Philology

a term under which some comprehend universal literature, so that each one may there include whatever he thinks proper; as grammar, rhetoric, poetry, antiquities, history, criticism, the interpretation of authors, . This seems to be not only making an abuse of words, but creating confusion in those matters where too much regularity and precision cannot be observed. The term philology is composed of the Greek words @:k0¢ and Avyos, which imply a love or study of lang a ages. It appears, therefore, that philology is-nothing more than a general knowledge of languages, of the natural and figurative signification of their words and phrases, and, in short, of all that relates to expre ion in the different dialects of nations, as well ancient as modern. Languages, in general, may be divided into, 1.. Ancient languages; which are those that have become extinct with the people who spoke them, or have been so altered and disfigured, that they no longer resemble the languages which were spoken by those people.. 2.. Oriental languages; the study of which is nece ary in order to the understanding of the text of the holy scriptures, especially the Old Testament. 3. Learned languages; which are those that are indispensably nece ary in the study of erudition, and particularly literature; which,’ while there were people in the world who made them their common language, were called living; but as no nation now makes use of them, they are called dead languages, and are therefore to be learned from books or in schools. 4. Modern languages; in which are distinguished, first, the common languages of the European nations; and secondly, the languages of the people who inhabit the three other parts of the world, See LANGUAGE.