The only places in the work in which this wary reasoner has fairly committed himself, and given an intelligible explanation of his mode of applying his system to general questions, are in his account of the words, _right and wrong_, _just and unjust_, in his list of metaphysical nonentities, demonstrated to be such because they are expressed by the past participles of certain verbs, and in his definition of Truth. These, therefore, I shall give as specimens, and I hope they will be quite satisfactory. The ‘Diversions of Purley,’ it should be observed, is supposed to be carried on in a dialogue between the author and Sir Francis Burdett. ‘Enough, enough,’ says Burdett, ‘innumerable instances of the same may, I grant you, be given from all our ancient authors. But does this import us any thing?’ ‘TOOKE. Surely, much, if it shall lead us to the clear understanding of the words we use in discourse. For as far as we “know not our own meaning,” as far as “our purposes are not endowed with words to make them known,” so far we “gabble like things most brutish.” But the importance rises higher, when we reflect upon the application of words to metaphysics. And when I say metaphysics, you will be pleased to remember that all general reasoning, all politics, law, morality, and divinity, are merely metaphysics.’ [What is this general reasoning of Mr. Tooke’s?] ‘Well,’ replies his pupil, ‘you have satisfied me that wrong, however written, whether wrang, wrong or wrung, like the Italian _torto_ and the French _tort_, is merely the past tense or participle of the verb to wring; and has merely that meaning. ‘TOOKE. True; it means wrung or wrested from the _right_ or _ordered_ line of conduct. Right is no other than _rectum_, the past participle of the Latin verb _regere_. The Italian _dritto_, and the French _droit_, are no other than the past participle _directum_. In the same manner our English word _just_ is the past participle of the verb _jubere_ (_jussum_). ‘BURDETT. What, then, is law? ‘TOOKE. It is merely the past participle _lag_, of the Gothic and Anglo-Saxon verb _legan_, _ponere_; and it means something or anything _laid down_ as a rule of conduct. Thus when a man demands his _right_, he only asks that which it is _ordered_ he shall have. A _right_ conduct is that which is ordered. A _right_ line is that which is ordered or directed, not a random extension, but the shortest between two points. A _right_ and _just_ action is such a one as is ordered and commanded. The right hand is that which custom, and those who have brought us up, have ordered or directed us to use in preference, when one hand only is employed, and the left hand is that which is _lieved_ or left.