The record-union., 1892-06-30

third of n series of meetings and nothing
but Volapuk was spoken. The devotees
will keep it up in the same strain until
they become proficient. Then they Will
be able 20 greet the many foreigners who
come TO this country in 1893 to attend the
Columbian Exposition.
The initiative in this movement was
taken by the Chicago Volapuk Club in
November, and Boston quickly took the
cue. Albert Post, a philologiSt of many
attainnents. VINO is conversant with
thirteen languages and speaks SIX flu
emily, is at the head of the Volapukists of
the Hub. He gives instruction at these
Saturday conversational meetings at the
evening high school and at the Peoples
Church. Here is poem written both in
English and Volapnk:
In folatim, ven del COLON
When day is dawning III the spring
r tots nldoms as yoladiens,
And GewdrOps geam ike tears of Joy,
Ven tut vapol gallo tOnom
When fragrant zephyrs gayly ring
Me bods yubol ed biens,
With birds and bees in glad employ,
J1nos daS nog sink menad
1t seems the race OF sin and vice
Sevom bosi de vonagad-
knew something still o. paradise
IN fioiatim.
In rosy spring.
Only dozen years ago a German cler-
gyman of great linguistic learning pub
lIshed grammar and a dictionary OF an
artificial language, which he offered full
tiedged TO the public and claimed that his
language supplied a long-expressed need.
The world laughed. 1t had seen the fu-
tllity OF so many similar attempts, which
men OF greater pretension had supported
by their names, that it repudiated the
production of John Martin Schleyer and
wagged its head as it sneeringly predicted
that he and his Y olapuk would soon pass
into oblivion. And Nolapuk took nap.
But it aWoke within two years. 1t was
made the basis Of correspondence. 1t
was applied to commercial use, TO trans
lations of literature OF every sort, ro-
nance, history, drama, ethics, science
and poetry.
Journals were founded with Volapuk
as the medium of thought, and in less
that ten years since Its acceptance VIOLA
puk has acquired forty-seven periodicals,
photography Of over 200 volumes and
numerical constituency of several mill
ion people distributed throughout every
civilized country. Clubs for study and
propagation Of the language dot the map
of the world. Lecturers on the language
have been established in the oldest uni
versities. Schools place it in their curri-
culum. Men like Max Muller and Alex
ander John Ellis have accorded it their
approval. The Queen of Italy has adopted
IL and had her children learn it. 1t has
taken its place among the languages OF
the world, tributary to them all. yet
neither wishing nor attempting to inter
! fere with any of them.
! Herein is the important fact concern
| ing Volapuk: 1t does not offer to over
throw any language and take its place.
| 1t simply shows itself convenient means
! OF communication between those whose
native languages are reciprocally UNI
! known and Inconvenience OF attainment.
! Learned easily in one-tenth of the time
required for the mastery Of the simplest
natural language, it enables the French
man to hold direct communication with
the Japanese, each nation TO be in oral OF
written understanding with each other.
! The literature of natural languages goes
on undisturbed and will continue 50 to
do. Nolapuk merely supplements all
this, and enables a writer by the use OF
one, in lieu Of many languages, to reach
a constituency world-em bracing.