The beginnings of a scientific theory seemed weak indeed,
but they were none the less effective. As far back as 1661,
Hottinger, professor at Heidelberg, came into the chorus of
theologians like a great bell in a chime; but like a bell whose
opening tone is harmonious and whose closing tone is discordant.
For while, at the beginning, Hottinger cites a formidable list
of great scholars who had held the sacred theory of the origin
of language, he goes on to note a closer resemblance to the
Hebrew in some languages than in others, and explains this by
declaring that the confusion of tongues was of two sorts, total
and partial: the Arabic and Chaldaic he thinks underwent only
a partial confusion; the Egyptian, Persian, and all the
European languages a total one. Here comes in the discord;
here gently sounds forth from the great chorus a new note--that
idea of grouping and classifying languages which at a later day
was to destroy utterly the whole sacred theory.
But the great chorus resounded on, as we have seen, from
shore to shore, until the closing years of the seventeenth
century; then arose men who silenced it forever.
Pages:
1039
1040
1041
1042
1043
1044
1045
1046
1047
1048
1049
1050
1051
1052
1053
1054
1055
1056
1057
1058
1059
1060
1061
1062
1063