Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1883-12-02

: Crimson and to our Montague cores
, pondent for the light they hav,
thrown upon subject upon which
, there appears to be general and ia
! mentable lack of information,
------.-.-.-----s--------
Tho Living Languages Versus the Dead
We cannot 20 as far as Charles
Francis Adams and advocate the ex
pulsion Of the ancient classics from
our institutions OF learning, but we dc
insist that prominence should be given
10 the study of our native tongue. Tho
Saxon language being the foundation
Of the English, knowledge of the
one Is essential TO u full understand.
ing Of the other. This view is SUE
tanned by the universally admitted
fact among men OF letters, that the
purcst English composition IL that
which contains the greatest number OF
words derived from Saxon origin,
otherthings being equal. In this respect
our English bible ranks first, and
"
guistic genius of the great dramatist
has placed his productions in The front
rank of modern classics, and no one
who has 6cHeS-idttrcs aspirations can
neglect them. Why not study the
great English masters in school rs
well rs Horace and Virgil? Ii is in
deed strange that so little attention is
given to the language that we must
use every hour of our existence. aud
which not one in hundred speaks
and writes with accuracy and beauty.
Boys and girls often spend years at
college over Greek and Latin text
books, and then come home TO STAN.
mcr and stuttfr out bad English
the remainder Of their lives. 1t was
an universal custom among the Gre
clans that when I'M orator, in public /
speech, pronounced even one word in |
correctly, he was Kissed by the audi
ence. If thig rule We're adopted in
this country, nlne-tenths of the public
speakers would be invariably Kissed
down, and the political orator would
soon become II thing of the past. But
if Greek learning be 50 desirable and
important, why not go the entire
engtli? The English il rapidly becnm-
ng the business language of the
World, and its richness and beauty.
Utility and adaptability, the various
md delicate shades cf meaning that
AN be expressed by its copious vocab-
llary of synonyms, and the vast
tore of learning written in 1t, con
pire to make its critical study mat
er of cngrossiug interest 10 all who q
ave taste for learning. II is true S
hat the Greek and Latin have largely
on'ributed to the English; but it's ;,
cal foundation is in tie Saxon, and If :.
be contended that Knowledge of z
he Greek and Latin is essential TO n y
Ill understanding of the English. ,he
rgumcnt applies with ten-fola force
"a knowledge OF the Saxon. The u
ranches Of q tree are not more essen n
al to It's existence than the root, and :,
ie soil where IL grows. a thorough ri
formation in our educational system
TINS regard would have Il happy ef-
ON the literary future of the coun- 4,
y, and lis refining touch would be III
EN- in society. IL is social mislor- GO
me to any young gentleman or lady. ~
1t to he able to speak and write the
hglish language with accuracy, en-
ieAcy and beauty, A revival IL
the study of the old English mas Va
rs would be hailed with delight. IL
! modern civilization has been pro St,
essive then is 1T not true that The
eat body Of English literature is MI u,
rlor to that OF the ancients? If IL he m,
le, as has been said, that literature in
The record of the thoughts of cult. op
ted M. IL and women" and if it be ~.
10 that we are in advance of the an
nts; then il must follow CAS- the
sht the day. that the contents IN IN,
English books are more valuable enc
IN the stereotyped learning ofGreoce che
Il Rome. We would not have the sen
'ient classics discarded by any s,n
ans But If we are English let us '''
English, and master our own !
que. Those who affect a Wa
attachment for af n
ueau languages are most generally h,
leleht in good English. Pedanty Is
ever been an arch enemy of true fma
fAihg' aud most usually carries lis op"
NJ by arrogance and egotlsm. we 4
'e the day Is not distant when orr cleo
TN VIII leave Ike schools well in. eonl
hed In our own splendid, living III. h'd
.urei win all its nicety and mower amo
peech, entering the duties Of life prlu
II hatured assimilation of that ming
OF thought and feeling which con- !.
lte the genius of our own peonl, =
editor In kankakoe sold
lncc falling In n burning passion twel
IN a NeNaiious fiyul, ho read
wrote him n letter IN this fashion catlo
." nle an ass, ,neouth and rude. read