Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-10-01
SPREAD OF THE ENGLISH TONGUE.

SPREAD OF THE ENGLISH TONGUE.
The hundred years ago the English language
was confined to u mere fraction Of the people
OF our globe. Harsh and inelegant in its origi-
nal character, though possessed Of native vigor
and strength containing, engrafted upon ii,
the elements of the dialects of all the Western
races and tribes who had borne a banner of
conquest, but not polished and worked down
into Homogeneous structure, it was regarded
as the language Of a bold, hardy, energetic
race, rather than one that would ever become
the main vehicle of thought that concerned
human progress and civilization
But the people then comparatively weak In
influence upon the destiny of the world, have
grown into q control Of realms, compared with
which those Oyerrun by Alexander or acknowl-
edglng theisupremscy Of the Caesars sink into
lnslgnlhcsnce. By civilization and by con-
quest, they have occupied the fairest portions
oi both continents, and the most important
isles OF the sea; and their language made still
more coplOus by new materials gathered from
the yocabularies of nations, and enriched by
ali that Is valuable in the domains of litera-
ture, SCIENCE and art, promises to become the
tongue of the world. s
lowed the commerce and the arms of an adysn-
turoas people, until II Is already spoken in the
four quarters of the globe. Ii America, from
ine duif OF Mexico To Bafin's Bay and from
Newfoundland to the Pacific coast it is the ye-
hlcle OF thought of the millions now living who
are reclaiming the wilderness for civilization,
and OF the indefinite multitudes that are to
make populous the future seat of a power
greater than history describes In the Sand
wien Islands, the extreme north, and in New
Zealand, Australia and Van Dieman's Land
the extreme south Of the Pacific island groups,
II IS firmly planted, and begins to root out the
SOFT ana hquld tongues Of the efeminate South
pea Islanders. Ii has occupied the West In
dies, which lie in the future path of commerce
across the New World and the East Indies
the cradle Of civilization in the Old 1t, is
spoken at the Cape of Hope, and is gradually
carried up into the heart of negro land 1t is
heard In Syria, along the banks of the Nile,
and even on the Ameor; and is fast becoming
the language OF commerce. of science, and of
government, for mankind ...'
Every new territory invaded by the COM
merce Of the English people opens the wav for
the extension OF the language of that great
commercial centre. The trading factory ONLY
preeedes the growing colony and the rising
state that is to be founded on the ruins of ali
that preceded it. Every march of the great
army OF emigrant pioneers constituting the
American branch of the Anglo-Saxon family,
speeds the preparation of new territory to be
annexed to the representative of the English
tongue on the Western Continent Here, as
the more vigorous and progressive races en-
croach upon the weak and stationary and
extend their territories westward and south
ward, teey bear with them order, civilization,
good government and prosperity, and also in
trOduce the language that has become the
type of their own character
But the mere conquests Of srms and of trade,
oil colonization, and of emigra ton, are not the
only agencies OF Its extension. The effort to
christlaniZe the world has introduced it still
more carefally, aud is likely to engraft it more
thoroughly upon other races. 1t has been de-
mOnstrated that the mission to prove success-
full, must also be the centre of secular learn
ing, from which the light of civilization shall
radlate INTO 1.-The darkness of the valley of the
shadow Of death" But this learning cannot
De taught Ih the tongues Of the Pagan ma atoms
they often have not the terms to express the
great principles OF later science, and the idiOms
ot their Languages are 50 tinged with supersti-
hons Of past ages and errors Of old philosophy
as to be incapable of conveying the simple idea
OF either natural or religious truth The mis-
slOn becomes, therefore, school for the dis
semination of the English language, and rs
knowledge gives power, the learning acquired
at the mlsslon school in the heart of countries
scarcely Affected by the external influence of
tne American or English people, will render
the English tOngue-that is becoming the me-
dunn ot knowledge necessity of such nations
in all future time
Before Christianity made its appearance ON
the plains of Judea the world had long been
preparing Tor Its reception. A brighter intel
Ieetual period and less connections Of nations
and rumors OF wars, had long prevailed than
had marked preceding centuries. And, COM
menclng In Weakness-its apostles fishermen,
It's cradle msDger, its early home dungeon
1t went forth among the nations, and pagan
Ism saw Its princes and its peasants bowling
before the unarmed cOnqueror
The English language is now not only be-
o In Ia ha
the first apostles spoke-a language which the
nations can understsnd-but, wherever il is
understood, Il carried the knowledge the civil
lLatlon, the science, as we'll as the Christianity
OF the Anglo Saxon race
Ii not more than mere chance coincidence 10
Dc seen In the fact that the English and the
American people have of ali others first been
united by the magnet tic telegraph spanning the
aoysses OF the ocean, Have they been enabled
by means OF this new organism TO make the
great Atlantic one vast nerve sheath and brain
case Tor no higher purpose than to facilitate the
transmission Of messages Of commerce or home
anecuon Or rather was it not the design
tnat tnls maj triumph, dependent upon long
series OF fragmentary discoveries should give
greater power to the Mosaic of races speaking
the English tongue, to spread the enlighteninr
influences imbOdied in that language and their
civil and social institutions still wider and
more RAPIDLY over the globe? 1t has made the
race stronger than did the prOudest conauests
II has ever achieved Ii has given the En,Iisb
tongue new baptism OF ethereal Gre.
The language which three centuries ago vas
only spoken oy hVe or six millions of people.
two centuries hence will doubtless be spoken
by many hundred millions The Asiatic. at
the base of the HimnaIeh and On the fable
lands Of China; the African, along tho shores
OF the Natal and the Nile; the islanders, from
New Leinster to Hawaii; and the Americans,
from Panama to Hudson Bay, will doubtless
understand and use the tongue in which Mil
ton and Byrun sung, and the first declsr. tion
OF the inalienable rights Of man were pro-
claimed
glance at the progress Of our language and
the instrunentalities now engaged in spread
II wider over the globe, gives us more faith in
the PermanencyOf our institutions and in the
increase OF the power Of our Republic to extend
Its laws, institutions, and civilization over the
whole continent
something higher than chance develops the
progress The discoveries, and the triumphs we
have secured; and still, what has been Wrought
L: evidently but part of the perfect work as
signed, not to the space Of a single age but "a
"A .c