The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-04-22

iantis requirements In 1871 Is as appaI-
ing to the average man. who is particu-
larry pleased with himself II he can easily
read four or five languages besides his
own, as the list of Gibson's or Macau-
lays reading Is to the average student. IL
is worth quoting In all It's badness. for
only mass OF detail can help one TO an
preciate what a knowledge of seventy or
eighty languages really means.
He Is familiar" writes Goerres. "with
an the European languages and by this I
understand not only the ancient classical
tongues and the modern ones of the fret
class such as the Greek or Latin. or the
Italian, French. German. Spanish. Portu-
guese and English; his knowledge extends
also 10 languages of the second class viz
the Dutch. Danish and Swedish; 10 the
whole Slavonic family Russian. Polish
Bohemian or Czech: to the Servian. the
Hungarian, the Turkish, and even 10
those of the third and fourth classes-tba
Bulgarian and the Illyrian. Even tha
Romani Of the Alps and the Lettish are
not unknown to him; nay, he has made
himself acquainted with Lappish. He ls
master of the languages which fan within
the lndU Gcimanic family. the Sanscrlt
and Persian. the Koordish, the Georgian.
the Armenian; he is familiar with ali the
membe's OF Semitic family, the Hebrew
the Arabic the Syriac, the Samaritan. the
Chaldee, the Sabalc: nay, even with the
Chinese, which he not only reads but
speaks Among the Hamitic languages no
KNOWS Coptic, Ethiopic. Abyssinian, Am
haric and AngoIese"
After the perusal of this not very scien
tlfic but amazing catalogue one pauses 10
take breath. The linguistic attainments
or Mezzofantl. which are supported bv rho
most unexceptionable testimony from an
sides, can only be compared with tha
aenieVements of the Calculating boys,'
VINO now and then come to light with what
seems to be special and rare faculty for
mental arithmetic. Mezzofanti nut hia
ap'lity 10 much better use than any OF
the calculating boys" except Bidder. ever
did. e'er
NO one could have made a better use NJ
the excellent memory" and ''reunarl.ahla
hexibiiity of the organs of speech" -,
which Mezzofanti himself attributed his
linguistic exploits. In Rome, as the secre-
tary 70 the propaganda, he had quite I'M
usuaI opportunities of using and extending
ms foreign tongues In his spare hours
ne labored by choice In the paDaI nris,,n.i
where he found natives of ever habisahI,.
country. Many OF these could NOT sraas-
Italian and had small chance of fndina =
priest ready and able 10 give them spiritIaI
consolation In tongue that thew co,,Id
Understand. Cardinal Mezzofanti set him
sen 70 meet TINS want. He moved among
.ne prison FRS, minisiering in his own
tongue 10 each, until IL was said H.. -
had revived the miracle OF Pentecost 4,
MS own person. Gases have been known,
says Wiseman, 'of persons coming Ia III.
extraordinary man for confession. b,,t
speakihg only some out-of-the- IAN
suage which debarred them from inter-
communication with ali priests within
.,elr reach On such occasions Cardinal
HaeI1oia1u would request delay of three
completely master the language. bowex,or
ditficnl; that he could apprehend the r,ost
minute particulars Communicated 10 hs,ss :.