DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.62267#0173
Dis.
THROUGH ITALY.
163
ever share they might have had in corrupting it,
most undoubtedly they did not attempt to sub-
stitute any other in its place. The transient
visit of the French and German Caesars, the
predatory incursions of the Saracens, and the
settlement of some bands of Norman adventurers,
were inadequate to produce the effect in ques-
tion ; nor can we possibly attribute a change, so
slow and so extensive as the suppression or for-
mation of a language, to causes so confined in
their continuance and operation. To these ob-
servations, we may add one more of great im-
portance on the subject, which is, that there is
not the least resemblance between the languages
of Italy and the dialects of the various tribes
which I have mentioned, as far as these dialects
are known to us. The former is peculiarly soft
and harmonious, all the latter are rough and
discordant; and consequently we may conclude,
that Italian does not owe its origin to barba-
rians ; and farther, that its introduction was
gradual, and the operation, not of one, but of
many succeeding ages.
But still it may be asked, whence does Italian
derive its origin ? May not Italian derive its
origin from the corruption of the Latin language,
the causes of which began to operate so early as
the era of Julius Caesar, and continued till
M 2
THROUGH ITALY.
163
ever share they might have had in corrupting it,
most undoubtedly they did not attempt to sub-
stitute any other in its place. The transient
visit of the French and German Caesars, the
predatory incursions of the Saracens, and the
settlement of some bands of Norman adventurers,
were inadequate to produce the effect in ques-
tion ; nor can we possibly attribute a change, so
slow and so extensive as the suppression or for-
mation of a language, to causes so confined in
their continuance and operation. To these ob-
servations, we may add one more of great im-
portance on the subject, which is, that there is
not the least resemblance between the languages
of Italy and the dialects of the various tribes
which I have mentioned, as far as these dialects
are known to us. The former is peculiarly soft
and harmonious, all the latter are rough and
discordant; and consequently we may conclude,
that Italian does not owe its origin to barba-
rians ; and farther, that its introduction was
gradual, and the operation, not of one, but of
many succeeding ages.
But still it may be asked, whence does Italian
derive its origin ? May not Italian derive its
origin from the corruption of the Latin language,
the causes of which began to operate so early as
the era of Julius Caesar, and continued till
M 2