A philosophical amusement upon the language of beasts / Written originally in French. By Father Bougeant ... , now confined at La Fleche on account of this work.
- Bougeant, père, 1690-1743. Amusement philosophique sur le langage des bêtes
- Date:
- 1739
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: A philosophical amusement upon the language of beasts / Written originally in French. By Father Bougeant ... , now confined at La Fleche on account of this work. Source: Wellcome Collection.
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![Matin: We diftmguifli thefe two Matins by the Pronunciation ; but their Difference is fo very in- lenhble to a Foreigner, that he can hardiy per¬ ceive it. Tht^Cbinefe^ Language is full of DIF lerences of this Kind, which Foreigners are at the greatëïî Lois to perceive or execute. I fancy that a Man born deaf, who fhould for the firft time Lai People converfe, would (not knowing any thing of Vowels, Words, and Syllables) alfo be, IiuVc. that they repeat the fame thing over and over. Such is the Judgment we pals upon the Language of Birds. However, I fhall not over.do this Refledion, and f '—nd that a Nightingale in the Spring va-* ries his Dilcoude as much as he does his Notes, or that a Canary-bird in his Cage utters fo many different Phrafes as he repeats his Tune over. No, I am on the contrary perluaded that Birds are Chatterers, and love Repetitions. It is even ns- cefiary they ihould be fo ; and the Reafpn is this. To fiy, I love you, we have a hundred fynonya nious Phrales and different Expreffions ; and there is no Thought but what we can drefs many differ rent Ways. This is the Refu]t of the fuperiority or our Knowledge, and of the Multiplicity of our Ideas, and, as I may fay, of the Pliancy and Extent of our Genius, which comprehends lèverai objects at once, and perceives their recipro¬ cal Relations. It is not thus with Bealls. Na¬ ture has confined tjieir Knowledge .within. Bounds' fo very narrow, that they can confider but one fingle Objed at the finie time; and as they al¬ ways confider it Simply and in the fame Manner ; they likewife have generally but one way of ex- preffing their Knowledge and Sentiments, This Obfervation is of Importance to know the Lan¬ guage of Beafts in a more perfed Manner. It G 2 ig](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b30376166_0059.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
