The Nevada journal., 1858-11-26
riday Morning. November 2Gth. 1858
College of California.

on delivered at the fourth anniversary
". b. FELTON,, Esq Taking warm
lterest in the school movement of the
tate, we are not a little gratifed at see-
ng so auspicious commencement for
igher seats of learning in the State as
,indicated by the reports from the Col
rge of California. About that address
&c have other words to say. Those
'resent at the delivery especially the
ollege educated, we are sure did not
nbscribe to some of the opinions of the
,rator on that occasion. We are not
Jate sure that Mr. FELTON, believes them
himself Saying nothing of solecisms in
anguages (Which tend to leave an infer
Pnce that Mr.. FELTON, need not expect to
become linguist, not being complete
master of his own tongue,) we proceed to
point out the principal errors of the ad-
dress. Speaking of the acquisition of
languages he announces boldly that it is
impossible 20 learn living language af-
ter the age of sixteen or seventeen, and
that knowledge of Greek and Latin
serves to bewilder, perplex and confuse
the student rather than assist him in ac-
quiring the modern tongues. The proof
such as it is on this point, is drawn from
the orators own experience, and is wor-
thy of note as having been addressed to
the president aud trustees of college
/ mostly men of classical education.-
Her e is the argument
"How well | remember my mortifca-
ton, when fresh from my college educa-
ton, proud of my little store of Latin
and Greek, with an implicit belief in
what my teachers had told me, that in
them l possessed the key of all lam
guages, l found, while travelling in
France, my most vigorous efforts in ac-
quiring the French, easily eclipsed by
one of my comrades who had never been
accustomed to study Of any kind. On
my return to my native land, some little
children of five or six years old, who
L iCil' nClC uolftHl Vi any IdU-
guage bat their own, had, in the mean
time, without book or study, without los
ing moment from play, acquired in all
its purity and grace-acquired so that it
seemed not an acquisition, but their moth
er tongue-the language which had
almost uselessly toled to learn. Why
was it that the grown upman, accus tom
ed TO labor ard study, had seen his most
strenuous efforts so easily surpassed by
the play of the child
The fallacy of the position, that it is
impossible to acquire living language
after sixteen or seventeen yeals of
age, is shown in the history of
almost every inguist, living or dead.
Sir VIM. Jones learned languages after
that age-so did Mezofanti Montucci.
a celebrated philologist, learned the
Chinese and became Chinese scholar
after the age of SO, publishing Chinese
dictionary after that time. Franklin
learned to speak French fuently after
20, Elihu Burritt did not commence
his trade till the Rubicon of Mr.. FELTON,
was passed, and learned all languages
that were accessible to him afterwards.
But there is another remarkable instance
which must come home to the conviction
of Mr. FELTON, himself. Not many years
ago brilliant orator flashed in all the
principal cities of the Union, astonishing
and captivating all by his wonderful COM
mand of the English language and Eng
lish eloquence. Kossuth came direct
from Hungary and obtained his know
ledge of our tongue from the companion
ship of Shakespeare and an English die
tionary. in a prison of his native land,
long after the age of seventeen had
passed. We can show Mr. FELTON, for
eigners who never spoke a word of Eng
lish in their lives till few years ago,
and after his barrier ofimpossbility had
been crossed, who, if we are to take his
own account of himself, can speak the
English quite as we'll as he. A look
into the academies and colleges of the
land will disclose the fact that one hall
of all classical students have but CON-
menced the study of languages at the
age of sixteen, and many of these make
linguists too. How fortunate it is that
Mr.. FELTON, did not preach his dogma:
to Kossuth and Burritt! We should
never have listened to the eloquence O
one. or have been proud of the acquire
ments of the other.
Mr.. Felton's proof that a knowledge
of Greek and Latin is a detriment t,
the acquisition of the modern tongue
appears to lie in the superiority of a com
panion, in ability to learn a Language
abroad, and " little children of five o
six years old" at home. The forme
eclipsed him easily while the latter &C