The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1854-04-22
C0uratiollul.
For The Cecil Whig.l
POPULAR EDUCATION.
20. II


language now in use by educated persons, arc
of Latin origin. But at the time of which |
have been speaking, these words had not been
adopted. The language in use among the
peasantry of England, during three centuries
succeeding the reign of William, the Conquer
or, appears to have been composed ofan adj
mixture of Saxon with the dialect of the an
uient Blitons. This class Of English words,
altho far out numbered by Latin derivatives,
nevertheless makes up the bulk of common
conversation. 1t embraces most of the words
used in our translation of the Bible, and cf all
compositions adapted to the understanding Of
uncducated persons 1t was this class of
words only, which our British ancestry of the
10Th or 18th centuries, undertook to place on
paper; and the reader may observe that it is
chiefly this class, the spelling of which, is so
inconsistent and arbitrary.
The Roman alphabet was especially adapt
cd to the photography Of Latin words The
spelling of this language is nearly correct:
and had it employed a few additional letters,
it might have been quite so. Accordingly we
find the words which, from time to time, have
been borrowed from the Latin to enrich our
language; being only Engliczcd from their
original spelling; are represented on paper
nearly as pronounced. The contrast between
the photography of the two classes of words
is quite striking; so much so, that it is mat
ter for surprise, that, the refined itcrati of lat
ter ages should have adopted and sanctioned
the awkward Workmanship of their rude pro-
g,nitors.
The poetry of the North British pcasantry
is said to have been the first English compo-
sition committed to paper These rustic
ballads were probably in existence long time
before they were written. Like the poems
attributed to Homer, they were handed down
from sire to son. and existed only in the
memories of the people through successive
generations. But as our ancestors were, like
ourselves, aTeoplc of progress, in process of
time they apcd the customs of their priests ard
rulers in making and reading books. In do
ing this they could neither adopt the French
Of the Court, nor thS Latin of the Convent:
but they could, or thought they could, borrow
the garb of the latter to equip their mother
tongue for the literary arena Here was their
sad mistake. Their language contained forty
sounds-thc Roman Alphabet but hrenty-
three effective letters. With An alphabet so
incomplete, the best that could have been
done was to have rendered the spelling con-
combination of letters for sounds not provided
with single characters. But no such effort
appears to have been madr:--no history of il,
no trace of its effects, has CONC down to us.
The idea being once adopted of ustng the
Roman Alphabet, each writer used it accord
ing to his own fancy. Not only was there no
agreement between different writers, but the
same writer was totally inconsistent with
himself. The same page exhibited the same
word spelled in several different ways The
art of Printing now came to the rescue, but
along with the wide spread blessings which
this art has conferred upon the human race,
we must here charge it with far reaching
evil. 1t gave Iermanencc to this unfoundod
and barbarous photography; and by thus pre-
occupying the field it has cntailcd ignorance
upon millions, whose minds might have FORM
Cd shining galaXics, in the firnamcnt of
science and Of civil and religious society.
But we should not blame the art of print
ing for this negative result. 1t is merely pre-
sumptive, that had not the art ofprinting fin
I'd kind ofstandard for that photography, it
trust soon have sunk beneath the weight of
its own incongruity. In the difficulties, that
writers would have experienced in conprc-
hrnd!ng each others workmanship, they
might Lave been led to rtjcct the whole sys-
ten, and invent new one adapted to their
purposes
From what weknow Of the superior efficacy
ola truthful photography, compared with that
under which the spirit of the English people
so long has groancd, we are drawn to little
speculation, upon what might have been the
literary and social condition of the masses
speaking our language, in ages past. The
poet might not then with so much truthful
ness have said:
Perhaps in this negaGtsi SPOT is laid
Some lie ,rt. once pregnant with celestial fire;
Hands, that the rod of empire might have swaycd
Or wakel to ccstscy the living Tyre
Gut knowledge to their eyes her ample plge.
Rich with the spoils of time, did ne cr unroll;
CHILL rENrRY. repressed their noble rige,
And FRozE the genial current of the soul"
Perjury has indeed frozen the literary spirit
OF tic masses of the English nation, and must
continue to freeze it, so long as science is APP
preached through vestibuIc, itself so cold
and cherries. The child of pcnury, is seldom
inspired with sufficient vigor to bear his mind
through the mazcs of this gloomy labyrinth:
and that many of our greatest scholars have
arisen from Indulgence, only proves that in the
race we feel proud to lclong to, there some.
times arises a master mind whose native
strength and energy are superior ia all the
barriers that poverty imposes.
But how came the printers to fix the alb
s'lrd spelling of our fathers In those days,
when writers were bcG,n,;no p,,mcrouc nrin-