But the study of Antiquities will appear perhaps more useful and interesting, when it is confidered, that there is no one branch of it, if followed with a liberal spirit of research, which does not tend immediately, or ultimately, to the illuftration of antient MANNERS: in the difcuffion of which we for awhile forget the refinement of modern Times, and infenfibly accommodate our thoughts and feelings to the romantic and poetical fimplicity of former Ages.

I. THE Study of Antiquities is divided into various branches, POLITICAL and MoNUMENTAL, accordingly as they regard the antient manners and cuftoms of a people, and the monuments of antient Art.

In every nation the state of the Arts and Sciences has at all times been intimately connected with manners and customs. The Arts especially, which receive their form and perfection, as well as derive their origin in

great

great measure, from the finer feelings of the mind, bear fo lively an image of the character of the people by whofe united efforts. they have been cultivated, that an accurate investigation of their origin and progress, their revolutions, and comparative analogy, together with the monuments of them which have defcended to pofterity; while it explains the causes which operated on their progrefs; affords the most effectual means of learning the genius, and manners of the various nations of the world.

1. The first object which strikes us, as the first in order and natural preeminence, is the LANGUAGE of a people in tracing which through the many changes, which it has affumed, up to its original and naked. *form; and thence again following it through the several periods of culture and growth to its last maturity and perfection; frequent opportunities occur of difcovering the origin of important customs and inftitutions, and the causes of their denomination, in the

a See Taylor's Elements of Civil Law, p. 553.

fimple

fimple occupations and amusements of rude uncultivated Nature.

The extenfive influence of opinions and Manners on Language, and even of Language on Opinions, has reached the most civilized and polished Ages: but in the earlier periods of fociety they are closely and intimately connected. While Man is yet unacquainted with thofe Arts which administer the conveniencies and luxuries of Life, and procure fo many bleffings to enlarged and humanized fociety; his roughness and impetuofity of temper unrestrained by law,

Harrifes Hermes, p. 407. Richardfon's "Differtation "on the Languages, &c. of Eaftern Nations." Chap. I. §.1. Traité fur la Formation Mechanique des Langues, by the Prefident De Broffes, Vol. I. Chap. II. §. 20. Vigneul Marville has a curious paffage on the character of the English language in Melanges d'biftoire et literature, p. 31. edit. Paris. 1699. The long, laboured periods, which he fo much complains of, were adopted by the most learned writers of the age, MILTON, CLARENDON, &c. They were formed on the imitation of the best ancient claffic authors; and were, then, thought more fuitable to the gravity, and fimplicity of historical narration, than the shorter pointed periods of the French. The reader will meet many just and useful obfervations on those favorite models of French compofition, Salluft and Tacitus, in Lord MONBODDO's learned and elaborate work on the Origin and Progrefs of Language.

or

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or civil intercourfe, the peculiarities of his fituation, the nature and variety of his occupations, all confpire to impress their feveral fignatures on the language, which he makes use of to denote his imperfect and newly-formed Ideas.

The inhabitants of the rough and barren Attica early habituated to naval affairs and commerce, have left no obfcure testimony of their fituation and manners in a dialect which, rough in its pronounciation, while it retained many of the fimpleft and oldest forms, contracted others, and thus became fuited to dispatch and bufinefs. The moft daring metaphors derived from naval affairs abound in the writings of the Attic poets : from which however the interval of two thousand Years has worn off that disgusting appearance, which in fimilar expreffions frequent alfo in our own language and from the fame cause, the homeliness of familar ufage renders fo unfit for the fublimer kinds of Poetry. While the Romans ambitious only of dominion, whofe delight was in war, and whofe very profeffion was the sword, drew

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as civil government, the image of their common Genius.

2. The History of ARCHITECRURE like that of the other Arts marks out the progreffion of Manners. Among the Dorians it carried with it the aufterity of their national character, which displayed itself in their language and Mufic. The Ionians added to its original fimplicity an elegance which has excited the universal admiration of pofterity. The Corinthians a rich and luxurious people, not contented with former improvements extended the art to the very verge of vicious refinement. And thus, (fo connected in their origin are the Arts, fo fimilar in their progrefs and revolutions,) the fame genius produced thofe three characters of ftile in Architecture, which one of the most judicious Critics of Greece remarked in its language.

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с

Dionyfius Hal. περι Zuod. Sect. 21, &c. Dr. WARTON in his elegant and judicious Effay on Pope, p.175, has bestowed a very juft encomium on this part of Dionyfiufes treatife Пte συνθέσεως ονομάτων, in which he difcuffes the three different fpecies