008_College lectures; Page 5

by voluntary effort and has its value and
currency only by the agreement of speakers
and hearers. It is in their power, subject
to their will; as it is kept up, nor is it modi-
fied and altered, nor may it be abandoned,
by their fruit and consenting actions,
and in no other way whatever."

"The speakers of language thus constitute a re-
public, or rather, a democracy, in which authority
is comferred only by general suffrage and
for due cause, and is exercised under constant
supervision and control. Individuals are
abundantly permitted to make additions to the
common speech, if there is reason for it, and
if, in their work, they respect the sense of the
community,"

"But even in respect to the more intimate
and sacred part of language, the words
and phrases of universal and every