The letter kills, but the spirit gives life.--ST. PAUL _Corinth._ II. ch. 3. v. 6. We use great plainness of speech, and not as MOSES who put a veil before his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished.--_Cor. II. 3. v. 12, 13._--and even unto this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart, nevertheless when it shall please the Lord, this veil shall be taken away.--_Cor. II. 3. v. 15, 16._
To have a right apprehension of words or names, is a good step to the knowledge of things.--PLATO _in Cratylo_.
The confusion of words is the cause of all disputes and sects.--D'ISRAELI.
The obscure ages demand bold hypotheses or total neglect, contradictions are inseparable from days of tradition.--There exist no instance of a people really savage having spontaneously advanced to civilization. Savage men are degenerated or imperfect creatures.... Words and even few are the rules of analogies in nations.--NIEBUHR, _Roman History, Vol. I._
It is manifest that there are noble resources (for history) still remaining, if we will but apply ourselves to diligent enquiry. There are in every climate some scattered fragments of original history, some traces of a primitive and universal language. _Even America would contribute to this purpose, the more rude the monuments, the more ancient they may possibly prove, and afford greater light on enquiry._ BRYANT, MYTHOLOGY; conclusion of the work.
To accumulate materials without generalizing any idea is a method as sterile in history as in natural philosophy.--The geology of America does not differ essentially from that of the old world, the strata and the emersion from the waters are not newer: species long extinct have also preceded those now peopling the earth, the waters and the air.--The problem of the first population of America is no more the province of history, than the questions on the origin of plants and animals. When we shall better know the brown men of Africa, with those of the north and east of Asia, the American nations will be less insulated--They have extended from lat. 68 N. to 55 S. or 123 degrees of latitude, in plains and mountains, assuming various complexions and stature. If Africa has 140 languages, America has still more; resembling in this, the Caucasus, Italy before the Romans; but they are susceptible of classification into families. The multiplicity of languages is a very ancient phenomenon, perhaps those which we call American, belong no more to America, than the Magyar and Choud or Finn to Europe.--HUMBOLDT, _American Researches, Introduction_.