Yet we find a curious evidence of the continued reign of
chaos in a foot-note inserted by the publishers, disavowing any
departure from orthodox views. In 1859 appeared the eighth
edition. This abandoned the old article completely, and in its
place gave a history of philology free from admixture of
scriptural doctrines. Finally, in the year 1885, appeared the
ninth edition, in which Professors Whitney of Yale and Sievers of
Tubingen give admirably and in fair compass what is known of
philology, making short work of the sacred theory--in fact,
throwing it overboard entirely.
IV. TRIUMPH OF THE NEW SCIENCE.
Such was that chaos of thought into which the discovery of
Sanskrit suddenly threw its great light. Well does one of the
foremost modern philologists say that this "was the electric
spark which caused the floating elements to crystallize into
regular forms." Among the first to bring the knowledge of
Sanskrit to Europe were the Jesuit missionaries, whose services
to the material basis of the science of comparative philology had
already been so great; and the importance of the new discovery
was soon seen among all scholars, whether orthodox or scientific.
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