The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1848-12-08
For the Ottawa Free Trader.
The German Language.

hteratures contain the lore OF the learned
upon all the subjects of human thought.
Those nati0naliiies are the English, the
German and the French; and the printed
books al either language are more valuable
10 us than all those in the dead languages
added 10 those in the Italian, Spanish, Swe-
dish, Sc.
Ofthese three peoples aud li,erstures the
English are coDfessedly in the van and the
Germans Claim the second place. OF them
we wish to speak. They have been politi-
cally divided and warning with each other,
and therefore their political nationality has
been unrecognized; but il is now fully ava.
kened, and governmental union shall soon
make it perfect. Within the last century
they have certainly made more valuable
contributions TO criticism, philosophy and
poetry than all other nations combined, if
we except the writings of Thomas Carlyle,
who is yet unappreciated. They are now
marching, arm III arm, with us; progress
ing towards truth and refinement, towards
perfection in the arts and sciences. They
are hot unworthy companions upon the road
towards complete civilization. Great Ger.
man men we have already known. Two
Of the broadcast strides Of modern progress
were made by them Printing and the Re-
formation.
He that will know farther Of the present
state of German literature will find it writ
Ell in Carlyle's Miscellanirs.
The German language demands our Of
ten,ion as originally the twin sister Of our
own. That Saxon blood which is our boast
went from the banks of the Rhine 10 the
shores of merry England. That Saxon in
vasion, 400 years ago, established the Sax.
on tongue firmly in their adopted land. 400
years afterwards the Danes invaded Eng
land, but they were soon repealed and their
tongue left but little influence upon the En-.
glish language. In the year 1000, William
tbeNorman u,urper andthe Norman French
conquered At the same time the Saxon men
and the Saxon tongue-then the English
language was about half Saxon and half
NormanFreuch, until the revival Of letters,
which began and continued to introduce
Latin and Greek words until the death Of
Samuel Johnson. Now our language, we
may congratulate ourselves has srrived At a
point after which oil change must be unim-
portant untilits 6nal destruction. The most
important words are still of Saxon denomi.
nation and the rules of syntax are generally
our tongue bears strong and near resem.
blance to the German, aud il is that part Of
which when properly written gives clear
ness and force; as We know that the Saxon
style of Runyan is praised for clearness and
unaffected simplicity, whilst Johnson's latin
style is found fault with on account Of POM
pous veIbosity. As the Saxon derivatives
are the most important in our language so
are they the least studied; and be, who
would write any language forCibly and cor
rectly must make II his study. Most of the
languages Of southern Europe are mixed.
The lands Of Spain, France, Italy and
| Portugal, when Roman Provinces, were
overrun and conquered by The more hardy
| Scandlnavians, whose bodies were soon en-.
erva,ed and whose tongues were soon sdul-
ierated by the influence Of their voluptuouS
slaves. NOtso with Germany. There are
Saxon blood and Saxon speech yet pure and
vigorous. l; is the only pure end uncon.
taminated language of = powerful and thor.
oughly civilized people. Tits The most per-
feet ana beautiful of the modern languages
has no foreign derivatives and is cursed with
no Latin !eprosy. When science is dis.
covered or machine invented. they do not
aswe ,rnuto the Greek OF Letin for 4 name
but the word is composed Of the clear Ger
man. 1t is the TT conveyance for the wig.
orous thoughts Of . rock-made and indepen'
deaf race. Thus we have tried TO represent
the Importance ofthe German, 10 the scholar
| To the politician il IS still more important
I, is the language of at least one fourth Of
The citizens Of Illinois, Wisconsin and Iowa
thsir influence is powerful and they are I'm.
supplied with leaders from their owl ranks
Bat iew Of the American born speak theil
tongue or have their sympathy, but the in
t!urnce OF that few is great IN proportion
The Germans are generally true democrat!
aud TAR more intelligent than is generally
supposed. They have not yet reached then
full number. Immigration has now peoplet
the swamps 81 OHIO, the wilds Of Michigan
and the cold plains of Wisconsin. Anothe
summer shall see another immigration nu
nerous as that Of 1917, and its necessar,
and proper destination is upon the banks u
the Illinois and its tributaries. A food
more powerful than ever rushed down from
Lake Michigan, shall pour down the fertil
valley of the Illinois, aud its course shall b.
. marked by more hopeful signes the CO
and the rehabilitation and abundance
The business man will not close his eye
: TO this custom. Their numbers, their eco
uomy, industry aud success makes thei
4, patronage valuable. Us. II.
IT,. D.1tL non 'rhnu1h,s avev orrur