Languages, from one point of view, may be classed as civilized and savage. The civilized languages have each a dominant dialect. They also tend to greater and greater uniformity of structure. Savage languages, on the contrary, are divided into a great number of independent dialects. Hence the psychologist finds an opportunity of studying tribal peculiarities. Savage languages have few phonetic laws to enable them to express thought. Neither have they such relations as subject and predicate. All the more they depend upon syntax—upon the position of the word in the sentence. These languages commonly confuse such conceptions as object and action, being and quality. Using as they do one word to express both conceptions, precision, though diminished in respect of language, is increased as regards idea. Civilized languages furnish a mold in which all thought is shaped; savage languages are compelled continually to adapt the expression to suit the varying meaning. Savage languages, again, in trying to make the thought synoptical frequently omit the larger words and retain the smaller. The concrete way of thinking of the typical savage is seen in the fact that he must join the idea of possession to his substantives before he expresses them. Thus 'mother,' 'father,' becomes 'your mother,' 'his father.' Abstract numerals are only found in connection with concrete substantives. The subjectivity of savage thought is shown in the constant use of the personal pronoun along with names even of external objects.
The aim of this article is rather constructive than critical, but, in order to clear the way for the construction of a system, the author passes in review some of the most important German writers on Aesthetics. Their chief errors in construction maybe brought under the following heads: (1) mistakes in classification of arts according to rank or dignity; (2) the carrying out of false analogies between them; (3) the too sharp division and separation of arts that are essentially related to, and connected with, one another. As regards the subject matter of art, it is the same as that of science. Art and science are just two different ways of conceiving the same world.
