The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-03-05
THE PRIMITIVE
TONGUE OF MAN.
Col. L, S. Marye Says the Alternately
Plan is Absurd.
THEORY BY NO MEANSANEW ONE
II is rs Old rs King Psammetichus. Of
Egypt-Languagc IL an Initiative
Art, But Behind IL There Must
BE Power Co Acquire IL.


Editor Of The Times:
Sir.-In your last Sundays paper you
publish the scheme OF Professor \ n.
Abernathy. OF Philadelphia. TO ascertain
the primitive language OF mankind, by
the experiment of excluding from inter
course with any human being who pos
sessos the power OF speech. one or two
hundred infants. 50 as 10 allow them
70 express their ideas or sensations ia
spontaneous and voluntary articulate
sounds. In this way he hopes 20 ind out
what was the language spoken by Adam
and Bve In the Garden OF Eden.
The first impression with which one
arises from the reading of this letter is
tina IL Is a huge hoax. Ike Poe's Balloon
Trip to the Moon. which caught the Gre
dence Of thousands Of susceptible souls.
But upon second thought. there is such
plausibility IN the details Of the proposed
experiment that We are inclined 10 believe
that 81 is the bona fde day-dream Of a
visionary enthusiast.
The times in which we live arc fun
OF startling discoveries. marvellous in
ventions. brand-new political postulates.
and novel theories on sociology. and
science of government. The quick Sue
ceeding announcements upon these ever
present themes follow each other with
the bewildering changes Of n kaleido-
scope, and the consequence is that there
IL a perpetual quest Tor some new thing.
Assuming, then, that this a bona hdo
proposition TO ascertain. 10y this cruel
experiment. the original language Of man
kind. j crave a brief space IN your paper
70 expose the ahsurdity of the scheme.
That ] may do this understandingly. let
me put before the reader the proposed
experiment IN tho language of its author.
He SAYS.
I propose 10 COLOMBO in some healthy
ISOLATED island 100 or 20 children. under
the axe OF two years. and by having these
children cared for. administered to and
guarded by mutes who can neither read
nor write, 7 propose to rear Them. remote
from any Influences of speech, I'M order
20 discover what form OF speech these
children as they grow up viii acquire.
II have interested a man with millions
and have already secured the aid sufi-
@en 20 support such "a peculiar colony
for a period Of fifteen years.
From this view ! gather the impression
that a colony of people isolated from Lam
guage and given the free exercise Of their
common sense will trace q language Of
their own-and ! am one who believes
such a language must be the original
language Of our antcuiluvian progeni-
tore"
The plan OF the Notwithstanding
that 10 is a veritable experiment.. and
not a hoax-is 90 put this colony Of in
fsnts under tho care OF mutcs, and he
says that he has already engaged TWEEN
ty-nve mutes, trained in the nursing OF
children. M. Alternately IS himself TO
reside en- the secluded spot where these
one or two hundred infants are 10 be
incarcerated. and 10 remain with them
in their isolation Unul they shall attain
the age of fifteen. or. If necessary. shall
attain their majority. But they are to-
hear no articulate voice from him. and
the mutes who have them I'm charge are
20 hold no intercourse with him (by sym
bolic signs) IN the presence of the chill
dTen. lie says that q wealthy friend. In
sympathy with the experiment, has put
a million of dollars at his disposal. an
ample amount, ne says. for a thorough
test Of the reconcile problem.
The problem of finding the North Pole
in a balloon: the enigma Of sQuaring the
circle: the ascertaining in the diderential
calculus OF the point where the disaQ-
pearance OF an actual quantity IS lost In
zero. are minor problems compared with
this experiment
No NEW lIlLDfSn.
The casual reader will believe that Mt.
Abernathy ls prop0unding a new theory
"a novel experiment. But this Is by no
means the fact. The theory is as ODD as
the reign of Psammetichus. king OF
Egypt lie caused two children 20 De
entrusted 90 a shepherd with injunc-
tion 10 let them suck goats milk, and
that no word should bc spoken in their
presence. After two years they were
visited. and the first word they uttered
according 20 the accredited accOunO
was the word "Bakos This word was
found 10 be q vocable In the Phrygian
language. meaning bread. and this was
accepted as showing that this was the
primitive speech. But unfortunately for
the enthusiasts f. was explained that
the etymoloCy OF hekos showed y - he
the same with the English word bake.
and that therefore. these secluded lh-
fants in c0uceiving IN" idea NJ .hake'
must have conceived the IDEAS OF corn
mill. oven. Gre.
There are three theories OF language
namely.
J. That Language IS innate and organic
and q distinct creation. corresponding
with the creation Of Adam.
il. That u is the result OF partly iml-
fation and partly invention
III. 4 revelation from heaven.
The idea OF this most recent invest-
Eator. M Abernathy. IS that the print