as nearly of equal importance with that of the French or English, which have, heretofore, engaged such preeminent attention.

SECTION V.

SWEDISH LANGUAGE.

The Swedish language, in the course of a few years past, has also undergone great improvements. Previous to the middle of the century, it had been much neglected, and, like its kindred dialects, the German and the Danish, was but little esteemed in Europe. About that time John Ihre, Professor of Belles Lettres in the university of Upsal, was commissioned, by queen Ulrica Eleonora, to translate into Swedish The Ladies' Library, by sir Richard Steele. In obeying this command, he was naturally led not only to study his native language, but also to compare it with the more polished tongue from which the translation was to be made. The result of these inquiries was an attempt to place the language of his country on a more respectable footing than it had before held. With this view he published his Glossarium Sueo-Gothicum, which displays great erudition, the talents of a master in criticism, and uncommon sagacity in detecting both the faults and the beauties which he wished to make known. this work the author exhibits, with great skill, the analogy and etymology of the Swedish language; and may be regarded as standing with the highest

In

in rank among its distinguished cultivators and

reformers.

Since the time of Mr. Ihre other writers have employed their talents on the same subject. These writers have established rules of construction, corrected the orthography, discarded foreign phrases and corrupt modes of expression, and by producing works in a correct, elegant, and refined style, have done much to improve their native tongue. Among these, Dahlin, Botin, Gyllenborg, Creutze, Klewberg, Leopold, and Lidner, are perhaps entitled to the most honourable mention, and furnish examples of Swedish style according to its latest and best improvements. In 1786 a literary association, under the name of the Swedish Academy, was established at Stockholm. The principal object of this institution is to cultivate the language of that country; with which view it is said to be preparing for publication a national Grammar and Dictionary*.

SECTION VI.

RUSSIAN LANGUAGE.

The Russian language, during the period under review, has also been much and successfully cultivated. This language, which is a dialect of the Sclavonian, was, at the beginning of the eighteenth century, in a wretchedly irregular and neglected condition, very few compositions of dignified cha

* See A General View of Sweden, by M. Catteau.

racter having then appeared in it. Since that time it has employed much of the attention of learned men; grammars and dictionaries have been formed, with many successive improvements; nu merous translations from other languages have contributed greatly to enrich and polish it; the Russian academy has long been diligently engaged in its cultivation; and writers of taste have done much to confer upon it regularity and ornament. Previous to the year 1707 the alphabet of this language consisted of thirty-nine letters. In that year it was newly modified, and reduced to thirty. These are chiefly made up of Greek and Roman letters, together with some characters, to express sounds, which are peculiar to the Sclavonian tongue. Though the language of Russia is still imperfect, it is said, by those who have studied it, to be remarkably rich, harmonious, and energetic, and well fitted for every species of composition *.

Among the improvers of Russian style in the last century the first place is due to Theophanes Prokopovitch, archbishop of Novogorod, a gentleman of learning and taste, who, during the reign of Peter the Great, laboured much to promote, among his countrymen a fonduess for polite literature, and especially to encourage the study of their native tongue. He was followed by Lomonozof, a distinguished poet and historian.. He, as well as Theophanes, was a Russian by birth, and is styled the "great refiner" of the language of his country. Next to him stands Sumorokof, a

*

Coxe's Travels into Russia, &c. vol. ii, chap. viii, and also Tooke's View of the Russian Empire.

distinguished dramatist, who displayed many beauties of composition, which were before unknown in the Russian language; and contributed greatly to the diffusion of a taste for poetry, and a zeal for philological and other polite acquirements. To these may be added the name of Kheraskof, the author of the first Epic Poem in his native language, a work greatly admired by his countrymen, and the appearance of which may be considered as forming an era in the history of their poetry, and, generally, in the progress of their literary character *.

In order to spread a taste for literature among her subjects, Catharine II, in 1768, appointed a committee to order and superintend translations of the classics, and the best modern authors, into the Russian tongue; and made a liberal allowance for defraying the expense of the undertaking. In consequence of this order, a considerable number of the most esteemed Greek and Roman writers, and some of the first class in the English, French, and German languages, became naturalized in her empiret. Those who have any acquaintance with philology will readily perceive, that the attempt to transfer the contents of these rich, refined, and regular languages into one less cultivated, must always communicate more or less of the excel lencies possessed by the former to the latter.

Beside the numerous and important improvements in the more cultivated languages, for which

* Coxe's Travels into Russia. B. v. c. viii.

+ Ibid.

the eighteenth century is distinguished, we may also mention, as a peculiarity of the age, equally worthy of remark, the extensive knowledge which has been acquired, by learned philologists, within a few years past, of many other living languages, even some of the most barbarous and unpolished, The amount of information communicated by ́modern voyagers and travellers on subjects of this nature, is great and valuable. Among these Strahlenberg, Sonnerat, Marsden, Thunberg, Forster, and many others, are entitled to honourable distinction.

The idea of tracing the origin and history of nations through the medium of inquiries into their respective languages, if not first conceived, was certainly first reduced to practice, to any considerable extent, in the century under review. It is believed that the first considerable specimen of an inquiry of this nature was given to the world by Mr. Jacob Bryant, a gentleman whose profound erudition, critical sagacity, and unwearied labour, are among the signal honours of the age*. Nearly about the same time appeared the celebrated and voluminous work of M. Court de Gebelin, before mentioned, in which, with great learning,

* It is impossible for any friend to virtue and sound learning to pronounce the name of this veteran in literature without veneration. In his Observations and Inquiries relating to various Parts of Ancient History, and in his New System, or Analysis of Ancient Mythology, he has displayed an extent and a minuteness of information truly wonderful, perhaps unequalled by any other individual living; and a degree of critical acumen, and philosophic ́ soberness of inquiry, joined with a love of truth, and especially of Evangelic truth, which entitle him to the lasting gratitude both of the philosopher and the christian.