The Northern star, and constitutionalist. [volume] (Warren, R.I.) 1834-1837, 1834-09-20

ths more interesting here, nom lite be-
eng viewed in new aspects. i find that
che German scholars who cultivate En-
glish literature, give the preference de-
cidedly to our old authors. Perhaps thei'
attachment to the Saxon element OF ou'
language il not ow ing merely to lis being
kindred to the German. Words OF Latin
origin, after all, stand az exiies, and not
a. natives, in our mother tongue. They
come a. fragments, very convenient, il
must be confessed; but being separated
from the original stock, lose the power
of 70 production. We cannot transfer a
root with all its branches into the English
so,l, 90 that il will possess vital energy,
developing ito varied powers in new forms
and combinations. The word celestial,
for example, though good word of'itself,
10 nevertheless dead member in onr Ian
;guage; it does not bring with it its cog.
nate words aad its primitive; is scion
which does not grow and bear fruit
Comparing our language in its present
state with the German, it appears like a
beautiful piece Of Mosaic, united by jux
Imposition; wher eos. the latter is living
system, whose increase is not an accum-
ulation Of foreign matter, but wider de
.vsiopnnent Of the original germ, the nat
.ural growth of a living substance. Its
strength, like that Of the Greek, is within
itsilf, and ts power Of fresh production by
new combinations unlimited. l do not
say that it is practicable TO bring the En-
.xlish language to sucL state. i merely
express what conceive to be the actual
condition of the two languages, as ex-
planning the ground Of the preference
which the Germans give to the older
Saxon element Of our language. 1t is
here said that our modern literature has
.approximated to the superficial literature
-of the French. Another pecularity, per-
haps GROWN out ofthe former, and which
seems TO have great influence upon the
intellectual character Of the two nations,
Is that the English abounds in fixed
forms Of phraseology, and that the Ger
mans has new constructions on each oc-
.casion. So far as it relates to the En-
.gli.h, every body knows ii to be true
It is to be seen in our newspapers and
journals, in reports Of societies, in adver-
.tisements, and heard IN sermons, and per-
haps Of all in exhortations and prayers
Now, although the language Of no nation
may be perfectly free from this, there is
much less oft in German than
English. That an original English wri-
ter is in some degree fettered by this cir
scarcely admits Ct doubt,
though to a great extent genius will
breathe its inspirations into any language.
In mental philosophy has the complai Mt
often been made, that the Eng language
is an imperfect instrument in expressing
,he exact coloring and notifications OF
new thoughts. Specific indiv idualities
must more or less be sacrificed
where the mould Of ex pressing thought is
already cast in general forms. But at the
came time it gives more unity to national
opinions and feeling; it serves, like scien-
,tiic ciassifca atoms, to lay aside specific
differences, and to retain generic resem-
.blances, and thus blend the public senti-
.ment in some measure into one mass
But among the Germans we find just the
.op pposts state Of things. Here the wri-
.tet follows no beaten path. If his
thoughts are new, his language is equally
new. Ifhe refines and suptilizes, his
expressions become equal subtl. He
never complains that his mother tongue is
too gross and material to receive the Pc
culiar stMmp Of his own thoughts. The
reader is the only one that complains
Each original German thinker makes a
new track in thought and in expression.
They always fly off from the circle in
.tangents, and the people are consequently
split into innumerable philosoph,c sects.-'
1t appears highly probable that this un-
paralleled fexibility Of language has con-
atleast subordinateld to the sub
,tilty, and even inanity Of German philos-
>ophy, and to its want ofa common and
controlling public sntiment.
To be Continued.