38 THE BEITISH ISLES. 



tions ? * English writers consequently congratulate themselves upon having delivered 

 their language from a " superannuated system of flexions." They are by no means 

 sorry that in some respects it should resemble the monosyllabic, and in others the 

 agglutinate languages. f The want of conciseness is felt so much that in ordinary 

 conversation a long word is sometimes reduced to a single syllable, and initial 

 letters are substituted for proper names and titles. " What other language is there 

 so expressive and concise," says Ampère, *' as that in which dog means ' to follow 

 some one's track like a dog in pursuit of its prey,' or where, in familiar language, 

 cut conveys the meaning of ' appearing not to know some one in order to break off 

 an imdesirable acquaintanceship ? ' " Poetical language is hardly ever capable 

 of being translated, and this applies more especially to English. The language 

 of Shakspere, Tennyson, and Byron is rich, powerful, vigorously precise, and 

 picturesque to such a degree that the task of adequately conveying its meaning in 

 other tongues is almost a hopeless one. All its vigour vanishes in the process 

 of translation, and there remains but a body without a framework. 



The ordinary speech of an Englishman, however, strikes a foreigner as being 

 anything but agreeable. He misses the distinct pronunciation of vowels, and finds 

 it monotonous, abounding in sibilants and even " explosives." There is none of the 

 sonorousness of the Southern languages, or of the clearness and pure pronunciation 

 of the French, l^o other language presents similar anomalies in its orthography, 

 which etymology and a respect for tradition have caused to be adhered to, although 

 in man}' instances it no longer corresponds with the language as it is spoken. Will 

 the excess of the evil bring about its cure, as several men of thought and intelli- 

 gence expect ? Î At all events a reform of English spelling would facilitate the 

 acquisition of the language by foreigners, and improve its chances of becoming one 

 day the language of the entire world. There are bilingual countries even now 

 where the children at school are taught both languages, in order that they may 

 converse with all their fellow-countrymen. Would it be impossible to introduce 

 this system into every country of the world, and to teach an international language, 

 such as English, in addition to the mother tongue, embodjang the national genius 

 and its aspirations ? 



In the meantime civilisation in an English guise is rapidly gaining ground in 

 every part of the world, and mainly through the agency of its language. What 

 then, we may ask, is the ideal type of the powerful nation whose sons, scattered 

 broadcast over the face of the earth, essay to remodel mankind on the pattern of 

 Old England ? What moral influence has it already exercised upon other men, 

 and what good or evil fruit is it likely to bear in the future ? 



The Englishman combines in a vigorous individuality the characteristics of the 

 Celt, the German, and the Dane. He is, above all others, distinguished for strength 

 of will, energy, and tenacity. He has something of the nature of the mastiff", which 

 would rather 'be cut to pieces than let go his hold. ^Military history abounds in 



* Michel Bréal, " Mélanges de Mythologie et de Linguistique." 



+ Sweet, " Language and Thought." Élie Reclus, " Ethnography" (" Encyclopaedia Britannica "). 



+ Mhx Jliiller, "Un Spelling" [Fortnightly Revietc, vol. xix. New Series). 



