Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-03-26
MoNsIGNoR CApErs LECTURE.
A Splendid Address on the Use OF Lam
guage and the Study of Words.

n splendid Address on the Use VI Lam
guage and the Study of Words.
An audience very limited in numbers
assembled TO hear Monsignor Capel's sec
ond lecture last evening. 1t is attributable
probably to the fact that the distinguished
divine in his first lecture did not fill the
measure of public anticipation. His lect-
ure was not so scholarly as had been ex-
pected, and because it treated of homely
subject in very plain and simple manner,
with no attempt TO conform TO the conven-
tional in modern oratory, 1t was, in
degree, disappointing. Had the lecture
chosen for last evening been delivered on
the former occasion, ii is safe TO say that
the th~ater would have been crowded to
hear him the second time. His subject
last night was "The Culture of the Mother
Tongue" 1t was more than deeply inter-
esting; it was broadly instructive, full of
suggestion, rich in imagery, brilliant in
epigram and charming in anecdote. 1t
was one Of those efforts of conscious
strength that at once command
respect, and enchain the attention. More
properly, it was a mastery exposition of
the art OF the use of words. The speaker
pursued his subject for an hour and halt,
and held his audience in all that time in
almost breathless attention. Certainly
every one who heard the ornate and
scholarly address, relieved by flashes of
trenchant wit, went away filled with the
sense of complete satisfaction. The speaker
made an earnest, and imprisoned defense
of the study of classical literature, and
pointed out that because Homer and Cicero
and Aristotle live to-day foremost in liter
atuTe, is found the reason for the study of
the mother tongue. Passing from that
branch of the subject, however, and grant
ing that the study of Greek and Latin may
be avoided, he came TO the history of the
Anglo-Saxon. This he made Of profound
and new interest, and with the skill of
cultured linguist analysed the English
tongue, and showed how it had
achieved its present form and
taken on its present meanings and
traced out through a number of chosen in
stances the development of words and the
changes through which they had passed in
attaining their present conveyance of
thought. He related some charming anec-
dotes Of phenomenal instances of language
culture by individuals gifted with the
faculty of easily learning many languages.
The use of language he divided into two
parts, the first utilitarian, the second its use
for culture. In exemplifying the scope of
1hS iAiob N.Ah l-Ab4I' 1lC " ttS DlDDV
IN Illustration, choosing and aualvZing sim
pie words. He proved how few words are
used in the ordinary affairs of life. and
challenged the issue that none of his audi
tors had within the past week used 10
exceed 800, and probably not to exceed $50
different words in speaking or writing
in the ordinary vocations of life. He
declared that even the use of about
$50 words will carry u shrewd person
through any country in its language. and
upon the reputation of fairly speaking the
tongue. To write an ordinary letter in
simple. clear and concise language; to read
to sick person TO hold converse on ordi
nary topics-theSe are the uses of utility in
language. But culture is labor with Ian
guage. 1t does not mean finish alone il
means knowledge. The study of almost
any of the common words in everyday
use Will open up to man or woman world
of history, thought, knowledge He took
simple examples to prove this, and engaged
his hearers with him in tracing. for in
stance, the reasons why we speak of one
hand as the left hand how it is that
" tribulation came to have its present
meaning; how it is that heaven" has
the meaning we give il, and why svco-
plant" conveys certain idea. II would
take several columns 10 give an ade-
quate idea of the method of this
part Of the lecture, and no mere SYNOPSIS
would do 1t justice or satisfy the reader.
With notebook amply filled the reporter
therefore abandons the original intention
Of somewhat fully reporting the discourse.
The moral and teaching of the lecture.
however, was this That the mother has if
in her power to form the language charac-
ter Of the child. She should use before it
only grammatical expressions; she should
clearly express herself to il, and teach il in
like manner to address her; she should bv
example teach it the value Of words, their
utility and the power of their study TO cult
ure the man. To do this she must Of
course herself study language-know the
mother tOngue-a task neither diff
cult nor beyond the CAPACITY of
the average mind, for it is
study that grows upon itself, full of de-
lights and of compensations He in
Weighed bitterly against the slip shod in
expression, the paucity with most people
OF words fitted 10 express their thoughts
the carleSsness in letter writing, the STUN
bling, hating and Gripping in writing out
the simplest recital. He lost all patience
in attempting to understand why it is that
the mass Of people cannot simply and
plainly state what they want, or think or
wish to say in writing an ordinary letter
lie severely denounced the "spouting"
style of reading, and asked parents to test
their children in reading a simple paragraph
from the newspaper and then in having them
"recite something they have committed
for the purpose of "spouting." He de-
clared that not men, but women are to
blame for immoral literature, weak and
damaging literature in the hcme. We ap-
pend few of the epigrams and sententious
paragraphs the notebook reveals.
The NTH of p1ncatioD is LnotrIaJc,a Of
the mother tongue. / don't care for a man
to tell me of the structure of the frame or
the distance of the stars as evidence that
he is educated does he know his mother
tongue? Here in America they are neg
lecting English and running off after for
eign tongues; it is the first you should
study, never mind the others until YOU
know that. In France, Italy, Germany
and Spain the first care is to know all that
can be known of the mother tongue;
here we neglect it. Our English
and speak it, badly. If you can
not read the classics in their mother
tongue, at least, do it in their translated
forms. The highest culture is to be found
in the study of language. The knowledge
OF your mother tongue is power. The
strength and beauty and grandeur of the
Greeks was in their knowledge of their
own tongue. What do the people of this
day who set up academies know of an
academy? Let them turn to Plato, walk
ing beneath the shade and teaching his
pupils in q true academy. The language
knowledge of the Greeks has been force
and mighty power for twenty centuries,
and will continue to the end of time. of
all the great speeches and oratorv Of to-
day, what will be remember or known
fifty years hence? But the words of Homer
and Cicero live to-day. If we know the
original language, we get the fruit with
the bloom; if we know it in transla-
ton, we have the fruit without the bloom.
The Greeks and Romans were the sources
of art, literature, and law. To be educated.
we must study our mother tongue; to do
that well, we must begin at the bottom.
have known men to speak seven languages.
and be unable 10 write in one. Write
letter of one page, and be surprised how
few words you use. 1 care moth
inc for tho man with biu words I Sux,