of this lo THE MONTHLY REVIEW, For JANUARY, 1787. ART. I. ENEA ПTEPOENTA, or the Diverfions of Purley. Part I: By John Horne Tooke, A. M. late of St. John's College, Cambridge. 8vo. 75. Boards. Johnson. 1786. EW perfons could guefs at the object of this learned and very ingenious publication, by the title which the Author hath given it. Who would fuppofe that the Diverfions of Purley meant nothing more than profound etymological researches into the origin of English particles, conjunctions, prepofitions, and adverbs? Thefe, however, are the WINGED WORDS (ETEX TEpola) that are explored in their birth, their growth, their relation, and ufe; and the tracing them ab ovo ufque ad alam conftitutes the fole entertainment of this curious work. 6 PURLEY was the feat of Prefident Bradshaw. Our Author is supposed to have a fecret attachment to the place, from the ve neration in which he holds the memory of its former poffeffor. It is a fort of holy ground to a republican; and every man who is an enthufiaft in any fyftem of politics or religion, will have his holy ground in fpite of wit and ridicule. Dr. Johnson had his (but not at Purley), and difdained that frigid philosophy that was unmoved at fuch fcenes as had been dignified by wisdom, bravery, or virtue. That man (fays the great moralift) is little to be envied, whofe patriotifm would not gain force upon the plain of Marathon. It is on this principle that Mr. Tooke (more commonly known, as a patriot, under the name of Mr. Horne) kindles with the noble fire of liberty, when he reflects, that the spot he daily treads was hallowed by the feet of him who dared to trample on royalty itself; and who, rifing fuperior to the forms of law, fpurned alfo at the forms of decorum; and ftill more nobly rifqued the curfe of God, and the execration of pofterity, to bring his monarch to the block. The prefent Diverfions of Purley are not, indeed, allowed to take fo ferious a turn. And it is fomewhat diverting to fee the fierce patriot tamed into an etymologift; though now and then the old fpirit breaks through the cloud that oppreffes the luftre of freedom: Staring, Staring, tremendous, with a threat'ning eye, The manus inimica tyrannis, that once waved the cap of liberty, and was ready to make the Tyrant feel The keen deep fearchings of the patriot's feel, now holds the birch to fcourge the grammarians: and, having flogged through the whole fchool, redoubles its ftrokes on Lord Monboddo-as if unwilling to leave his Lordship one found point to fit upon. We hope Mr. Tooke will give us as much room to admire his candour as we do his fkill. He who cenfures and laughs fo freely at others, hath no right to complain if others indulge a little ridicule at his expence. But let this be his confolation, that if his manner of fighting be condemned, yet no one can difpute his claim to the victory; and if we fmile at the patriot, we muft applaud the scholar. We shall now enter on the confideration of the prefent work:t and we cannot better befriend the interefts of English literature than by giving our readers a general view of its contents. The Author hath the fingular honour of throwing light on fuch parts of language as had been left in great obfcurity by all preceding lexicographers and etymologifts; and the Diverfions of Purley have laid the foundation for a new fyftem of grammar, which we hope to fee ftill farther extended by the refearches of this acute and penetrating critic: for we are happy to find that this volume is announced only as a first part. The form of the work is not, in our opinion, fo happy as its execution. The dialogue seems unfuitable to the dry dilquifitions of the grammarian. It rather obfcures the subject than illuftrates it. But where the matter is fo fubftantial and excellent, it would be faftidious to quariel with the manner; and for the fake of the former, we could forgive more blemishes and defects in the latter, than we find in the present volume. It confifls of ten chapters. The general titles of which are- II. Some confiderations on Mr. Locke's Essay. III. Of the parts of speech. IV. Of the noun. V. Of the article and interjection. VI. Of the word THAT. • VII. Of conjunctions. VIII. Etymology of the English conjunctions. IX. Of prepofitions. X. Of adverbs.' |