L1G G. W. LEITNER, PH.D., LL.D., D.0.L., ETC. 
more or less, the slave of routine in the perception and in the 
application of new facts and of new ideas, and in the adapta- 
tion of any matter of either theoretical or practical import- 
ance. It is a great advantage, for linguistic purposes, which 
are far more practically important than may be generally 
believed, that the study of the classical languages still holds 
the foremost place in this country ; because, however neces- 
sary scientific “observation ” may be, it cannot take the place 
of a cultured imagination. The stimulus of illustration and 
comparison, which, in the historical sense of the terms, is an 
absolutely necessary primary condition to mental advance, is 
derived from classical and literary pursuits. The study of two 
very similar languages, however, is not the same discipline to 
a beginner in linguistics, e.g., to learn French and Italian is 
not of the same value as French and German, for the more 
dissimilar the languages the better. 
Again, if you desire to elicit a language of which you know 
nothing, from a savage who cannot explain it and who does 
not understand your language, there are certain processes 
with which some linguists, no doubt, are familiar, and 
others commend themselves in practical experience; for 
instance, in pointing to an object which you wish to have, 
say, a fruit which you want to eat, you may not only obtain the 
name for it, but the gesture to obtain it, if you are surrounded 
by several savages whose language you do not know, may also 
induce one of the men to order another to get it for you,—I 
suppose on the principle that it is easy for one to command 
and for others to obey; but, be that as it may, this course, to 
the attentive observer, first obtains the name for the required 
thing and next elicits the imperative; you hear something 
with a kind of inflection which, once heard, cannot be mis- 
taken for anything else than the imperative. Further, the 
reply to the imperative would either elicit ‘‘ yes,” or “no,” 
or the indicative present. This process of inquiry does 
not apply to all languages, but it applies to a great many; 
and the attitude which you have to assume towards every 
language that you know nothing about, in the midst of 
strangers who speak it, is that, of course, of an entirely 
sympathetic student. You have, indeed, to apply to language 
the dictum which Buddhist Lamas apply to religion—— 
never to think, much less to say, that your own religion 
(in this case your own language) is the best, 7.e., the form 
of expression in which you are in the habit of conveying your 
thoughts, is one so perfectly conventional, though rational] in 
your case, that the greatest freedom from prejudice is as 
essential a consideration as the wish to acquire the language 
