The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1858-09-23


that, we take especial credit for our full and
frank recognition Of his extraordinary en-
dowments, before the public in general had
the slightest suspicion Of what allied him.
What most people considered Tie ridiculous
blunders Of an ignorsmus wb1 tried to be
thought learned by parade Of Spelling book
. phrases, whose very meaning he misappre-
hended, We feel proud that we Immediately
pointed out as the most remarkable literary
discoveries Of ancient or modern times.
We submit, therefore, that.ve have given
no just cause for the violent personal resent
nSnopts which the ernidite and classical ply
N visited yesterday upon the heads OF
a - EDITORS Of this paper, as il somebody
had told him that we were making fun Of
him, Now we protest that we are not max
ing fun Of him. If be differs from the
French Academy in his standard Of French
pronunciation, and rebels against the au.
thority OF the Universities in his Latin trans
lations, we have no doubt be has an abund-
anee of reasons for these innovations the
fruit Of his laborious researches in Riggs
Dakota Lexicon, and through the list Of
Latin phrases at the end Of the spelling
books. We. can pay no better tribute to
the boldness and originality Of his philo-
logical theories than by contrasting them
with the vulgar ideas Of the schools, which
be knocks higher than kite" by his more
recent and dazzling discoveries. OF these
we regard bis discovery that the motto,
Z" Honi SOFT gu. mai pense" is not French
as the most remarkable Of his achievements.
Our readers will recollect that the, erui-
.dite and classical physician, after several
days, elaboration, decided that the phrase in
question was not French, but Norman. In
yesterdays .Mianesotian be 80 far modi6es
this decision Oh to admit that this Norman
IS French after all-but then it is only pro.
yincial French, not Partisan French. The
value Of this discovery will be better appre-
ciated By q reference to the common and
I. vulgar opinions held upon this subject. The
:walgAf Theory, then, is that what was known
ia The middle ages as Norman French has
bean the REVEALING or polite dialect Of the
lanausSe since the 18th century. And that
In befSse Edward the Third presented the
Countess oi Salisbury with the famous gar
ter which became the badge Of the order Of
st. George, Norman French was the Ian
gnogspf Par's--the language Of the Courts
and 81 the laws and literature OF the day
and Afterwards as it became refined and fix
Cd By he French Academy, succeeded Latin
% Tie language Of diplomacy throughout
Euepe, The polite Partisan French Of that
the sl4th century-was the very
Freseh spoken by Edward, namely, Norman
1 French.
The erudite and classical physician tells
US yesterday that this English motto is mot
|, good French, but Norman or Law French"
Now, ordinary people would have supposed
that the very fact that it was the language
| 10 which the laws were written is the very
best proof in the world that il was the RI.
ling Dialect Of the time. That is the CON-
mon opinion, at least.
TIE language which the fall Of the Ro-
| ,mAn Empire left in Gaul or France was the
sfiagsn Romano or Rcmans, in which Latin
| Eas the predominant element, corrupted by
| - infusion Of Teutonic, &c, from variety
isTof foreign inyasions. The hng,,a Romano
was divided into two great branches-the
4. Southern or Ldngte d &c, and the Northern
~ iangue d out. In the beginning Of the
twelfth Century the south Of France was
united under one government, with the name
Of Provence. From that period" We
quote learned authority who has the mis-
fortune TO differ with the Doctor, from
that period the two dialects were called the
| Prorneal and the French" The former
though much changed Is still the dialect Of
Southern France the latter Of the North
including Paris. 10 the 18th century
says the same learned authority, "tbe North.
ern or Norman French diaied gained the
asoendeney. This was partly owing to the
influence Of the Coniews who roamed into
all parts Of the country, but chiefly to the
circumstance that Paris became the centre
Of refinement, philosophy and literature, for
all France, a position which it has ever
since maintained" So that according to the
belief Of the old iogies who preceded the
erudite and classical physician in philo-
logical investigation, Norman Or Lac French
was the Partisan French Of the period in
question. MAcAuLAr falls into the popular
error On this ssbjsct He saysof the ascen.
. - a.. ~. -, to-,