e this past time (ibam) of
_eo_ is formed. It is, we may see, composed of two words, _ib_
and _am_; yet the latter word _am_ has all the appearance of a
present time or a future; as we may see it in e_am_, leg_am_, and
audi_am_. Then it is evidently to the word _ib_ we are indebted
for this word _ibam_ having a past signification; and as there
is now no such Latin word, we are led to believe that _ib_ must
be a contraction, and this at once leads us upon _ibi_, which
means, _then_, or, _at that time_. Hence, _ibam_ is a contraction
of _ibi am_, there being only the letter _i_ omitted. Now, as
_am_ is evidently a present time, and the same _am_ we have in
English, it means, "I existence;" so that when _ibi_ is added to
it, both words mean, "I existence then," or "at that time;" and
it is in this manner that men, in the beginning, made a past
time. If we now turn to the past time of _sum_ (_eram_, _eras_,
_erat_, &c.) we shall find that the same method has been adhered
to. The _am_ here is the _am_ in ib_am_; and now we have to look
to the word _er_ by which it is preceded, in order to find its
past signification. This brings us to _era_, or as it is now
written in Latin, _aera_ which, like _ibi_, refers also to a past
time, meaning _that epoch_. Then _eram_, which might as well be
written _aeram_, is a contraction of aer_a_am, there being, as
before, but a single letter omitted, (the _a_,) and the meaning
is as before, "I existence _then_, or _at that epoch_."

Certainly if ever there was a man who "existenced" at an era or epoch,
or rather who was himself the era, Mr Kavanagh may claim the
distinction.

We are informed by the printer that our space is nearly out, and we
must therefore draw to a close. We cannot better fill up the limits
allowed us, than by selecting a few examples of our author's
successful treatment of etymology. It will be seen that in the
zoological department of this subject he is particularly happy.

"The third person plural, _etoient_, is a very curious word: it
literally means _the great lives_--and there is for this a very
wise reason. When this word first received this name, persons
were not referred to, but the winds of heaven; and hence the
propriety of the name _great lives_ or _great beings_; and also
of making this name signify afterwards _pe