Richmond Indiana palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1837-1839, 1838-05-19

Gods ways AZ goodness and our trsasment thereof
b moro q less sources Of pleasure or pain to -
- smother state a being; state that will de-
pend upon the one, through which 40 are now
Passing3 When these questions arc sesszed, it
will DO tune enough to sidicslc them. 8. u
For Ese Richmond RaHsdissss.
is 10 essential this thing (papsr) write On,
contain r0'd'' III will give it the aa@s zseatie:''
have just been examining work which with
very little hyPerto'e, may be called budget Of
cords Its acknowledged title is: "A Treatise
on language, o. the relation which words bear to
things" ] do not know that q more brief and
comprehensive idea can be given OF, the object Of
tho work, than is conveyed in the authors own
words: '"al that the book contains" saws he, ~is
bot the calculation Of one precept, namely to in
ferPret language by nature" This information
Of the object Of tho book though comprehensive,
may not be comprehensib!e, without m explana.
alton. This explanation shall cndeavor 10 fur
nish IN my own words; for / venture to say, that
the reader would Psruse the whole Of thu first
lecture, (for the work is divided into leceurcs,)
and how much more will not pretend to deter
mine, without being made acquainted ~ith the
grand secret Of the authors design. In Justice to
the author, however, must admit, that lido not
believe that his intention was to divules it 50
suddenly; he appears to have thought, tina, it was
far too important secret to tell all at once His
project seems to he, to raise our expectations 10
their due elevation; and then gradually to,mPart
the important intelligence. This curious procc-
dure, 10 not new. lean well remember the sport
hoV,h nnH I~~l~,
principle: "opcn your mouihs,'' VIC used u say
"and SEQ what III put in" Our author, 1 think,
keeps us gaping lo.g time, before he graiics
Us with what he promises. That he promises
something magnificent, might be inferred fromihe
general PomP Of his language; and poet would
say, he writes like an elephant. But We not
left to inference; the authors declaration is plain
"lf succeed" says he, "ihe success will uti-
maisIy accomplish great revolnfios, in every
branch Of learning" lie does not inform Is
whether this thorough revolution, to be for tic
better Or worse. That he intends TO introduce
some new views, appears from the following q,D-
,niions from his introductory lecture: "Aian CO
lists in a world Of his own creation. lie capnst
step. bat on ground, transformed by culture,
nor look, but on objects produced BY art. Tho
mi mails which constitute his fond are unknown to
nature, while trees, fruits aud herbs the tro.
phies Of his labor. In himself, nearly cverJ nat
,ral impulse is suppressed ~ vicious, and very
modification collected virtue. His language,
actions, sentiments and desires, arc neasl, all
fictitious" The next il quito a. novel: "vbrds
q great part Of our thoughts. Al in
fusion Of words Ia dccoct;ox would be strongly is
Tho means Of nearly oil instruction, and an aiity
10 repeat words, 10 tho substance Of much o our
learning. When man Is distressed, we amin |
sier to him, words Cor his consolation; and ,hcn
be rel ,;ccs, proicr words to he;ehten his S.l-
city. Evcn when medicine admits itself vanr~h-
sd.-when wealth can no longer purchase q ga
nor power excite a.nb;tion,-words O,
only maintain their influence, but their pottery |
is augmented by surrounding de.olation." Tie
reader IS not, however, 10 understand by all It's,
that q distressed man can be comfortcd BY stuv-
ing dictionary, or pain be mligatcd by heamg
. lecture: In speaking Of the impcrfections of
language, he says, he aIludcs stc NO defects Tat
you ever heard Of or conceived" This, surjy,
IS cnough to satisfy 10, that no intends to devclpe
Scr. This Development appears to
DO difficult and tedious, rs the unrolline of
The EIesculcan manuscripts. What the disclosu,e
will amount to, in the end. tho reader will be e.
ablod to see, a. We proceed in the traaelasion Of
his magniIoquent Treatise. To translate it, Is
no easy task: am sure, could once read Ic-
brew faster than can interpret this author. His
IDEAS arc like cutie fish; they drown themselves
u an ocean Of ink: pursue them, cunningyas
We may, they elude our skill, leaving US in a ea
# darkness. Before close these animadv ersioas,
will give the reader q chance Of trying his De-
Gritty in catching ono Of these cuttle-6sh ideas:
Language possesses also an illimitable power 4
&nploy it. If not without su>
'icion that il contains any Iatcat ;ncspaci,y fo
Unlimited inquisi,ion, with certainly a very in
cfiaiis apprehension Of its limitations"
cxcogiiasc that this congregations Of atramen
al characters, will 20 ef5sctually obfuscate ans
iea that may DO cnveloped thcrcis, that tbs
esncst rerspicuity must acknowledge he adroi.-
ess Of the svolssic idea, and the success. Of the
bnubilaiior. Next week. If nothing de:er,, shall
commence my translation. Pr.
MONUMENT AT MISUNDERSTANDING the blood
,ained valley, renowned for its picturesque beau