1827.] The Toils of a Modern Philologist. 66 



It is not to be expected, or desired, that every man should attain to the 

 acquisition of so many languages as Sir William Jones,* or that he should 

 even study all those that have here been enumerated ; for every one 

 should make such selection as may best suit his particular taste, feelings, 

 and pursuits. It is hoped that the remarks now presented may be of 

 some utility in such selection, or that they will be found to exhibit a con- 

 centrated view of the existing principal languages of the literature of 

 modern Europe. They must, however, be considered as forming a mere 

 outline, which would require volumes to fill up ; and it is, therefore, hoped, 

 that its defects will be considered as owing, in great measure, to the limi- 

 tation of space within which it is sketched, and that they be not ascribed 

 solely to the deficiencies and inabilities of 



B. 



THE WORLD IN THE OPEN AIR. 



" I have learned 



To look on Nature, not as in the hour 

 Of thoughtless youth but hearing oftentimes 

 The still, sad music of Humanity ; 

 Not harsh nor grating, though of ample power 

 To chasten and subdue." WORDSWORTH. 



COME, while in freshness and dew it lies, 

 To the world that is under the free blue skies! 

 Leave ye man's home, and forget his care 

 There breathes no sigh on the dayspring's air. 



i Come to the woods, in whose mossy dells 

 A light all made for the poet dwells; 

 A light, coloured softly by tender leaves, 

 Whence the primrose a mellower glow receives. 



The stock-dove is there in the beechen-tree, 

 And the lulling tone of the honey-bee ; 

 And the voice of cool waters 'midst feathery fern, 

 Shedding sweet sounds from some hidden urn. 



There is life, there is youth, there is tameless mirth, 

 Where the streams, with the lilies they wear, have birth ; 

 There is peace where the alders are whispering low : 

 Come from man's dwellings, with all their woe ! 



* The following is a copy of a memorandum in Sir William Jones's hand-writing, of 

 his own acquisition of languages : 



" Eight languages studied critically, English, Latin, French, Italian, Greek, Arabic, 

 Persian, Sanscrit ; 



"Eight languages, studied less perfectly, but all intelligible with a dictionary, Spa- 

 nish, Portuguese, German, Reinic, Hebrew, Bengalic, Hindi, Turkish ; 



" Twelve languages, studied least perfectly, Tibetian, Pali, Phalavi, Deri, Russian, Sy- 

 riac, Ethiopia, Coptic, Welch, Swedish, Dutch, Chinese. In all, twenty-eight languages." 

 Lord Teignmouth's Lifcof Sir W. Jones, 4fo./>. 376, 



