It seems to be an admitted proposition, that the structure of primitive language is highly picturefque and figurative. Thefe qualities are afcribed, by the elegant author of the Critical Differtation on the Poems of Offian, to two causes; to the want of proper names for objects, and to the influence of imagination and paffion over the form of expreffion. His nice difcernment and refined taste have pointed out the excellencies of the Caledonian bard in the use of those figures of fpeech which are natural, in the age of wild freedom, to the glowing fancy of an animated poet.

IN confidering the prefent fubject an obfervation occurs, that it seems to be a natural disposition.in the mind of primeval Man, to apply the name invented for one object to another between which and that object an intimate relation is observed to fubfift. It would appear, that this transference

* Dr. Blair.

of

of appellation figures in his mind as a more intelligible and expreffive term than any new word for that object. A few instances in fupport of this idea may be acceptable.

BE*, in the Galic language, fignifies life: but it is used to denote the means of fubfiftence; which bearing obviously the most intimate relation to life, acquires, in a figurative sense, the appellation proper, in its primitive acceptation, to life fimply. When a stranger happens to enter the house of a modern Caledonian at meal-time, the landlord addreffes him with the words 'S e do† bhe, which literally fignify, It is

* The vowel E founds like the English proper A.

The word do is improperly used to fignify thy: the proper word is te. The poffeffive pronouns my, thy, his, are expreffed in Galic by me, te, fe. In the first two the juft orthography, from not attending to the pronunciation and regular analogy of the words, has been loft fight of, and retained only in the last. The original words are preferved in the Latin language as the accufatives of ego, tu, and fui. In thefe Galic pronouns the e has the pronunciation of the French e in the article le.

thy

thy life, but import an invitation to come and partake of the family fare, or victuals, as the support of life.

IT may occur to the learned in the Greek language, that the Galic word Be is the root of the Greek noun Bos, which fignifies life, and alfo fuftenance. It will be remarked alfo, that B is used to fignify a bow, which was the chief instrument used by the primitive societies of temperate climes in procuring the means of fupporting life. The Greek word Biɑ, which signifies strength, is used by the Caledonians to denote victuals *. Thus the word

*Beo fignifics alive, and Bas, death. This laft word is a compound of Be, life, and As, out. The Latin word Cibus, which fignifies victuals or food, is derived from the Galic word Cib or Caoib, which fignifies fuch a portion of meat as a man could devour at a mouthful. A portion or part is expreffed in Galic by the word Mir, fynonimous to the Greek word Megos, and is expreffive of a larger portion than Cib.It may be obferved, that meat, and the action of eating, are expreffed in the Greek language by the word Βρωσις, and that the verb Βρυτίω and Βρυχω, fignify to eat or devour. These words are derived from Bru or Bro, which in Galic fignifies the belly. Bru is the most common pronunciation, but Bro is not to be rejected; a proof of which is furnished by Broinn, which also fignifies belly, and in its inflected

H

Bia, which with the original inventors of the Celtic or Galic language denoted victuals, was by the Greeks used to signify strength; a quality depending upon the poffeffion of the means of subsistence..

IN the following fleets fome further obfervations will occur, tending to fhew that the Greeks were originally of the Celtic stock, and that many of their primitives are genuine Galic; a variety of their combined words being capable of a fatisfactory explanation, only by the analyfis of Galic roots.

IT has been obferved, that Ed in its primitive fenfe fignifies food. It came to be applied to denote cattle, when fuch became the chief fund of fubfiftence. Eallach fignifies a burthen; but it is used in Ireland to denote a beaft.

It re

flected cafes varies into Bronn; and the word Brolean, which fignifies the paunch. The Greek word Becuos, which fignifies a rumbling noife, is compounded of two Galic words, Bro and Fuaim, which in the compound is Brouaim, contracted, is pronounced Broim, and fignifies crepitus ventris.

ceived

ceived this name from the circumftance of an animal fit for food being the most common and ordinary burthen, or that which attracted most attention in early fociety.

We have before remarked, that Re fignifies divifion, and that in procefs of time the word came to be applied to the effect of divifion, which was concord or agreement. In like manner the word Reinn, which fignifies one's portion or divifion, is ufed to denote any action. If one should ask, if another had eaten his victuals, he would say, An d'reinn e a bhia? which is literally, Has he divided his meat? The verb Reinn correfponds with the English verb to do or to make. In like manner, the Greek word PEC fignifies to do, to make. The act of divifion being originally of most frequent use,and of greatest importance, came naturally to be used as a common appellation for any action. Many more examples of the like nature might be given.