Aug. 2, 1818, page 517, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2479/page/45/