On the importance of studying and preserving the languages spoken by uncivilised nations : with the view of elucidating the physical history of man.

  • Hodgkin, Dr.
Date:
1835
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On the importance of studying and preserving the languages spoken by uncivilised nations : with the view of elucidating the physical history of man. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    2* every one as a material with which he may work; it is not so with language. The extraordinary genius whose talent lies in the direction of language is at the mercy of accidental circum- stances for the development of his powers. Yet we may judge how strong is the passion which actuates such an individual when we see how much has been done with a stray leaf which has been torn off from some foreign work. Even those who are placed under ordinarily favourable circumstances have their attention limited to a comparatively few languages, and those with which they commence, being generally dead languages, are perhaps in the first instance more calculated to damp than to encourage their zeal. When this difficulty is surmounted, they find so vast an amount of intellectual treasure, to which the acquisition of those languages has opened the way, that they may feel little inducement to desist from their attention to these languages in favour of others of less promising appearance. Nevertheless, the greatly increased extent which lias been given to the study of the Oriental languages, the renewed atten- tion which is paid to Anglo-Saxon, and the occasional ap- pearance of works connected even with the languages of unci- vilized nations, are amply sufficient to prove the possibility of increasing the extent of philological inquiry, and of procuring a host of zealous students, who, if they should not find their labours rewarded with classical treasures to be compared with those of Greece which tell “ ...of Thebes or Pelops’ line, Or the tale of Troy divine,” may yet enjoy the consciousness that they open the way to a clearer and more comprehensive view of our species as awhole; that they are substituting fact for visionary speculation on a most important subject; and that in calling increased attention to the feeble, the abused, and perishing branches of the hu- man family, they may be the means of arousing a powerful influence in their behalf, whereby they may be rescued from annihilation, and given to participate in the highest attributes and choicest privileges of our nature. Such, Gentlemen, is the prospect which, with perhaps too sanguine eyes, I have imagined that I see before us in the quarter to which I have ven- tured to direct your attention this evening ; I have only to add, that if you think with me that there is anything feasible in the suggestions which I have offered, I would earnestly solicit your cooperation in endeavouring to carry them into execution*. * The Philological Society has appointed a committee to draw up a set of queries in conformity with the suggestion contained in the preceding paper. When completed, they will be published in a future number of this journal. THE END. Printed by Richard Taylor, Red Lion Court, Fleet Street.