New-York tribune., 1867-03-08
WRITTEN IND SPOKEN LANGUAGS.

~ "a, Editsr Of Tb NJ Y. nftvse
Sin: Our communications with foreign nations
have attained astonishing deyelopment but no par
ael faciaon OF tho intercourse between nn and man
has been effected" My not hope that some com
petent writer Will unfold 10 tho and effect IN the
natural mode OF learning lRnguagesf
Prof Agasslz SAID In his last lecture "blen have
learned that there Is only for their wiedgc
which ia naturo however muoh they may differ In their
Interpretation Of natures faets" Then let TIM method
presented 10 the closest Interpretation OF thu mode Of
mature. Meanwhile. allow TO mako rude sko,oh Of
my stnl rudor notions this subject
Language has two forms, the spoken and the wr.tten
each form being distinct art. These arts all the
esnt their existence 10 two faculties in man. that
OF understandings which ia passive, and that of repro
duelDg which isactiyo Speech we understand through
the and express by tho vocal organs writing we un
derstand through tho eye. and represent by tho hand
tending only 10 tie passive. Wills the exercise Of the
active naturally involves the passive. .
will never give us tho power 20 sneak or write ourselves
but IL forthwith exercise active power In repro
the process Of nature IN acquiring both 70 spro
duce and TO understand those art Tbs acuvo inoue OF
the study Of fhe other arts why should he followed
as the best mode In studying tho arts Of speech and writ
mere art expression the higher opjec of representing
very accurately oil OF thoughts end that the study
representatives But remember that We could not have
communicated our thoughts TO one another without Ian
scqired that vehicle the art OF speech that thoughts
the higher power Of reasoning We need not
here attempt 70 solve the problem OF the CROWN OK ian
enough TO know that the millions or millions OF human
beings that have spoken their fret Language have
dsneso through Tho sae process ot iplson prompIed
Of ali her G6fks As6 to exact parport Of the expres
sons OF tho language, II b clear that nature reycais mich
Of \ f. tho b,esnng and a. thus vcs Ss
progressively lead us into full understanding Of the
In ho sfidS another language the difficulty OF con-
vcying The exact meaning With tho expression Is com
paratiyey slight because already have all the IDEAS
Sg and We need Z ae Ss u 0T sor1 own s
tho foreign 1on so as to bear In mind the pur
port while we acquire the new expression.
From what preccdes We readily lima zine how the
master win yield results incredible 20 those ~ Who peslst
In studying language by means Of any other xeroIse
Pronunciation, or speech. Is the only part OF
which cannot master alone and teacbers oniy cara
should be TO speak out for the learners continual imta
ton This procedure allows tho exercise of more facu
Ties than any other cOntrived 10 exercses e ear
TO apprehendng the language when spoken by native
and persstently holds up model for tho vocal organs 10
initiate and to speak turn During hi. pectioe which
comprises oil tho essentials OF speech the eve can rend
the foreign espresson and also glance al the native
Therefore pronouncing Language A. speattrs n ror
recty while reading and understanding II: and y Che
simple exercise OF pronunciation NAV aco,irs the
whole Of language. except tho habit Of WHITING * -"
Let me conclude by advising the students OF language.
and more especially those q the French Language TO
speaking cgt whether N imitation, In reading or in com
position Even when its not the intention OF the learner
this exercise and that lac Possesses himself of two things
which f6W foreigners ever enjoy viz, "a pure and
pleasant ustcrance, with correct and idlomac
Did t ever occur to you that the very effort OF voice
which Is Indispensable to pronounce well, Is the best
means OF liking the Language In tho memoryi
No. UnirerSitypiaee. N. y. March 8. 1867.