Sketches of the natural, civil, and political state of Swisserland; in a series of letters to William Melmoth, Esq; / from William Coxe.

  • William Coxe
Date:
1779
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Sketches of the natural, civil, and political state of Swisserland; in a series of letters to William Melmoth, Esq; / from William Coxe. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    f ait ] as from the latter, that the antiquarian lhould endeavour to trace the antiquity of any country. It muft however be confefled) that if thefe etymologies are not in fome meafure corroborated by collateral hiftorical evidence^ they are generally vague and uncertain ; more calculated to difplay the ingenuity of the etymologift, than to throw any fatis- factory light upon his refearches. In fhort, it is only when hiftory and ety¬ mology go hand in hand, that they ferve to ftrengthen and fupport each other. It is thus that my very learned and worthy friend Mr. Bryant, in his late admirable performance, has rendered his etymological enquiries fubfervient to, and corroborated by, hiftory; and with fo much clearnefs, as to carry the fulled: convicftion to his reader. Were he now with me, I am perfuaded he would give me a much better etymology of the names of the Swifs mountains, than thofe which I have hitherto met with: P 2 fuch /