446 SCIENCE PROGRESS 



common consent. And the rival claims of the new synthetic 

 languages are no less, but even more, keen and irreconcilable 

 than those of national languages. A suitable historic language 

 could be accepted by all parties without any appearance of 

 yielding the pride of place. 



It therefore seems desirable to take up the matter where 

 it was left by Dr. Caspari, to state his and other arguments 

 with somewhat more detail and to give such definite examples 

 as may form a basis for discussion and criticism. 



The advantages offered by the synthetic languages Volapuk, 

 Esperanto and Ido should of course be considered most care- 

 fully. The greatest undoubtedly is the ease and certainty 

 with which they can be learnt, due to their logical and con- 

 sistent grammars. In the case of Ido the roots are derived 

 in suitable proportion from all important linguistic stocks, 

 so that it shall not appear utterly unfamiliar even to the 

 smaller nations. On the other hand, these languages appear 

 most colourless to those who like, and are even assisted in the 

 expression of their thought by, the historical associations of a 

 real language which grew up to meet the needs of humanity. 



Many such language lovers are to be found among profes- 

 sional scientists. Latin is peculiarly rich in such associations. 

 The preliminary difficulties of Latin are largely overcome by 

 its actual and probable retention as an important part of 

 school curricula on other grounds. It is not too much to expect 

 that, with improved methods, they should be much more largely 

 overcome than at present. Even now it is claimed by at least 

 one school in England that Latin has been used for many 

 years in this school as a medium of ordinary intercourse at 

 stated periods ( Times Lit. Suppl. June 6, 191 8). This familiarity 

 with Latin, arising from its widely diffused use as a school 

 subject, is probably far more intimate than that which would 

 be brought about by a judicious selection of roots, as in Ido. 



In the case of the Romance languages in Europe and 

 America the element of familiarity is of course already present 

 without any formal education. The adoption of Latin would 

 naturally meet with a particularly enthusiastic reception from 

 Italy, and it should seem peculiarly fitting, both to present 

 admirers of Italy and to historians, that her ancient language 

 and that of the founders of Western civilisation should regain 

 its long-lost position, at any rate in the realms of pure and 



