The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-11-26

an American anu ANhE lbHNAA ny ALiL-A ia ~
a system of oral and written commuui-
cation which he holds as a basis of sOlu-
ton for the great problem, which VIOLA
puk has failed to solve, of a universal or
international language language that
shall meet the ideal Of being easily at
tainable. having but few sounds, and only
those common to every human tongue,
and with a written form that shall be al
ready familiar TO every civilized race on
earth.
Anew York physician was ascending
the broad marble steps of the Cathedral
at Milan. one morning two years ago,
when a shabbily dressed man accosted
him. In the pUrest Tuscan, whose liquid
tones fell upon the car in grateful con-
trast to the harsh jargon Of the Alilanese,
he asked the American if he wished to
employ guide
1t is not my business, sir" he has
tened to add. as though ashamed of his
position: but 1 am compelled to adopt
this means of earning my bread. Never
thelesS, YOU will find me competent
guide, sir: for the cathedral and l are old
friends For months | have been a stu
dent of It's wondrous beauties. Che sig
more me creda.'
Il don't understand Italian too well 4"
began the American, when he was inter
rupted by the other, who said IN good
English:
''Then we will speak your own Ian
guage. sir; il is ali the same to me-
He was engaged at once. In the tour of
the Cathedral that followed, the guide
proved himself to be man Of culture and
learning.
Tell me" said the American. as they
came forth again into the sunlight, "how
il happens that a man ofyOur attainments
does not get on better in the world Have
you any bad habit that interferes with
your success in life"
Yes, sir; ! have, 80 was the unhesitat-
ing answer. Il am a confirmed philologist
and for a poor man your knoW that is IA
tai "
II can hardly agree with you there, +"
returned the American, for l am ad-
dicted to philology myself, and don't be-
lieve that am any the worse for it."
"a philOlOgist!" exclaimed the guide
as his eyes lit up with a sudden glow. "Ah
understand" he said presently. with a
tinge OF melancholy in his voice; "philol-
ogy is with you diversion; with me it is
a ruling passion. We have proverb at
Florence which says; non c'e fortuna per
gil nomini iii lettere there is no happiness
for men of letters.) How well l know its
truth 2"
Come and take calazione with me-
said the American, land tell me some
thing of your life and work l am deeply
interested in the subject that is dear TO
you"
They went to the Cafe Bifl, in the Gal
leria Nittoria Emanuele, and over the de-
jeuner that followed, the INDECENT philo-
math unfOlded TO his host an idea for a
universal language which he had con-
ceived q few weeks before. He had given
ii only a few hours of systematic
thought sufficient, however, as he said.
10 confirm his faith in its feasibility. In
a nutshell, his idea was TO construct a
language from the diatonic scale, or the
seven sounds Of music. namely, do, re, me,
ia, sol, Ia, 81. In committing the words
70 writing. or print, he would make use
of none of the established texts, but en-
ploy the music staff, placing each sound
where it belongs, according to the univer-
sal system governing the music score.
With pencil and paper, he illustrated his
idea, writing out the cOnjugatiOn of the
verb to make. which, for example, would
be ia. Then he pointed out the advant-
ages Of a language constructed upon this
plan 1t would contain only seven sounds,
its written form would be one already in
use among civilized peoples, and it
could be written with the rapidity
of shorthand; in fact, photography
would be its only written form, aud a pho
biography that could be acquired in half
an hour. The doctor was greatly i'm
pressed with the altogether new and
unique notion. To his mind it suggested
boundless possibilities, and he advised
the Italian, whose name was Silvio Pc
duechl, to pursue the development of it.
After leaving Milan and continuing his
travels in Italy. he wrote to Peducchi.
again urging MIN by all means not to
permit the idea to perish
On return of post the doctor was sur
prised with a bulky package of manu-
script, embodying a lengthy exposition of
the proposed new language, and a vocab-
ulary of some 200 common words which
Peducchi had formed from the seven par
ticles of the diatonic scale. He said he
had accomplished the entire work in a
single night. Enclosed was a letter
written in Italian, of which the following
is a translation:
CARO- AMIGO.
I send you in the accom-
panylng documents the last but shattered
hope OF a blighted life After returning
to my misera bic lodging from the pleasant
cafe, where we had colazione, / felt
klndled within me the fire of a new ambi-
tion-inspired by the faith you expressed
in my plan for universal language, and
your advice 10 nurture that child of my
brain. l resolved to work night and dav
until between the covers of a book had
presented TO mankind the realization OF
my ideal But fate had decreed other
wise. The seeds Of consumption implanted
by my ancestors are already bearing their
fatal fruit, and ere long the angel OF
death will reap his harvest. A few hours
OF unbrOken toll cause me to cough as
though my frail body were a kenne, OF
baylng ours. | cannot go on with the
work. / can give you no stronger token
OF my esteem than to send these docu-
ments, of which you may make such use
as you see Ill. it is my earnest desire
that the glorious conception of which
they are the germ may be carried 10
perfect fruition. With extreme gratitude
and highest esteem, l am, sir yours very
sincerely, with warm graspo the hand.
SILvIO PEDUCCHr.
p. S.-If you deem me worthy, / should
be exceedingly grateful for the receipt
from you OF such a sum as you might be
pleased TO send.
Here was plight for physician trav
cling tor his health. Charged by diving
man 20 undertake the development of q
new universal language. He sent Peduc.
chi hundred lire note. thanked him for
the documents, but made no promises. A
month later he sailed Tor New York.
During the voyage he studied the curious
documents with which T1a9upob; l,,J r,,,,