144 TJNIVEESAL LANGUAGES. 



We must not believe, however, that English is tJie 

 universal language now, although the two or three 

 others which must be mentioned, have either not yet at- 

 tained their highest development or lie so entirely out- 

 side of our sphere, that we need but consider them in 

 passing. 



A careful observer must have noticed that in Asia, 

 especially in the interior of its northern parts, Russian 

 is on the best way to become a universal language. 

 In fact, we do not very well know what is going on there 

 now, thanks to the excellent work of exclusion towards 

 outsiders which the Russians have been establishing for 

 some time, and so whatever ^events and occurrences 

 happen there they are hidden from the observing eyes 

 of the rest of the world. This much is sure, however, 

 that the Russians with their rule also bring with them 

 their language. Thus the subdued tribes, at least those 

 who want to have any commercial intercourse with 

 Russian merchants, or such as must communicate with 

 the authorities, must learn Russian, and the Russian 

 garrisons spread all over the vast country where their 

 eagles dominate, contribute a good deal to the further 

 extension of this most important Slavic idiom. We may 

 think whatever we please, little or much, about Russian 

 literature, which is only beginning to grow and to de- 

 velop its peculiar features, but it cannot be denied that 

 it presents already works of great and wonderful poetic 

 power, and the facts that the writings of Turgenieff and 

 Tolstoi are being translated into all the languages of the 

 civilized world, are proof enough that the Russian 

 language occupies already a prominent position among 

 others. As far as we can say, that language will soon 

 be one of the most important and far-reaching languages 

 of the globe. It may be surprising for many to hear 

 another language mentioned, of which nothing but its 

 name may have been heard, and which is indeed so very 



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