Monday, February 19, 1821

1821

February

Monday 19

6 35/60

11 20/60

Before breakfast, looking over the two last volumes of Maurice’s Indian Antiquities about the origin of languages – Came upstairs at 11 looking over the two last volumes – Wrote the following, which took 2 pages, to Miss Vallance –

‘I was much pleased with your attention in sending 1 of the Literary Gazettes, containing an article from the pen of your brother William, which does not require me to make any excuse for ‘all’ or any part of ‘a sister’s partiality’ – Among the numerous periodical publications I have an opportunity of seeing, you make me sorry that the Literary Gazette is not one; yet, as a little reading with a great deal of thinking forms, perhaps, the best series of literary progression, and I have many more pages per annum than it is possible for me to digest properly, I shall endeavour not to regret the loss of any morsel, however dainty it may be, and shall ever bear patiently the not having seen the work in question, by M. Galiffe –

My mind is, however, too strongly attached to the derivation of Latin ‘from the same source with the Phoenician and Greek’ to yield its prepossession easily, and I quite agree with the editor in giving your brother credit for his ‘sensible remarks’ – In my present state of reading and opinion, I could as soon adopt the speculations of Bailly, make a paradise of Siberia, and place the gardens of Hesperus, the groves of Elysium, and the nursery of science near the frozen sea, as bring Russians, from the lord knows where, to build the city of Saturn, or Evander, or Romulus, or any one else you please, on the banks of the Tyber –

Perhaps, as is endeavoured to be shewn by the author of the dissertation on the uncertainty of the first 5 ages of the Roman history, the foundation of Rome cannot be satisfactorily traced to any particular person or time – I have something like the fondness of an oriental scholar for the reputation of Sanskrit, and am very ready to give it all the credit your brother, or Sir William Jones, could desire–

Virgil speaks of the walls of high or lofty Rome (Altæ mœnia Romæ), high or lofty, say the Commentators, because built on hills – We are told that sacred rites were very customarily performed on the Palatine hill.  Might it not, then, be originally a hill-altar, a high place, and thence called Roma from the Hebrew root commonly given by lexicographers, and signifying to be high, or lifted up?

This, however, is merely a crude idea of my own, and I agree with your brother that, as to ‘conjectural etymology,’ there is no ‘mode of reasoning in general more delusive’ or which more requires the dexterity and address of an impartial and consummate master – Morier was struck with the name of Hok, a village in the Persian dominions, so called from the quantity of wild hogs in its vicinity, and observe, the similitude between hok and hog might set the philological inquirer on the alert – There is no end to speculation, nor, sometimes, to the ingenuity, the eloquence, and learning with which a man will support his favourite hypothesis –

The Russians, if I mistake not , have long had a sort of college at Pekin from which we have, surely, a right to expect much curious information – M. Galiffe has given the queue, and, though I do not expect the game to be won as he wishes it, the Russians have great scope for good play’ –

In the afternoon from 4 10/60 to 5 1/4, down the new bank to Halifax, up the town and returned by North Parade – Called at Mr. Edwards’.  He made no difficulty about changing Couteau’s Confessions, which I truly said I expected to have been Rousseau’s in French, and I brought away Tacitus in two Latin duodecimo volumes printed by Blackwood at Edinburgh in 1811 and I am now very well satisfied.  Went to Whitley’s and paid for the following – Seale’s Analysis of the Greek Metres – Stowe’s Toxicological Chart, and the last number of the Retrospective Review –

In the evening, wrote the whole of this journal of today, and the index to this volume from 11 to 20 February –

Fine frosty day – Barometer 1/2 degree below fair. Fahrenheit 31° at 9 p.m. –

Came upstairs at 10 35/60.

WYAS Finding Number SH:7/ML/E/5/0007