Smyrna times., 1872-03-13
Foreign Tongues.

This is the day for the languages as a studv
If you don't speak French, you should at least
have commenced the study of German. so ne to
keep up with the progress of the times. One
young lady remarked, the other day, that her
French teacher was SO negligent that she had
to dismiss him. HE KEEP a coming later
every week, till | couldn't stand him no longer" >"
she said. And another engaged to take les
sons in German from learned English woman
who casually stated, in conversation, that she
did not approve of elaborate head-dressses-
for, said she. there is no ornament that so
well becomes the uman cad as the 'uman
ar. Who can doubt the propriety of the
hrSt lady learning and the second teaching
ANY one who is so thoroughly acquainted with
their native tongue should go farther. and ada
knowledge of foreign languages to their
polished skill in their own; and this must ac
count for the prevalence of German classes and
French teachers and pupils.
Dr' johnson called English the language of
pnllosophyi but complete as it is. and redund.
ant 10 word and phrase, it yet falls short of the
Ieeus OF the cOnverSers and writer's of every.
gay lille, who keep running account with the
French to supply the deficiency thew feel in
thelr own Thus they produce a mixture
neither OF which is of prime quality; and. in
stead OF having one murdered tongue. thew
gutcher two. Everybody does not understanl |
rIench therefore 1t cannot be good taste TO
talk It at everybody. There NAV be comnli-
me1t implied in supposing that one is familiar
WITH It, but there is mysti6cation in it's sound
Lady BlesslngtOI s novels lost favor from the
eJaculatory fragments of that tongue that formed
S9e Me Conversations of her heroes and hcroines.
NOBODY knew what had been projected in the
seu'enceS italicized, and could only guess from
t eue lew stray bits of English whether they had
Oe9n quarrellng or vowing etern II fidelity.
we are an initiative people, and 'our
spnghtiy neighbOr the Gaul, as Mr.. Micaw-
oer says, has always been the steady object of
Jur mlmlcry. French, as prefix, is an intro
uuGtion to popularity. Placed before dress
mixing millinery, confectionery, &C., itinsures
favorable reception in trade but we likewise
aoaSh ourselves in the presence of remarkable
strangers ~ from other places, and strive to copy
i%eT Tm style as superior to our own. Fanny
Luser' the danseuse, found us ready to borrow
neI uress and ornaments SO did Ole Bull:
anu when Jenny Lind arrived, every one twisted
suet halr up like hers, and surprised her
;gy H;ggsty @hen she appeared the day after in
V'uure 10 match those worn among the New
iOTk ladies to find that the New York ladies
naG one and all, copied hers.
Inc japanese are coming. Six almond
sye9 iadles OF rank are among them, who in
81 Inu " pront Dy American progress, to learn
'ne ways OF enlightened and civilized life. and
0rrry back the wisdom so received to the court
VI the Mlkad0. Shall we allow them to take
pattern from US? And will not an intense de-
s sne 70 mimic the embroidered skirts and loose
TTo"sers OF the talr Japs be almost irresistible?
@ 0an We Keep from hattening our noses and
peaaA'hg the corners OF our eyes, letting our
MT gro" IKE talOns, and plastering our hair
WIN WIN ,pautau? May not some of the less
II
.ug our church service, begin to worship the
''I.eo mountain and the mystic ape?
srat dangerous thing-this introducing
iaSn io". very foreign airs and grace among us
."o' our passion for emulation mislead u.s. a
S,eS' oJ many years ago Bayard Taylor said we
o nau uou6tless lost much by the interdicsed
bITugrce sbIn q with these people, but unquestion-
;nSss:t tne gain in moral point of view was
snJ .Iy greater than the mercantile loss
JonL. .le truth OF this is demonstrated beyond
All Ue oy the character of some of the prints
tbo pictures that have been brought here, and
hi Ieanully low estimate in which woman is
neId among them as a people. Perhans the
H are intended to become missionaries. and to
h. 81 e'eu Vi us, which they will carry back :;
Iue nfst step IN their college career Is TO be
:. 81 ateratlOn IN our rules 10 suit their hea hen
JeWs' DIX OF the fair of America. going to
S;a span 70 study, would scarcely expect the reli
snus emu, 9sages OF the national institute they
Tbs Tb'erea nl, TO De disarranged on their account.
AN" proportion would not warrant a change
st1ln more !han wish of theirs that we should
Will thelr language so as to communicate
tbsn,.em them rather than they should acquaint
'"Nsnselves with ours.
froWma Wae peculiar trait can be copied or borrowed
men msa. these strangers, however, without detri-
er,ut as 70 ourselves as imitators namely, their
tb;me pellteness, which is essentially part cf
Of 'I !, nature. which is expressed in every turn
rel.saeir manner and in every interchange of
gass.oas gaauo9s with others. 1t may be slightly exag-
aIwed as, in alluding to themselves, they
snaoy fuse the most abasing epithets; and,
ana pSS11Slng 10 Others. utter terms of exaltation
a. AZ, honor. ALI that is theirs in speech is laid
ann sue feet of those they address; at that
Tbs:ttalns TO others is elevated and admired
Ana SI !, slightest salutations express reverence
nrs,delr snelr bearing is model Of respect in the
proSsa psaee of strangers. Their ready dispatch
bar;,ss &C once their extreme suavity and bar
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