CORRESPONDENCE.

Hokitika Guardian, 26 October 1920, Page 3

CORR ESPOND ENCE.

ESPERANTO. (To the Editor.) Sir.—Kindly permit me to write a lew words in reply to your correspondent Sendubulq, (perhaps it should be Sendubulino), appearing in Friday’s issue. I would not do Doctor Zamenhof the injustice of stating that the work of preparation of the artificial language was easy. As a matter of fact he thought long and woi’ked hard before he perfected Esperanto. In noticing the inventor’s labours I used the words ‘“entailing much study and which reference your correspondent has perverted as applying to the acquisition of the language. This is unfair to the latter-day pioneers of the West Coast Esperanto movement, as on their own showing they have risen up from the ranks of mere recruits to the selfcommissioned grade of teachers. And all in five short months !!! What? I would remind Sendubulu that the quotation, of proverbs is usually as unsafe as the handling of double edged swords. However, I will chance an old Maltese saying done into Esperanto, “Nova najlo fprmentas la Malnovan” and tso it is with the new language fad,

as with Volapuk, and Esperanto and Ido. The present fad must be empty indeed, were we to judge it by all the clamour, its some half-dozen exponents are making locally, Sendubulo’s predi lection for punning raised a passing smile as I read. Methinks it was Joseph Addison ,the groat essayist, and poet ,who characterised punning as the lowest form of wit. Your correspondent considers I have taken up a somewhat cynical, critical attitude, but my intention was to point out that eggera. tion is the natural tendency of enthusiasm. Let Esperanto achieve that which its exponents promise'for it and when its position is assured as THE auxiliary language, then can panegyrist arise who can truly sing its glory and its worth:— Then men at whose creation God rejoiced i No more in darkness of the spirit dwell, < But with a bright recovered 60111 appear.” Thanking you in anticipation, I am etc., HENRY DTJBB.