An Apology for the Study of Northern Antiquities | Page 4

most, if not all the Grammatical Terms
in true old Saxon, from _Ælfrick_'s Translation of Priscian, to shew the
polite Men of our Age, that the Language of their Forefathers is neither
so barren nor barbarous as they affirm, with equal Ignorance and
Boldness. Since this is such an Instance of its Copiousness, as is not to
be found in any of the polite modern Languages; and the Latin itself is
beholden to the Greek, not only for the Terms, but even the Names of
Arts and Sciences, as is easily discerned in the Words, _Philosophy,
Grammar, Logick, Rhetorick, Geometry, Arithmetick_, &c. These
Gentlemens ill Treatment of our Mother Tongue has led me into a Stile
not so agreeable to the Mildness of our Sex, or the usual manner of my
Behaviour, to Persons of your Character; but the Love and Honour of
one's Countrey, hath in all Ages been acknowledged such a Virtue, as
hath admitted of a Zeal even somewhat extravagant. Pro Patria mori,
used to be one of the great Boasts of Antiquity; and even the so
celebrated Magnanimity of Cato, and such others as have been called
Patriots, had wanted their Praise, and their Admiration, had they
wanted this Plea. The Justness and Propriety of the Language of any
Nation, hath been always rightly esteem'd a great Ornament and Test of
the good Sense of such a Nation; and consequently to arraign the good
Sense or Language of any Nation, is to cast upon it a great Reproach.
Even private Men are most jealous, of any Wound, that can be given
them in their intellectual Accomplishments, which they are less able to
endure, than Poverty itself or any other kind of Disgrace. This hath
often occasion'd my Admiration, that those Persons, who talk so much,
of the Honour of our Countrey, _of the correcting, improving and
ascertaining_ of our Language, shou'd dress it up in a Character so very
strange and ridiculous: or to think of improving it to any degree of
Honour and Advantage, by divesting it of the Ornaments of Antiquity,
or separating it from the_ Saxon _Root, whose Branches were so

copious and numerous. But it is very remarkable how Ignorance will
make Men bold, and presume to declare that unnecessary, which they
will not be at the pains to render useful. Such kind of Teachers are no
new thing, the Spirit of Truth itself hath set a mark upon them;_
Desiring to be Teachers of the Law, understanding neither what they
say, nor whereof they affirm, I _Tim._ I. 7. _It had been well if those
wise Grammarians had understood this Character, who have taken
upon them to teach our Ladies and young Gentlemen, _The whole
System of an English Education_; they had not incurr'd those
Self-contradictions of which they are guilty; they had not mention'd
your self, and your incomparable Treasury of _Northern Literature _in
so cold and negligent a manner, as betrays too much of an invidious
Pedantry: But in those Terms of Veneration and Applause which are
your just Tribute, not only from the Learned of your own Countrey, but
of most of the other Northern Nations, whether more or less Polite:
Who would any of them have glory'd in having you their Native, who
have done so much Honour to the Original of almost all the Languages
in Europe.
But it seems you are not of so much Credit with these Gentlemen, who
question your Authority, and have given a very visible Proof of their
Ingenuity in an Instance which plainly discovers, that they cannot
believe their own Eyes.
The Saxons, say they, if we may credit Dr. Hickes, had various
Terminations to their Words, at least two in every Substantive singular:
whereas we have no Word now in use, except the personal Names that
has so. Thus Dr. Hickes has made six several Declensions of the Saxon
Names: He gives them three _Numbers_; a Singular, Dual, and Plural:
We have no Dual Number, except perhaps in _Both_: To make this
plainer, we shall transcribe the six Declensions from that Antiquary's
Grammar.
I would ask these Gentlemen, and why not credit Dr. _Hickes_? Is he
not as much to be believ'd as those Gentlemen, who have transcribed so
plain an Evidence of the six Declensions to shew the positive
Unreasonableness and unwarrantable Contradiction of their Disbelief?
Did he make those six Declensions? or rather, did he not find them in
the Language, and take so much pains to teach others to distinguish
them, who have Modesty enough to be taught? They are pleased to say

we have no Word now in use that admits of Cases or Terminations. But
let us ask them, what they think of these Words, _God's Word_, _Man's
Wisdom_, the _Smith's Forge,_ and innumerable Instances more.