A NEW UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXXVII, Issue 50, 14 March 1903, Page 3

A NEW UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE.

< "Remembering that modern languages are the growth of centuries, ifc is difficult to believe lhat a brand-new language every word of ifc deliberately created, can have much chance of supplant ing the old established tonftues and becoming tne universal-language of the world. Voiapuk was sneh a language, and great things" were hoped of ifceomo years ago toy it » advocates, But Volapuk is dead, and apparently beyond all bope of 'esurrec. | tfonianS the Babel dftgrigbes throughout the world remains aa couf nsing as eter. In tbo breast of the true inventor, how- | evir, hope iprngsenternal, and the tanure of Volapuk has not deterred Pro- j fessor ZamenofE, a Russian savant^ trom claiming that he bas invented the lan- j guage of the future. He calls it EBper- , anto, md if simplicity of grammar, oaie of construction, and soft rythmio flow of words constitute the chief essentials of a j universal language, then Esperanto deserves to have a chance of wiating »c- J ceptance. .. As a child the Trofesßor lived j in a little village hear Warsaw, where no fewer than four languages weie *poken, aud the confusion of tongo.es impressed upon h'm the need of an international ( language. All through bis school and college days he cherished the ide», and gradually matured h s language tcheme. When he had collected all tbe words in European languages which renemble cash other, he took the roots of these " international wordß/' added " o " for all masculine nouns, "eno" for all ftmiome nouns; and " j " on to these terminations for all pldrals. lie made all bis adjectives end in '« »,-" and all his adverbs in ? c." Three instances will show the Professor's method of constructing biß vocabulary. Qnr word " garden," which in French is " jardin," in German •' g»rteu, in Spanish " jardin," and in Italian "gi»rdino," becomes ia Esperanto " gardeno." " Rich," with its European valiants " ricbe/' " reicbe " " rico " and " riceo/' is transformed into " rica," and " pearl," which iiuß renoh and.GreymQn is '■ oerle " and in Spanish and Italian " perla," in Esperanto takeß the form of " perlo. It is claimed for the new language that it is terse, simply constructed, and wonderfully easy to acquire, and in Franco it has already made some headway. Esperanto has just been introduced to England, and an Esporaoto*Euglnh dictionary will Shortly bo published to assist its progress. j

Those anxi.us lo become " Rhodes Scholars," atOxford, wdl be interested in Ihe information publ'shed in London by Dr Parkin with reference to tbe arrangements being made by tho colleges for their reception. Tbe minimom standard of admisßion, he sayß, to be kept in view by the trustees la making the.r select.oos is tlio abil'ty fco M& Kesponsions: Por tlie rh-JBt part; etectidn by the trustees Will ip the first instai.ee, pc accepted by tlie eollego > as a lufficierit guarantee of flltiess oi admission. Some college*, however, reserre tho r _ht of tenting a scholar by further eJcftmlnation if not fully satis' fled with the te»tiniop.ials furnished : others propose to institute an eKamlnation if the eailier reßnlta are nut satisfactory. Ih order that thi? standard m&y be clearly ■flo4« irsl^ d . abroad, ariangeiisent.saf6 being m^dato .baire. sejs.of Responeions papers, together with the Sutdttnu' Handbook, and other bouks giving information about Oxford and its system, placed at accessible ceuties. As iv many of the colonies it was felt that tho bequest would be made more effective if Bcholats were accepted for post-gradu-ate and resettioh work, as well as for merely utidergi&duate Btandihgj the Col* leges were asked to state their preference; The replies were varied— some colleges inclining distinctly towards men prepared jor advanced stuJy, if witbin moderate iigo limits — while some were ready to take in scbolaru of bo;h classes. Several c.'llo^es will only receive men prepared to read for honours in one of tho scuoolb, but ia this they are only following tbeir regular system. In »U the colleges rooms will be allotted to scholars at entiance, but in many ca9es some months' notice will be required. Scholars entering for an Oxford term will thus need to be elected early in the year.

Tbe appended is the story of a mean rascal t— At tho South-WrStorn Folio j Coiuti London, on Lecember 29, a neatly I dresßed young woman* apparently in great distress, Bought the Magistrate s advice Under somewhat painful circumBtancea: While in South Africa recently Ibe made the acquaintance of a private in the King' Own Scottish Borderers. He offered her marriage, aud reptesenled that ii by any chance ho could return to England he would be in a posii.on to mako her his wife. Believing bia promises, nnd willing to marry him when opportunity presented itself, she purchased his dischargo from the army and paid his paaaago home to England. She journeyed oa - the same boat, aud made ar-rangements-for the wedding, which she was assured would not be long delayed. She advanced him tearly and at tbe last moment, when everything waß approaching completion, he disappeated from hia lerapoiary home in Hanowgate, York? hire, and had not since been htard of. She had beon without friends and with little money. Mr Garrett uympathised with her in her dilemma, but as no legal offence had been committed Ihe Couit, he- explained, could not inteifere. Applicant: But, fcir, ho lo;k my money. Mr Gatielt : Yes, you advanced it to him. Applicant : Under tbe ropreaentation that be would mako hor his wife. Mr Garrott : That is no false pretence in l»iv. ApphciLt- Havo I uo redress, Ihen? Mr Garrett : The man has treated you abominably, bu.. you have no legal claim to the consideration of the Couit. Appl cant : Can I bring an action for broach of promise of marriage ? Mr Garrett: Yes, but thai, is a waiter for Ihe Civil Court. As tho applicant gave tho additional information that tlio man stole somo valuable dads belonging to hor, sLc was referred lo one of tht; detective officeis in attendance.

A certain leaven of lenity occasionally pervades the deliberations of the Methodist Conference (Bays the " Lydelton Times "). A blackboard was in use, and it was suggested that it should bo placud in the pulpit of the church. "We don't want any wooden preacher- in tbat pulpit," eaid one minister. " That * wooden ,

A FlSbking Ij» Disguise is ofi en a pleasant sn» prise esprciallir when it bring* us relief from pai<\ H'Uoway's Ointmenr will be found to f 1' 1 in these conditioi 8 to those who have faith in its merits. Its success induced th» medical profession to in.reduce it it t • the hospitals end their private pratioe, and in m»ny instances where t l c Bufferer was considered incurable. Hollo way ' 6 Ointment in c< njunctoawith bia Pillß healed the moat deep rae c«863. They are also nn quelled for the cure of icrnfnla scurvy an ! a 1 diseases the skin and the cures they < ffect «re not temporary or imp rfect fc r by tht ir purifying powers they bring about a marvellous aud b n _c->l ohar.ge in the wholo pyttem.