Page:Willich, A. F. M. - The Domestic Encyclopædia (Vol. 3, 1802).djvu/85

Rh gold medal, for teaching youth to write and speak Latin in common conversation, both fluently and correcty. His plan is, to divest instruction of that harshness, which intimidates juvenile minds, and retards their progress in learning. And he has succeeded in rendering the hours of amusement subservient to the promotion of the classical part of education, by inducing his pupils to speak Latin with equal ease and precision. To effect this purpose, he prohibits boys of a certain standing, from practising any language except the Latin or French; and a mark is circulated, for the prevention of solecisms and barbarous expressions. If a pupil, who has this mark, hear another speak ungrammatically, it is passed to the latter, and he who receives such mark most frequently in the course of the day, incurs a small fine. To avoid this penalty, Dr. E.'s scholars pay the strictest attention to the choice and arrangement of their words, the construction of their sentences, as well as the style, purity, and harmony of their diction.

Thus a considerable portion of time and expence is saved, independently of the numerous other beneficial consequences that result from this plan, as it may be easily applied to the different living languages. Hence it well deserves to be more generally known, and adopted in those schools where years are wasted by the old method, which is comparatvely absurd.

The English language undoubtedly possesses a superior degree of excellence, blended with a greater number of defects, than that of every other nation in Europe. Bold and energetic, it is admirably calculated alike for history and the drama: at the same time, from its smoothness and copiousness, it is peculiarly adapted for the dilferent branches of poetry. But, with all these advantages, it labours under an infinity of monosyllables, which will ever prevent it from attaining that swelling fulness of sound, which so essentially contributes to produce both harmonious dignity and graceful cadences in literary composition. To this imperfection must be added the letter s, which, by its very frequent and inevitable recurrence, communicates to the whole such a general hiss, as cannot fail to be unpleasant to every impartial person, who has the least conception of musical harmony. We have neither room, nor an opportunity of pointing out a remedy for this harshness; yet, if the syllable en, which was formerly appended to the plural number, were restored to its ancient place, we presume that many of the difficulties would be removed; and that, trifling as this alteration may appear, the language would thus be greatly improved.  LANTHORN, or, a well-known contrivance, which serves to carry a candle, without exposing it to the air, or otherwise incurring danger.

Lanthorns are usually made of glass, horn, or other transparent matter, for the transmission of light; but, if they were covered externally with thin wire-work, many accidents might be prevented in stables and barns, as the lanthorns might thus be rendered less liable to injury from external accidents, while the communication of light would not be materially impeded.  LAPWING, or Tringa  Rh