The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1854-02-23
Reported for the Pioneer.
Literature.

Third Lecture al I'rarerse des Slow, deHrer
| Ell 6y Rec. W. .4iGms, Jan. 81, "a.
! Literature in genera denotes The entire result.
of knowledge and fancy, preserved in wiring.
| In il more common aud distinctive sense, lite
nature may denote languages, grammar, Criticism
rhetoric, logic, history, sc. In still more liuii
tie sense, il is used 10 denote bellies letires. OF
polite literature.
Your attention on the present occasion is re-
specially invited to The consideration Of the sub
! j, CT of Literature IN lis more common and dis
lluciive slgnilicaon. Touching this topic, nc
one can clam to be disInteresied for all par,ici
pate to greater or less extent in the advantage
Of literature Wills the pail of darkness settle,
down upon people where It declines or i. total,
absent.
| True. in q new country like this, circumsanc.
ed peculiarly we often,imes are; as nj. ht be
expected less time and attention Is commonly II |.
lowed for literary pursuits than in cider coun,re.
and IN more advanced society; STILL here as else.
where, snch pursuits are interesting and import
aut and amply compensate u liberal investment OF
time and attention.
! Human speech, i.e.-artcu.ate sounds, was
probably coeval with mankind. But when human
speech was first represented by letters, marks or
characters IN the formation of words, and " hen
and by whom words were first arranged properly
I
exhibited 10 the human eye, topics of no Or
binary interest 10 The enquiring mind.
| In regard 10 language, God the Creator of all.
may be regarded he author And it is quite
probable that the primitive language of man as
received from the Father Of Spirits, was the i.e
brew, and therefore that language is the frs, II,
the order of antiquity; next TO tins, the Syrian
next the Greek; next the Arabic, &C.
Touching the origin of languages and their great
dIversities, we have hlstory--the most authen-
tic and rational as given in the Bible, Gen. 2: 10.
20; also, Chap. IL: 1, 8.
Hence all languages may be traced to one
original source, viz: The Hebrew, which was
the language Of the whole earth for nearly 1000
years, or until the confusion Of tongues and the
dispersion of mank ind. The number of deriya
tive languages is estimated at about 5000 This
estimate does not include the languages Of many
small tribes, whose dialects differ sufficiently
from am other, TO constitute each distinct Ian
guage IN itself considered.
OF these 5000 languages, more than 1900 are
spoken in America, 27S in Africa, 5l5 in Eu-
rope, and more Than 1000 10 Asia and its islands
and the islands Of the sea.
In regard to the origin Of letters and the orgi
ginal source Of aiphabetic wiring the sneaker
showed clearly that il could not be ira ced either
to the Phoenicians, Syrians, Greeks or Egyptians
nor even to Baby Ion. But, that it was more like
ly that aiphabeic writing originated among the
descendants OF Shem, /. e.--the Chaldeans in The
great Asiatic valley Of the Tigris and Euphratcs.
The original names of The Alphabet are Shomit-
ish. The rude and imperfecr form of the print
tive letters evince their antiquity. One eff the
earliest, Sf not indeed The earliest, and certainly
the most perfect specimen Of The or, presented TO
The world, was The Law Inscribed upon two tables
Of stone by the finger Of God and given to Moses
on Mount Sinai. Moses, taught Of God, from
that time, (having copy plate, which included
every letter but Of the Hebrew AphabeN
probably began to write the history Of the world.
history that has stood The test of ages. The light
of science and The mighies! attacks of skepli-
cism
When the art OF writing was communicated 10
other nations is not so clear. During the time of
Samuel the Prophet, the literature Of the Hebrew
nation and Of the world, may be said to have Ia
ken its rise. And although David broueh, up as
a shepherd, was learned prince-a man of cul
tivated mind, and greatly elevated the nation in
arts and arms; 1t not until the time
of Solomon. that lsraes glory attained its zenith
The whole country Of Palestine was then classic
ground, and the home of literature. Now no
longer the sport Of the sword nd the pesilence.
the people might well indulge in literary pursuits
Then il was that probably the knowledge of let
ers and the advantage Of literature passed from
he Hebrews 10 the Pagan world. Ii was there
ore from the flame that glowed in tho temple Of