ns, and emotions, together with all that the _Mind_ (the
aggregate of capacity and acquired intelligence) has elaborated. The
result of this commutation renders the word the intelligible substitute
for the thing perceived, so that the presence of the object recalls its
name, and the name when uttered excites the immediate recollection of
the absent object. This reciprocal substitution or mutual exchange,
forms the basis, and affords a reason for Language. Whoever will take
the trouble to watch the progress of the child from the commencement of
its efforts to speak, will be surprised with its display of curiosity
and intelligence. It feels delighted with the existence it enjoys, and
with the power its senses possess to examine the objects of the world
that surrounds it. Every organ, in succession, is occupied in noticing
the wonders and mysteries that are presented. This incessant, but silent
play of perception, proceeds until a sound, often repeated, interests
the sense of hearing, and although at first dimly comprehended, is meant
to represent some present object or person, and which, by an excitement
little understood, urges the effort of imitation. The success of
intelligible pronunciation impels it forward to other attempts, _vires
acquirit eundo_, and in a time comparatively short, it accumulates a
copious vocabulary. These are the incipient efforts to establish that
commutation of the object of perception for the word, on which the
structure of language is erected. It is unnecessary further to trace
these dawnings of speech, or to describe the satisfaction that is felt,
when the child by this commutation of perceptions for words, can
communicate the wonders it has seen, the delicacies it has tasted, or
the flattering commendations bestowed on its person and accomplishments.
This commutation confers additional satisfaction by being enabled to
invest the object of immediate perception with an appropriate and
intelligible name. Thus by the repeated exercise of this commutation,
which soon becomes confirmed into habit, we speak of the past, by the
assistance of memory, with the correctness and feeling of the present.
At a certain age we learn to discriminate the characters that compose
words, (letters)--the order in which they are placed, (orthography,) and
with greater difficulty, the position of these words, to convey a
definite and connected meaning. When reading has been fully attained, it
must be recollected that a