The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-06-02

rectly descended from this mother
tongue? Were not the Angles and Sax
Ions, the Normans and Celts, immediate
offsprings of the sister language OF the
Greek Can any one, then, dare to ask
why men persist in studying the Greek
language, when they find, within lis
structure, one of the clearest, most defl-
mite. and satisfactory explanations of our
own language? But this is not all, and
am sure that, before have campleted
this ESSAY, you, all, will join with me in
proclaiming the universal benefits, derlv-
ed from the study of this clear, forclble,
ahd flexible language.
Greece, by it's unevenneSS of surface,
it's lack OF the means of speedy commu-
nication, was we'll fitted for the develop
ment of several clear, distinct, dialects.
Thus we find three or more forms, each
distinct and independent of the others,
with the exception OF those general char-
acteristics that gave the Greciah tone TO
each. The Greeks wore a proud people
and were stimulated by feeling of SELF
pride. No wonder, then, that when these
dialects had emerged from infancy, eacfa,
asserted it's independence and developed
in it's own perfection. speak. chiefly, OF
the Lyric, the Doric, and the Attic. Each
of these dialects occupied separate lit
erary field; each maintained its mastery
as such and caused distinct form of Ian
guage to be appropriated to each peculiar
subject to be discussed. So different from
the present day! Now the credulous
mind is easily seized by each innovation,
gre sps it as more perfect, because newer,
! and leaves to decay the language OF its
infancy. Thus the moment new centre
of culture and refinement is established,
that moment the new tendency OF the
1on rrQnG
Iualiy, extends it's sway, until it itcomprises
within its grasp tho entire cultivated
world, leaving to the common and vulgar
people the sweet language Of their first
! love. Then the latter, overcome by this
novice, depressed by neglect, sinks deep
er and deeper into oblivion. There, how
ever, it does not long remain alone, but
is soon Joined by it's immediate usurper,
when another linguistic whim shall have
seized the minds Of our people. Not 50,
however, with the Greeks. Here were
no printing presses, no telegraphy, to
wire abroad each intellectual discovery |;
no vulgar herds, to whom to abandon
their first love; for each man stood upon
his own basis, proud and free. Each man
assisted, not in changing the language OF
perfection which the Greek language has
attained and which marks it as the pur-
est, the highest, eminence Of linguistic
perfection. A peculiar trait of the Greek
language is that they appropriated each
dialect to certain literary field. Thus,
omitting all inquiry into the influence of
| Homer's birthplace upon his choice OF
| the Ionic language as the vehicle of ex-
preston in his lofty epic, it is fact that
no such influence was eXerted upon He
rodotus, in his choice Of this same dialect
as the language Of his muses.. The cause
was that each wrote an epic and each re-
quired an epic language. This proves,
copclusively, that, although the Greeks
were a clannish people, each proud of his
own language, yet they were more forci-
bly, impressed with deep sense OF ex-
pediency. They sought to blend outward
expression with the inner thought, so
that, not only were dry facts related in
dry prose, but the language, by its sound,
expressed it's innate adaptabilitv to the
subject matter. The artistic Grecian ear
quickly discovered this necessary rela-
tionship and appropriated, to the field of
epic poetry, the Ionic language, which,
rejecting, in song, the deeds Of heroes,
was imagination, picturesque, thrilling,
as the various characters required. How
readily, moreover, was this dialect adapt
able to the hexameter! Thus, then, the
Greeks, imbued with this idea of eXpe-
diency, were willing to subordinate nat
ural pride of language to eXpediency OF
expression. Where else do we find this
trait Of character2 ii was, however, this
very quality that has raised the Greek
language and seated 1t upon the loftiest
pinnacle Of linguistic attainment. AS the
infancy Of the Greek verged into youth,
the mind, naturally, began to reflect mp
| md Tn
with natures surrounding objects. Man,
then, began to have loftier views, higher
appreciations of his own perfection, and
forgetful of the fading beauty about him,
began to dwell upon his own mind, Gods
mortal image. Thus, man sought deep
er, more expressive, language, with which
to convey his thoughts to other men.
This adaptability was evident i'll the
Doric, which, by its more emphatic tone
and fuller sounds, satisfied mans eager
search. When, at last, the age of matu-
ritv arrived, when each man saw, within
himself, a world of his own and began to
turn his thoughts from self to the eternal
God of the heavens, he needed more
| flexible, softer, a more eloquent, a
grander vehicle of expression. Thus
arose the Attic Greek, with its varied ca
dences of rhythm, its fulness and variety
of expression, its periodic climax and its
emphatic antitheses. Here could phylos-
ophy find sacred abode; here could sa-
tire find pungent mode of expression
here could the drama, in all its varieties,
find language suitable to thought. But
this question presents itself, how was
this perfection attained? BY the utter
disregard of the Greeks for all that was
external to their native country. No
man could invade Greece with his foreign
IL ,,,t<
I language Among the Greeks, no man OF
foreign origin-"no, not one"-notwith-
standing his power of mind, could attain
any preeminence. Every man or word
that tried to creep into the precincts oi
their hallOwed commonwealth, they
spurned with the diSdainful epithet OF
barbarian" Thus, they have handed
down to posterity a language, tinged with
no foreign element, but as pure and as
undefiled as the spotless snow. What q
different character. in this respect, this
} language presents from the languages OF
T all nations, ancient, medieval or modern.
The Latin language has often been and,
to great extent, properly associated and
compared with the Grecian language. Is
this comparison, however, a just one!
J Can it be said that the Latin language has
& been developed in it's native element
From what source did Virgil obtain the
; polish, the softness. the very essence o.
his Aeneid in sound and harmony, but
from the bosom Of this sacred realm
f One OF Italy's truest poets SO highly es'
} teemed this mission and so clearly saw
the necessity of such mission, that he
r has impersonated, in one of his most i'm.
: pressive ODDS, the very ship that carried
the Bard of Mantual Whence came thai
} harmony OF sound, that delicacy Of taste
of 0f
} of eloquence, that have ever branded Cic'
nrn the Naa.ntn,. MN nStLlnf SilulLx :,