Professor Blackie stated that though the origin of language might be considered by some more a metaphysical than a philological question, it was yet so closely connected with philology, that whatever opinions a philologer held on this question could not fail to exercise a strong secret influence on his philological procedure. The primary elements out of which language grew were admitted by all to be three, viz., cries or interjectional exclamation, mimetic reproduction of audible sounds, technically but stupidly called onomatopœia, and gesture.