Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1875-06-18

in ceded because there can be no real progres
mi without it.
er Fourth. 1t is found that morality can
e- not survive the death of religious faith.
% Fifth. Another reason for restoring re
hgion is found in the fear with which man
history inspires thoughtful mind.
Sixth Men are realizing that a Chris
Is, tan faith alone completes the circle of be
!, ing.
e These points were duly elaborated anc
II argued with much skill and power
: AT the close of the address, the Ahann.
- and friends were regaled by poem from
10 10 the graceful pen of Miss Amy B. Fisk. OF
&c Maitsfeld, a member Of the class of '67.
y We would that the privilege were granted
e, US to make few extracts from this really
lie poet!eal production. No words of ours can
E. convey any impression of its beauties, or OF
" the universal admiration with which it was
e received. lt contained. among other choice
l. topics. delightful review of school-days
n here. Many of these memories were woven
Il into garland Of poesy, at once rich IN
thought and thrilling in its power to touch
4 the heart of every student Of other times.
Ii likewise touched. as if by magic, many Of
= the leading questions of the day, such as
temperance, modern literature and the like.
all OF which were pointedly discussed with
l a charm that every listener delighted 10
e acknowledge.
In the evening occurred the anniversary
: exercises of the - Social Fraternity" with
s an
. ADDRESS BY HON. JOHN NJ. TEACHER,
t Commissioner of Patents. Washington, d.
c. The speaker was introduced By Dr.
! Spauldng. the principal, and veteran pre-
sident of the society, as one who had been
connected with the Academy, both as pupil
and teacher, who now holds very import
ant position In the affairs of the government
Mr.. Thacher Will be remembered by your
readers as an AhtmRus of the University of
Vermont. ard former residen: of Bur-
lingtOn.
The subject of the address was the Losses
Of the EpglIsh Language" The speaker re-
marked in the opening ,onhis former advocacy
tthe study of the English language and our
own literature, while teaching among us
lie intended now to introduce a phase of
crystallized English not generally known
the broken phase. OF all the languages
of the world the English has the greatest
power of assimilating TO itself all those
phrases and terms generally needed in a
cosmopolitan life. Although growing
and gaining all the while, it is also per-
petually losing. If it were not for the Bible
and for Chaucer, it would have lost still |
more, and become Latlnized to such an ex-
tent as 10 deprive 1t Of that vernacular |
which is best served to build up its bone |
and muscle. Few languages have lost so much |
and without necessity. In the glossary To
| Chaucer are found over 600 words which |
have become obsolete in the last FIVE centu-
| ries. Shakespeare, even, USES many words |
I
| hundred of which Mr.. Howard Stanton finds |
necessary in his edition to collect in a CLOS |
| sary. Even in the Bible are found words |
on every page, whose meaning Is not under
| stood by the general reader of to-day. 1t |
was not claimed that all these obsolete /
words should be restOred-excresceuces in a
language should be cut out as in anything
else. But general survey of the ruins
may be like the view OF the ancient ruins of
/ Pompen, giving an opportunity OF discover
| ing antique beauties which cannot fail to /
enchant and astonish. Great beauty. utili-
" and even strength can be gained by
the restoration of many of these words.
while a wise discrimination Is necessary TO
pick out those of the most value The
speaker then proceeded to show what old
words there were which were almost IN
heard Of That musical word " bonnie"
now considered as exclusively Scotch, was
nevertheless used in good, old English.
" Bonnie Lassle what an improvement
in comparison TO our pretty girl
Many such instances were mentioned and
quotations given, from bits of poetry and
prose. showing the loss sustained. by the
n0n-use, to the English language. Such
words a. "eanted,' ''shonsie. win
pie. and others we're considered as charm
ing strangers The word "srete' for
weep was noted in the quotation. " 1t
Is sad when hens crow and great men
CRETE: the old word "kittle''-''ir i
kittlc shooting at crows and clergy;
'brisken' for brisk blk, which would
be found serviceable IN those days of default
ers "swink, 10 labor OVERHEARD. and 9th
ers. Some words were noted which had
lost their old meaning while the form still
remained. "a lax" instead of ask" In
Coyerdale's edition OF the Bible. printed in
1855. were found many words which had
become obsolete and their places filed by
Others as in Jer. viii. chap. and last verse.
occurs the word ''treacle,' used there 10
mean an antidote against hurts, while now
it had degenerated 10 mean simply molas-
ses Also in Psalm xe. occurs the word
"bugg." then meaning a witch, but now
changed and considered a. a terror by
night That old word sweat tisap-
pearinc by fashions command; We no
longer sweat-we perspire. The ridieu-
lousuess and poverty of the modern word
was effectively pointed out by changing
good old proyerb. Shy the peIspiratlon oil
thy brow etc
A marked difference was noticed IN the !
formation of plurals. so-called improve
ment in m and zen" and a substitution
of ''s''-as in the words '.'hoen, 'hosen,,
"lamber' and "thumbens Although
some oe those set pronunciation at deh-
ance. it is not the first nor the last time
we have suffered from borrowing from the !
French. Had these changes been repudiat-
ed BY our fOreiathers a much needed grace
would not have been lost. Ben JOnsOn /
says" " the persons plural keep the termlna- -,
tiOn Of the first person singular formed by
adding 'en has gone out OF use. Il lack 9
which Is found to be a sad blemish 10 the \
English tongue" The loss of II {" in the 5
endings was also noticed, and the loss OF
case endings. 10 this the old hngllsn ,
words were as rich as the German While
now they have become the poorest. vi all
the losses, however, that OF many useful 7
verbs Is most to be deplOred. such a. /
dread. " 'delve, ding ''slake, ETC.
The distinctions for the past lenses ought
not 10 be lost as in dare for 'durst
and bet for "bet;ed, which ignore alto
eether any change fer the present tense
These changes make the Bible the best Eng L
Iish of to-day. The old words are better able
to define the strength and delieacy of mean {
ing than the modern words.
The poet beauties the language he en-
p.oys; but they should go back to ancient .
sources which were grand enough iOr Shak- :
speare. vet they are becoming obsolete
The spea ker urged the duty OF restoring
these ancient beauties of the language, upon 7
the A Allnni and students. The writer oil
good English will have an influence accord
ing to his strength no matter what position !
he occupies. A bloodless battle is going on l
between the languages for the leadership !.
The French is surpassed by both the English =
and the German. Go where YOU will you VIII !,
find English speaking people. The Spanish !
and Italian hold their own, while the Ter 4
man contains such immense resources that
there is no fear Of stagna:ion; but the
richest If not the most beau
tilul-is vet in its vigorous youth ind pres \
ents no serious symptoms of decay. Is ehlef ,
rival is the German; but in the strength,
beauty and facility of expression the ad- v
vantage is with the English.
The beautiful cathedral OF Cologne was I,
begun in the ninth century and Is not yet
completed, while time has so weakened the c
stones first erected that the work OF replac- o
ing them with new is going on at the same &
time. With such hopes and desires Tor our
mother tongue shall we not guard 1t 0
from decay, and at the same time restore
thereto the old stones wherever its beauty :
has been lost? Every man Of education
should make it his concern to preserve 1t.
A nation which Sails to do this Is parting !
with the last half of her Independence and Is !.
testifying to the world her willingness 10
cease to exist.
At the annual meeting of the Alumni tins t
for the election of officers, the iol- Q
lowing appointments we're made Tor the
anniversary exercises Of 1867
For Orator-Seneca Hazelton. Esd, oil "
u, rlinaton class of ISf6 =