The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-09-01

INV NLH
odlcal cranks who come along with a
scheme Of universal language. There
seems ia be something very fascinating
,, the idea 10 the visionary philologist
who retires from the practical affairs OF
Ii,e and lives In a world OF word-makins
and laurnage-science II has not been
many years since we heard a great deal
about "volapuk.' an artificial and con-
v%enional speech which its enthusiastic
inventor. and his disciples.
commended possessed the capacity OF soon
becoming q spoken and written languas
for all the nations and peoples upon
earth. II had it's brief day. and now we
hear no more about it. This was neces-
sarily so because of a universal and mys-
terious law TO which we shall presently
advert.
But first let us have a peep at this most
recent champion for the unattainaDle
goal. 1t seems to be n sort of hotch-
potch Of the four European tongues that
are derived from the Latin. namely. the
French. Italian. Spanish and Portuguese.
Here. for instance. is a specimen:
Posta estis yo vidu descender da ii cello
an eltri angelu, en- avn grand otoran' en-
ii tero silumu da glorio. En- lu clamu co
a pevril voco. dicana.
Translated into English this Is:
After these things / saw descending
from Heaven another angel. who had
great authority: and the earth was
liRhtened by his glory. And he clled
aloud with a mighty voice and said.
The author Of this artificial speech has
named It "Clarison," and claims hat 1t
possesses the qualities Of a complete
linsual system, easily acquired and sus-
ceptlble Of universal adoption. OF course
IT will. like all such schemes of artificial
language. prove a veritable humbug. The
articulate speech Of man, by which he
conveys his ideas TO his fellowman' is an
absolutely unconscious development or
exercise of an innate or congenital facul-
~ implanted by the creator. The germ
of speech Is an original. innate power or
capacity. It develops into "A fuli-srown'
living form according 20 a law Of our
nature which il so deep-hidden that It
utterly and forever escapes all attempt at
detection. This the real masters OF mod
tfn INllo4OENs cuAAA az fioN NAA' 'N'
Dwight Whitney. confess and demon
strate. II is the empires. the pretenders.
the sophists. the superficial, who come
forward with your schemes Of artificial,
ready-made language.
We forget who il is that tells the story
OF the blunt, plain-spoken. true philolosist
who rehuked one Gallo. a coUrtier OF
Nero. or some other of the corrupt
Caesars. The Emperor had employed an
incorrect word. whereupon the plain
spoken grammarian corrected him.
What The Emperor speaks" replied the
courtier. sis a good Latin, or it viii
hereafter be" Not So" responded the
blunt scholar, Gallo is a liar. for,
Caesar. thou can'st confer citizenship
upon a Roman subject. but not upon a
word"
No man has ever been able TO invent a
new word and introduce II into a spoken
language. We mean a real original
word. a r%oot-word. not a mere derivitave.
OF these original rcct-words. the gram
marians say that there are not. all told.
over from three to four hundred There
they are, and no human being can add
another one 10 them Not only this. but
the law or process by which human
speech flows from them into a systematic
language lies deep down in the original.
implanted faculties beyond the power OF
recognition This law, this process OF de-
velopment is ike the majestic flow Of
the mighty Mississippi. it PERSISTS in pur-
suing It's own wilful way. General Grant,
as the elder reader will remember. un-
dertook. with the picks and spades OF a
hundred thousand men. 10 divert the
Mississippi from its channel IN front of
V~icksburg. But the self-willed. turbid
stream refused 20 flow into the artificial
bed which had been so industriousiy
made al the expense OF millions Of dol
lars.
The intelligent reader will OF course
understand that we do not include within
this criticism those mere mechanical in
~veniions OF signs and symbols by which
The deaf and dumb receive Impressions
and by which %telcgrsphic and short
hand" communications are made. These
arc nero symbols. like the sheet o, forms
and pictures. given in our school boy
books. by which the a~ftrighted natives
OF Mexico were apprised that Pizarro