The Portage County Democrat. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1859-06-08
Raw EMMA. OHIO.
pEHc1L1NGs By LAMp-LIaHT.
inc English Language.

Xu0 6nS Llsu 1duSuhBO. .a-.l y
A German essayist-Jacob Grimm-says
Of the English language: Scholars speak Of
the English language as in itself power
No people have spoken it. or can speak il, but
a powerful people. No other language equals
it. With law and genius of its own. it lev
les contributions apon all other languages,
and Incorporates the power and beauty. the
heart and core. of every other tongue into it.
For perspicuity and force. for elegance and
smoothness. poetry and science, metaphysics
and theology, the pulpit or the forum, the
senate or the bar. for any and every use there
is no language which equals it. By the use
Of this common language, our country is
hound together by q common sympathy; and
by the same means-unity of language-we
are allied to the most powerful nations OF the
earth. The English language is rapidly
spreading into all lands. and will. according to
present indications, soon become the language
of commerce in oil nations The English and
Americans are in the East Indies. in Austral
la, at the Cape of Good Hope, on the coast
of China; in Asia. Africa, Europe, and Amer.
ica; on al continents, seas ard islands; along
all lines Of travel where they fnd or leave
some who speak the language. The English
language has veritable power of expression,
such as, perhaps, never stood at the command
of any other language of men. Its highly
spiritual genius and wonderfully happy devel
opment and condition. have been the result o
surprisingly intimate union of the two no
blest languages in modern Europe, the Teu.
tonic and the Romance. 1t is well known il
what relation these two stand to one another
in the English tongue; the former supplying
in far larger proportion, the material ground
work; tie latter, the spiritual conceptions
In truth, the English language, which by no
mere accident has produced and upborne the
greatest and most predominant poet of mod
ern times, as distinguished from the ancient
classical poetry II can, of course, only mean
Shakespeare may, with all right, be called 6
world language, and; like the English people
appears destined hereafter to prevail with q
sway more extensive even than its present, ov
or all the portions of the globe. For il
wealth, good sense, and closeness of structure
no ether of the languages at this day spoken
deserves to be compared with it. not even ouI
German, which is torn, even as we are torn
and must first rid itself of many defects be
fore it can enter boldly into the lists as a com
petitor with the English.
Gossip.
If there is one inclination of hum anitJ
more pernicious 10 its results than another, i
may be pointed out as that Of gossip. 1t i
the bane of social life.--it always indicates
little mind, having affinity with petty con
Germs; often a malicious mind, delighting il
traducing others; irreverence for truth, riskint
the violation of it for the pleasure of telling
stories which may be false, often are known II
be 90; great lack Of honor, sDeaking dispo
sition saying behind the back of another wha
would not be said before his face presumptiv,
want of power to talk on nobIer subjects-at
least, lack of interest in them. Male gossip
are worse than female. Women gossip chief
ly about domestic life, love, marriage, firta
tions. servants. entertainments-aLd worl
of mischief they do thereof heart burning.
heartsinkings, and heart-breakings-of broke
ties and alienated affections. But men GOSSIP
too. Obi what keen, biting, withering gossip
ings they have--half untrue, wholly needless
full Of envy, hatred, and all uncharitablenes
o, The Love Of Mother.
OF there is an enduring tenderness in I'll
love of mother to son, that transcends q
other affections of the heart. II is neither
be chilled by selfshness, nor daunted by da
ger. nor weakened by worthlessness nor q
fed by iDgratitude. She will sacrifice eve
comfort to his convenience; she will surrend
every pleasure to his enjoyment; she will 81
Ty in his fame and exult in his prosperity al
If misfortune overtake him. he will be dear
70 her from his misfortunes, and il disgra
settle on his name, she will still love and che
ish him in spite of bis disgrace; and if all Il
world beside cast him off, she will be all Il
world to him. Was there ever sentime
more holy or more true, and was it ever mo