GREEK AND THE PSYCHOLOGY OF THE GREEKS 161 



I am told, still latinized.) French lyric that is not due to the influence 

 of Provengal or English lacks in power when measured in comparison 

 with German, English, or Greek. The intellectual and emotional 

 qualities of the Hellenic race endowed it equally with a genius 

 for poetry and for prose; though poetry rather than prose is perhaps 

 truly national in its scope. The sovereignty of Greek style exacted 

 submission in the form of imitation among all nations and at every 

 time. The creative quality of the Greek spirit transfused its imitat- 

 ors so that they gained the power of originality, of passing through 

 imitation to creation. Bossuet read Homer whenever he had to 

 compose a funeral oration. 



One salient difference between the classic tongues (and especially 

 Greek) in comparison with modern languages is their greater pre- 

 cision and lucidity. We pack such an infinite deal into our words 

 that exactness and clearness of thinking often disappear. The Greeks 

 developed their thought in order to be clear. Their connectives focus 

 attention on the logical evolution of their thought. 



Aristotle says that a foreigner could be recognized by his avoidance 

 of certain particles. The particles are logical; but they are also 

 lyric and emotional. They indicate personality, opinion, hope, 

 doubt; though they reproduce the Greek dialectical keenness, they 

 have less of that reflective character that marks our ponderous and 

 meticulous "I believe," "I assume," "I daresay." The intellectual 

 quality of Greek speech does no violence to its poetic quality. Feeling 

 holds its own when the reason is most at work. The language of the 

 Greeks is a diaphanous robe of finely spun texture which allows 

 each delicate contour of the thought to display its just proportions. 



