Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1864-09-09
Vol. 81: No.87.
BLAcKWooD FOR JULY.

BlacEacoods Aagasins for July presents the
following table of contents Cornelius O'Dowd
upon Men and Women, and other Things in Gen-
eral-Part V. The Education and Training Of
Naval Officers Letters from tie Principalities
Tony Butler The NapoIeonic Idea in Mexico;
The London Art Season Padre BandeIE Proses
to the Duke Ludovieo Sforza about Leonardo da
Vinci Leonardo da Vinci Poetises to the Duke
in his own Defence Chronicles Of CarIingford
The Perpetual Curate-Pars XIII.
LINdrIszs THIRD RATE MEN.
CORNELIUS O'DowD, in his gossopiDr dis
coure upon men and women, tells US that 1
never met linguist that was above a third-rate
man aud go farther, and aver that ] never
chanced upon really able man who had talent
for langua ges
am well aware that it sounds something little
short of heresy TO make this declaration Ii Is
enough to make the blood Of Civil Service Com
nnissioners run tfod to hear it. It sounds ilberaI
and, worse, it seems illogical. Why should any
intellectual development imply deficiency? Why
should an anuirement argue defect / answer,
I don know-any more than know why san
guineous people are bot-tempered, and leuco-
phlegmate ones are more brooding in their wrath
E-for do not ask to be anything higher than
empYrical-if | find that parsimonious people
have generally thin noses, ard that the snub is
associated with the spendthrift, never trouble
myself with the demonstration. but | hug the
fact, and endeasor to apply It.
In the same spirit, if hear n7an in saloon
change from French to German, ard thence di-
verge into Italian and Spanish, with possibly
brief excursion into something ScandiEaVian, or
Skaly-at home in each and ALL would no more
think of assoeiating him in my mind with any
thing responsible in station or commanding in IN
tellect than should think of connecting ths ser.
want that announced me with the last brilliant pa
per in the Quarterly
No man with strongly marked identity--aFsa
no really able man ever existed without slch-cau
subordinate that identity SO far as to put on the
foreigner and without this he never can attain
that mastery Of a foreign language that makes the
linguist. To be able to repeat conventionalities-
bringing them in at the telling moment adjusting
phrases to emergencies, as a joiner adapts the
pieces of wood 10 his carpentry-may be, and is,
a very neat and a very dexterous performance, but
it is scarcely the exercise to which large capacity
viii address itself. Imitation must be, in one
sense or other, the stronghold of the linguist---
imitation of expression, Of style, Of accent, Of ca-
dence, of tone. The lnguist must not merely
master grammar, but he must manage guttarals.
The minicry must so farther in Stimulating ex-
preston it must affect the sentiment You are
not merely borrowing the clothes but you are pre-
tending to put or tnefeelings, the thoughts, the
prejudiees Of the wearer Now. what man with
a strong nature can merge himself so entirely in
his fictitious being as not to burst the seams and
tear the lining of garment that only irnpedes the
free action of his limbs, and actually threatens
the very extinction Of his respiration
WOMEN BETTER LINGUIsT rHAE MEN.
1t is not merely by their greater adaptiyeness.
chat women are better linguists than men it il by
their more delicate organization, their more sub
dned Identity and their less obstreperous temper
aments, which are consequently less egotistical,
less redolent of the one individual self And
what is it that makes the men of mark or note,
the cognate signs Of human algebra, but these
same characteristics not always good, not always
pleasant, not always genial but always associated
with something that declares pre-eIninence. and
pronounces their owner to be representative
man?"
A MISTAKEN IDA.
1t is very common habit, particularly With
newspaper writer's to ascribe skin in languages,
and occasionally in games, to distinguished people.
1t was but the other day we were told that Carl
baldi spoke ten languages fiuently Now Garibal-
Iii is not really master Of two. lie speaks French
tolerably and his native language is not Italian,
but patois- Genoese Cayour was called In
gllist with almost as little truth but people re-
peat the story, just as they repeat that Napoleon
T. was a great chess player. IF his statecraft and
his strategy had been on a par with his chess. we
should never have heard Of Elsit or Wagram.
Lord Castlebeagh, the Duke of Wellington and
ieorge Canning eaeh of whom administered our
.oreign policy with no small share Of success,
were .iot linguists and as toCharies Fox, he has
eh French sentence on record that viii last even
rs long as his own great name. [ do not want to
tecry the study of language Z simply declare to
affirm that hnguistsand through all | have said
7 mean eallouusl iInguists-are for the most part
poor creatures, not otherwise distinguished than
By the gift of tongues and I want TO protect
against the undue pre-eminence accorded to the
possessors of small accomplishment, and the
readiness with which the world, especially the
world of society, awards homage to an acquire
ment in which boarding school miss can surpass
Lord Brougham. / mean to say word or two
about those who have a skin in games but as
they are of higher order of intelligence, III wait
till | have got fresh wins" ere treat of them.
----ae- --e~---------
Why VALLANDIGHAM WAS NOT ARRESTED. -
The Hon Schuyler Colfax, late Speaker Of the
House of Representatives, made the following
statement few days ago, in q speech at Peru,
Indiana
'sWhen Mr.. Valandigham returned it was very
natural that the frseplace he went to should be q
Democratic Convention He thought Mr.. Lin
coin would arrest him. Dir. Lincoln knew the
fact that at that time there was secrect organi-
cation in the Northwest, the details of which he