Page:Early western travels, 1748-1846 (1907 Volume 8).djvu/369

 not inferior to any of the others. But all languages, abstractedly considered, are poor:—poor as to the precision of thought, the expression of sentiment, and the harmony of diction.

The usual manner of acquiring a knowledge of foreign languages, is both unnatural and tedious. Foreign languages should be acquired precisely as we learn our native tongue. In becoming acquainted with our own language, we acquire a knowledge of language in the abstract; and this knowledge applies to all foreign languages. There must, for example, be in every language a name attached to a thing, and also a mode of conveying an idea of the qualities of that thing. The particular meaning of a word, the manner of its pronunciation, the combinations of the several necessary parts of speech, and other peculiarities of language, depend upon compact;—upon the common consent of each distinct people. Hence the great diversity of languages.

{256} To become what is generally understood by the phrase a linguist, it is necessary to possess only a common understanding, accompanied by a good memory and by application; but to become a real philological scholar requires genius.

I now return to the vessel, and find her in the latitude of Cape Fear. Here we experienced a very heavy squall, took in several of our sails, lowered our main peak, and scud. The scene was highly interesting. At this time a little black schooner from Bassatere hurried by us, like the messenger of death, and our captain hailed her, through night. The sea laboured in wrath, and the moon, partially covered by a cloud, looked at the storm askance.

The next day the weather was calm, and for several succeeding evenings delightful. During these, there were