RECORD: Darwin, C. R. n.d. Abstract of Monboddo, Origin of language, 1774. CUL-DAR89.141. Edited by John van Wyhe (Darwin Online, http://darwin-online.org.uk/)
REVISION HISTORY: Transcribed by Christine Chua and edited by John van Wyhe 11.2021. RN1
NOTE: See record in the Darwin Online manuscript catalogue, enter its Identifier here. Reproduced with permission of the Syndics of Cambridge University Library and William Huxley Darwin. The volumes CUL-DAR 87-90 contain material for Darwin's book Descent of man 2d ed. (1874-1877).
Darwin cited this in Descent 2d ed., p. 572. n40: "I find in Lord Monboddo's 'Origin of Language,' vol. i. (1774), p. 469, that Dr. Blacklock likewise thought 'that the first language among men was music, and that before our ideas were expressed by articulate sounds, they were communicated by tones, varied according to different degrees of gravity and acuteness.'"
[141]
"acuteness" (i.e a Gibbon if it learnt to speak would modify its singing tones for this purpose. Tones wd hence apt to be retained during passionate Speech & music wd be one of the oldest arts. The above statement is in Lord Monboddo's Origin of Language Vol I (1774.) p 469.
Citation: John van Wyhe, ed. 2002-. The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online. (http://darwin-online.org.uk/)
File last updated 25 September, 2022