The Evening Star FRIDAY, JANUARY 17, 1873

Evening Star, Issue 3093, 17 January 1873, Page 2

The Evening Star FRIDAY, JANUARY 17, 1873

The Sydney Morning Herald of January 3rd revives an idea, once discussed at great length, of founding a universal language. Not that there seems to bo any chance of such a consummation within the lifetime of the present generation, but merely as a speculation resulting from the extension of telegraphy. No doubt international intercourse would be facilitated could differences of speech be annihilated. Amongst tho nations of Europe there is increasing necessity for employes in public offices being skilful linguists. The surprise at present is that in telegraphy so few mistakes arise, when foreign names and foreign terms are transmitted by wire. It is very rare indeed to find them misspelt, although occasionally they cause a little perplexity in the editorial department of newspapers. But the inconvenience will increase with the extension of telegraphy. It is now comparatively easy to communicate in French or German, Spanish or Italian. If the message is correctly transmitted in any those languages, a translation is not difficult to bo obtained, oven by those unacquainted with them. Should tho Asiatic races be brought into the general confederacy of countries communicating by telegraph, the case will be different, and the impediments to ready comprehension of the messages increased. The Herald enters somewhat minutely into a consideration of the probable results of such an arrangement, and, as wo think it will interest our readers, wo hero present it to them. The contrivance of convenient character and grammar would be ay <my task to any of our accomplished philologists, but hoiy to get it into use is the rub Wo fear Mr Grove's “ Pasilogical Missionaries ’’ would not avail much. Men would not be talked into a new language, any more than women cou d be coerced into Bloomer costume. In this matter-o'-fact world s lendid promises of future advantage are neglcctedfor the paltriest amount of immediate profit. Tho discovery of the degree in which one land possesses tho means of supplying the wants of other lands, and the practicability of its receivfrom them in return what has been denied to° its own soil, will, in time, produce a universal system of exchange throughout the world. People of all nations and tribes will mingle in social intercourse, and interpenetrate one another with their several customs and habits, both national and personal Reason, guided by practical experience, will have to make its election between the various laws and manners thus-offered to its choice. Those that arc best adapted to the purposes of life will acquire force and permanency, not by any sudden and formal resolution of mankind, but hv tho gradual perception of their cong uity and fitness, which will secure their adoption unconsciously. Rapid and certain appreciation will universally follow the announcement of anything likely to benefit the species, and the kno ' ledge of this will stimulate the inventive faculties of mankind everywhere, and induce everyone who has found out anything calculated to supply a human want, or to furnish a now pleasure, to make it known wirhout delay, whether the discovery be that of a strange natural production, a mechanical invention, » great scientific truth, a wise aphorism, or a glowing thought. He to whom the secret is first revealed will find his highest and most

grateful reward in publishing it to his race, and the more rapidly it can be made | known, the more immediate will be the nil- ' filmcnt of his desires. This will require a common vehicle of thought, and its formation will be absolutely necessitated by the coalescence of all special xml separate interests into one which will be universal and homogeneous. The necessity which discoverers would feel of a medium by which they could diffuse the intelligence of their successes might not he sufficient to induce men to adopt a common system of communication. since discoverers are comparatively few ; but when the bulk of our species blend together in the production of their reciprocal views and common interests the necessity for s " c j\ a common medium of intercourse must inevitably arise-a form of speech in which the natives of all parts of the world may transact not the great and astounding affairs of history, but the little businesses of traffic, the concerns of every day. This accomodation or modification may already be seen on a small scale in some of the great maritime cities, especially thme on the Pacific coast of North and South America, the cities of the Mediterranean and some in the Indian Archipelago. And it may be safe to infer that when the precedent condition of mankind resembles that xvhich obtains in those cities it will give birth to a similar phenomenon, and a unix r ers il language will begin to arise. The speculation as to what the probable universal language will be, whether that of the majority of the human race or of that nation whose dominion is the widest, is then gone into. It is pointed out that the Chinese language is spoken by one-third of the human race, hut that they arc concentrated within too confined an area to render it probable it will ever become universally spoken. It is a somewhat comfortable conclusion for those who follow us, descendants of the AngloSaxon race, that in all probability other nations will have to learn onr mother tongue, and onr successors will continue to speak it. This is the opinion of the Sydney Morning Herald, and there is no denying that the reasons given are very weighty; —■ Thus appears a nice problem for solution by those who speculate regarding philological supremacy : Is any one of the languages at present in use destined to form the basis of the common medium of communication, and which? Those who wish to determine this point must first discover the principles likely to influence the result. That a language is wide-spread may be taken as a good aigument in favor of its further extension. A Lnguage to acquire supremacy must have already covered a large geographical area. This must have been done tin ough its power of resisting the introduction uf other languages, us well as from its tendency to pro agate itself. These powers are essentially affected by the genius and character of the people by whom the given language is spoken. If they ne free, hold, and enterprising—if the arts and sciences are cultivated, and invention encouraged amongst them, their language will accord with their character; it will be expansive and aggressive. Practically, the question at present is a purely speculative one. Whatever may ultimately take place, a universal language will grow out of circumstances, and will not be a matter of deliberate choice. Ages must elapse before all nations of the earth have but one speech, but the expression of the idea is evidence that its advantages are recognised, and is the first step towards its consummation.