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PRONUNCIATION OF THE LATIN LANGUAGE.
( Continued.)
This corruption of the pronunciation of Latin,
which took place very gradually in England, has,
within a recent period, been reduced to a system ;
and the abuses which at first crept in through
negligence, and were continued through the indo
lence or bigotry of incompetent teachers, in spite
of the remonstrances of scholars and men of let
ters, are in this country actually inculcated in the
manuals of instruction. The learner is now in
formed, upon his first introduction into Latin, that
the ancient pronunciation being in a great meas
ure lost, the different nations follovv, in their pro
nunciation of this language, the principles which
govern that of their own. This is all the infor
mation that is afforded him at this period of his
studies. No hint is given him that the English
pronunciation of Latin differs more from the an
cient than that of the other nations of Europe. No
means are furnished him of learning what points
are doubtful in the ancient pronunciation, and
what are ascertained. There is an absolute si
lence as to the proofs by which the correct sounds
of the Roman letters have been established; proofs
drawn from the language itself, and from the tes
timony of ancint grammarians and rhetoricians.
All fuller information is reserved for the more ad
vanced student, who, if Ins curiosity prompt him,
may inform himself on these points; but this
knowledge comes, if it come at all, only after his
vicious pronunciation has become so fixed that
he cannot readily disuse it. In the meantime,
the pupil is informed, that the absence of any
other guide leaves him full liberty to conform his
pronunciation to what is termed the “English
analogy.” He is not, however, abandoned to his
own discretion ; but, to ensure an absolute unifor
mity in error, a set of rules, purporting to expound
this “ English analogy,” is placed before the learn
er. In these he is instructed, to introduce into
the Latin, not only those irregularities and anom
alies of pronunciation which have undeniably es
tablished themselves in our own language, but
accidenfal deviations from correct sounds, and
petty vulgarities which we condemn while we
allow, and which no child, well trained, even in
English pronunciation, would think of carrying
into another language. Thus many coarse and
unpleasant sounds are conveyed into the Latin,
which are wholly foreign to it, and which are
plainly corruptions in our own language. Os
these is the sound given to s and t before i fol
lowed by a vowel.* This harsh sound—so dis
pleasing to a refined ear, that, even in English,
every elegant speaker is careful to avoid it, where
this can be done without the appearance of affec
tation —is strenuously insisted on, and its use am
ply illustrated by examples. We even go beyond
the English in this respect; for whereas they ex
empt from change ihet preceded by 5, our gram
marians instruct us to pronounce Sallustius , Sal
luscheus ; mixtio , mixcheo,&cc. Even these prelim
inary rules are not deemed sufficient; but, since
the un warped mind of a child is continually liable
to err into the right, his memory is continually
refreshed by foot notes, which instruct him that
ar-ti-um is arsheum , and that the comparative of
mit-is is not mit-i-or , as he might reasonably sup
pose, but misheor.
But, although the English analogy is announced
as the guide for the pronunciation of Latin, and is
followed, for the most part, with such scrupulous
fidelity through its least excusable irregularities,
yet we find this analogy occasionally most capri
ciously deserted. Thus, ch is always to have the
sound of k ; cliarta , machina , for example, are to
be pronounced karta, makina. This is certainly
not according to the English analogy, for we have
both these words in our language, (charter , ma
chine,) and kis heard in neither of them. Can it
be in compliment to the Greek origin of these
words? We can hardly suppose it; for why
should the sound of k be conferred on ch, which
stands for the Greek chi, when it is denied to the
c —the representative of the kappa itself —not
only in words derived from the Greek, but even
in Greek proper names, as in Cimon, Alcibiades?
Besides this deliberate departure from the Eng
lish analogy, we indulge ourselves in sundry odd
little freaks of pronunciation, which conform to
the analogy of no known tongue ; such, for ex
ample, as our pronunciation of cui and huic ;t and
these deviations are not only kindly allowed by
our grammarians, but actually enjoined. The
rules thus laid down for the perversion of the
pure sounds of the Latin tongue are commonly
given in a chapter on Orthoepy, which begins
with the sarcastic announcement, that “ Orthoepy
treats of the right pronunciation of words.”
It would not be uninstructive to compare the
rules given in these chapters on Orthoepy in our
modern manuals, with the cautions against falling
into vulgar errors of speech, found under the
same head in the Latin grammars formerly in use
in England. In these the greatest attention to
the pronunciation of his pupils was urged upon
the teacher.
“ Ante omnia deterrendi sunt pueri ab iis vitiis
quae nostro vulgo pene propria esse videntur.”
Among the errors especially marked out for
avoidance, we find several which are now en
joined as the rule of pronunciation ; as for exam-
* As in pen-si-o, na-ti-o , which our youth are directed to
pronounce pensheo, nasheo.
f Improperly prouounced ki and hike.
ple, the sound which wd give to the s between
two vowels.*
“ S vero, mediam inter duas vocales corrupte
sonant nonnulli, pro laesus, visits, risus, pronunti
antes laezus, vizus, rizus” . i . ...
The omission of the aspirate in the ch is like
wise condemned. .
“Male pro Christus, chrisma, Chremcs , efferimus
Crist/us , crisma , Cremes .”
These citations are from Lily’s Latin Grammar,
first published in the reign of Henry the Eighth,
a period when the study of Latin was highly
cultivated in England. Great attention was, at
that time, paid to the pronunciation of this lan
guage. In the elementary works, not only is the
pupil warned against palpable errors of the kind
above referred to, but slight faults of enunciation
are pointed out; and the pupil is warned against
carrying into the Latin that inelegant haste which
is the vice of English pronunciation. It is un
doubtedly true, that, even then, grave errors had
entered into the pronunciation of Latin in Eng
land, as well as in France. Philology, as a sci
ence, had not then even an existence, and the im
portance of preserving the sound of root letters
was a thing unknown. But the value of pure and
harmonious sounds was fully appreciated ; and,
in all that regarded the euphony of the Latin lan
guage, the scholars of that day were careful guar
dians of its purity. The most eminent men of
that time did not disdain to interest themselves in
its preservation. We have proof of this in a let
ter addressed by Cardinal Wolsey to the masters
of his school at Ipswich, in which he exhorts the
teachers to use great diligence in forming the
speech of their pupils to elegance and correctness.
In order that they may be trained to accuracy in
this respect, from their first steps in learning, he
directs that especial care shall be bestowed on
the pupils of the first or youngest class.
“ Quorum os tenerum formare praecipua cura
vobis sit, utpote qui et apertissima et elegantissi
ma vocis pronuntiatione, tradita elementa profe
rant.”
But the injury which we offer to the euphony of
the Latin language is not the only injustice it suf
fers at our hands. Our wanton changes in the
sounds of the consonants, and especially of the
gutturals, introduce a vast number of irregulari
ties that have no real existence in the language ;
separating not merely words sprung from the
same root, from each other and from their origi
nal, but estranging cases of the same noun and
tenses of the same verb; nay, in the same tense,
varying with the person, the root letters of the
verb itself; thus, in fact, changing with the time
or the speaker, the nature of the action described.
Thus, the perfect of vinco is visiA The effect of
this change of sound is sometimes so absurd, that,
but for the general habit of laying down all right
of private judgment in matters connected with
what are called the learned languages, the com
mon sense of even the least observing would take
offence at it. For example, in verbs which take
the syllabic augment in the perfect, we often
make the reduplication consist of a sound totally
different from that of the first root letter of the
verb. Thus, from cano, instead of cecini (kekini)
we have sesini ; from cado , instead of cecidi, (keki
di) we have sesidi. But perhaps the absurdity
of this capricious change in the sound of the gut
tural is nowhere better shown than in the case of
verbs compounded with prepositions, where the
final letter of the preposition has assimilated it
self to the initial of the verb, as in accipio , from ad
and capio. In such cases, when we have substi
tuted the sound of s for that of c, as the initial of
the verb, we neither restore to the preposition its
original final letter, nor suffer it to follow the law
of attraction, and adapt itself to the change, by
assuming a sibilant. On the contrary, we leave
the accidental prefix in possession of the root let
ter of which the verb has been robbed, and, in this
way, produce a compound which offends both the
ear and the judgment. Thus, of ad and cado , we
make ac-sido ; of sub and cedo (kedo,) suc-sedo.
Again, by this system of varying the sounds of
the consonants according to the vowel by which
they are followed, a slight variation in the spell
ing of a word, such as the transposition or elision
ofa letter, ora change in the vowel, are sufficient
to make a wholly new word of it. When we meet
sac and die in their uncontracted form, we say
fase, dise ; certus and cretus, as we pronounce them,
will hardly pass for different forms of the same
participle. It is manifest how greatly all these
irregularities and discrepancies must increase the
difficulties of the study of Latin, especially to a
child, whose natural perception of fitness is not
yet perverted. Nor is this inconvenience con
fined to the study of Latin. The other ancient
languages connected with it, whether more or
less nearly, are separated from it, and we lose a
great part of the benefit which a previous knowl
edge of the Latin might yield us in their acquisi
tion. Greek, having suffered less than the Latin
from these corruptions, is, for us, rather anew
language, than another dialect of the same fami
ly. Not only are words of the same origin in
Greek and Latin made to forget their affinity, but
even proper names, as often as they are written
in Roman characters, are wholly metamorphosed.
Nothing can be more ludicrous than, in the con-
* The Romans pronounced the 5 always hard, as the Span
iards do to this day.
f Caesar’s laconic despatch, delivered in our pronunciation,
would have been very unsatisfactory. It would simply have
stated that he came, saw, and visited.
struing of Greek, to hear names of persons and
places translated by words wholly dissimilar; as,
Kimon , Salmon; Kilikia , Sailishya *
* It can hardly be thought that we make amends for the di
versity we introduce between the sounds of the two lan
guages, by that forcible assimilation of the accent, by which
we rob the Greek of that which, according to Quintilian, con
stituted its chief superiority over the Latin, as the language of
poetry.
BLAKE’S PATENT,
FIRE-PROOF PAINT, FROM OHIO.
THIS Singular and valuable Substance is sold in fine powder,
then mixed with linseed oil to the consistency of thick paint,
and applied with a brush, and after an exposure of a few months to
the atmosphere, this coating becomes a perfect slate or coat oi mail
protecting whatever is covered front the action of the weather and
fiom fire.
It is a mineral substance, and has been found upon analyzation
by Dr. Chilton, of the city of New York, to consist of larger pro
portions of Silicia Alutnine, Prot. Oxide of Iron and Magnesia,
with lesser of Lime and Carbon. It is used extensively for cover
ing roofs of either shingles, matched boards, tin, zinc, sheet iron or
thick paper, if vourshingles have been on for years, you have only
to sweep off the moss and lint, with a stiff broom, and coyer with
two or three good coats, and in a few months you hav e a perfect slate
roof, impervious to the action of the weather and J?re. There i*
nothing equal to it for steamboats and car decks, for all kinds ot iron,
it forms a coating nearly as hard as the iron itself, and never cleaves
off. It should be used for everything that you wish to piotect from
fire and weather.
Inso me places a spurious article has been sold as the genuine,
therefore purchasers should be careful to buy ot authorized Agents.
Every lib]. is marked BLAKE’S FIRE PROOF PAINI.
The above Paint is for sale by C- A. L. LAMAR
sept 13 ts Savannah, Ga.
FALL AND WINTEHTCLOTH INGr
TO the Merchants of Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ala
bama and Florida.—The subscribers having established a
house in this city for the sale of READY MADE CLOI HING in
connection with an extensive Manufacturing establishment in New
ark, N. J., where one of the firm gives his personal attention en
tirely to the manufarture, while the other devotes himself to the
receipt and sale ot the same in Savannah. Possessing these advan
tages, we flatter ourselves that we can compete with any establish
ment in the United States in Price, style and workmanship,
are now receiving our Fall and Winter supply, to which w r e invite
the attention of merchants, planters, and the public in general,
sept 6 PIERSON & HEIDT.
R. S. HARDWICK & COOKE,
FACTORS & COMMISSION MERCHANTS,
Savannah, Ga.
THE Undersigned have associated themselves, under the above
style, in the business above specified. Mr. Hardwick is a
Planter of Hancock county, and, of course, identified in feeling and
interest with his brother Planters. Mr. Cooke is a citizen ot Sa
vannah, and is thoroughly acquainted with all the branches of the
Commission Business.
We are prepared to make liberal advances on produce instore,
and will fill orders for Plantation and Family Supplies with scrupu
lous care.
We are mutually bound not to speculate in Cotton or any other
article of Merchandise.
We respectfully solicit patronage and pledge ourselves to deserve
it by faithful attention to the business entrusted to us.
R. S. HARDWICK,
aug 23 J. G. COOKE.
Staves.
PERSONS in the country desirous of engaging in getting out
Staves, are informed that the preparation required for foreign
export is as follows :
To be made either out of White Oak or Water Oak Trees.
Length, from 42 to 44 inches.
Breadth, not less than 4 or more than 7 inches.
Thickness, not less than 1 or more than inches on the thinest
part of the thinest edge.
The back and edge of the Slave should be dressed down to the
same thickness—should have a clear cleft or split, and be free from
knots, crooks, and worm-holes.
Staves prepared in conformity with this specification will be re
ceived at the full market price during the ensuing autumn and
winter. Present value, thirty-five dollars per one thousand pieces.
Aug 2 ANDRKW LOW & CO.
JOHN A. GEORGE.
TIN PLATE, SHEET IRON, COPPER,
ZINC AND LEAD WORKER,
No. 80, St. Julian Street.
THE Subscriber would inform the public that he engages no
hands but those who are fully competent to turn out work in all
branches of his business faithfully and workmanlike, at the shortest
notice. Particularly Ship and House Plumbing. A Good Assort
ment of Manufactured Tin Ware will hereatter be kept constantly
on hand at low prices for Cash.
Orders from the County punctually attended to. ly aug 23
PAINT AND OIL STORE, west side of monument
square. —JOHN G. FALLIGANT invites his frienas and
the public generally, both from and country, to call and ex
amine his stock before they purchase. Every article is selected by
himself and will be warranted of the best quality, and he will sell
at low prices and on accommodating terms. Aug 2
WHITE LEAD.—IO,OOO LBs7 Atlantic White Lead, war
ranted pure ; 4000 English do. do. do. For sale by
J. G. FALLIGANT.
WINDOW SASHES AND BLINDS—SOOO lights, Hby 10
Sash; 2000 do 10 by 12 do; 1000 do assorted sizes; 100
pair Venetian Blinds, assorted sizes. For sale by
Aug 2 J G.’ FALLIGANT.
Window Glass.
AA BOXES American and French Window Glass, from
vJ x” 7x9 to 16x18 ; do. do. do. Coach and Picture do.
m 162x18 to 36x44, For sale bv
Aug 2 J. G. FALLIGANT-
Turpentine.
“g BARRELS City Distilled, for sale by
X U Aug 2 J. G. FALLfGANT*
SITUATION WANTED,
AS a C4&ERK or BOOKKEEPER, by a young man. Good
reference can be given to any person needing his services.
Apply at this Office. ts sept J3
MUSIC! MUSIC M MUSIC !!!—The subscriber begs respect
fully to inform the public of the city of Savannah and vici
nity that he has just received the largest assortment of sheet music
for the Piano Forte ever offered in this market, consisting of songs,
ballads, waltzes, gallops, dances, polkas, quicksteps, marches, &c.
&c. Also, on hand, Hunter’s celebrated instructions for the piano
forte, Easy preludes for beginners. Books of instruction on the
guitar, fife do., clarionet do., violin do., accordian do., flute do.
Millet’s juvenile piano forte school and J. F. Burrows’ piano primer
’ For sale by WILLIAM KAY,
At the Southern Literary Depot, 72 St. Julian st.
Sep. 13—6 t
WOOD, WOOD, WOOD.—The subscribers will keep con
stantly on hand a supply of the best Black Jack and Oak
Wood for sale in lots to suit purchasers. R. A. ALLEN & CO.
oct 4 3mo
BOOKS ! BOOKS ! ! BOOKS ! ! !—Great excitement at the
Southern Literary Depot, 72 St. Julian-st., WILLIAM KAY,
Dollar ‘Works sold for eighty cents.
Fifty cent do. do. forty cents.
Twenty-five do. do. twenty cents.
School Books, Stationary, and a large assortment of Standard
Works in various Bindings, as cheap as any other establishment
in the South. Also, 5000 pieces Sheet Music for the Piano, con
sisting of Songs, Ballads, Waltzes, Gallops, Dances, Polkas, Quick
steps, Marches, &c. at 5 cts a Page,
sept 27 4
HOWARD HOUSE,
MARIETTA, GEORGIA
WE are gratified to inform the public, and especially so
from the low country, that the Howard House k*' I ** l
passed into our agency, we are determined to do away w S
complaints that Marietta does not afford the requisite conveit
by which visiters would be induced to sojourn in this delightjuj l^
The Howard House is now renovated, and accommodation
pared which cannot fail to please. Ihe chambers are pleasant
conveniently furnished. The table will be amply suppu €( j
every luxury the country affords. Attentive servants aie
In short, if agreeable quarters, a well spread table, cleanline
attention, joined with moderate charges, can please, we assur
patrons that they will be found at the Howard House,
sep 6 DIX FLETCHEk
Swift, ttcnslow & Webster.
DEALERS in Groceries Provisions, Forein
and Domestic Liquors, Oil, Gunpowder, Shot Prh -T
and wrapping Paper. Coiner of Hay and Whitaker-str ‘ “
Savannah, Georgia.
DWARD SWIFT, ALLEN A. DENSLOW, JOSEPH W. WFBST
July 25 “
FALL AND WINTER CLOTHINgT^
JUST received per brig Clinton, a splendid assortment of Tw.
Coats, Frocks and Sacks, fancy Cass. Pants, fancy ‘
Cass. Vests, together with a large assoitment of Twilled (V
Pants and Jackets, Satinet Pants and Jackets, Corderoy |> a ,
Beaver Coats, Sacks, Blanket and Flushing Coats and Ovex-sJ
For sale, very low, wholesale and retail, at No. 10 Whifaker-st
sept 6 PIERSON & HEIDI
Dentistry.
DR. PANCOST has removed to Bryan street, East side M n
ument square, near the State bank, where he may bes.,
at all hours, night or day, fully prepared to wait upon his trrendsa
the public generally.
N. B. Artificial teeth inserted from one to a whole set, and n
u red to give satisfaction to the wearer.
N. B. Charges greatly reduced. 6mo aug §
A CARD.
THE undersigned having re-opened, with
entire New Stock of DRUGS, CHEMICALS hi
FANCY ARTICLES, at No. 139 (South side) Broughton
street, (formerly Walker’s Marble Yard,) is now readyt
furnish any thing in his line, at the shortest notice. SOJD.I
WATER, made in his own peculiar way, sent to any part i
the city, and always to be had at the store, in the highest state
of perfection.
Prescriptions put up with care and despatch.
The subscriber having served the public long and faithful!,,
respectfully solicits a share of their patronage.
apr 26 THOS. RYERSON.
To the Planters and Farmers of South
Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Tens,
essee and riorida.
T AM THE AUTHORIZED AGENT for tk
X sale and purchase of the CAM ELINA SATIVAor
GOLD OF PLEASURE SEED, a native of Siberia.
I am now ready to fill all orders for the seed, and being au
thorized by the Company to purchase the same, I will pay tin
highest market price for all that may be shipped to m id
Savannah. WM. HUMPHREYS, Jr.,
may 31 Agent for the Company of New York.
Situation Wanted.
BY A YOUNG MAN, as Clerk or Book keeper,
good references can be given to any person needing hu
services. Apply at this office. may 31
CLOTHIHG,
T)IERSON & HEIDT offer for sale Clothing,
X Wholesale and Retail, at New York juices. No. II
Whitaker-street. apr 26
To the Public.
THE Subscriber, having entered extensive!?
into the making of BRICK of a superior quality tor
manufactured in this city, is prepared to fill orders at the shir
est notice, and as low as any establishment of the kind in r :
near Savannah. WM. H. LLOYD.
June 21
ROBERT N. ADAMS,
CABINET-MAKER AND UNDERTAKES
No. 93 Broughton St., Savannah, Ga.,
IS prepared to execute all orders in his line a:
the lowest prices, with dispatch. Orders from the country
promptly attended to. Ready-made coffins always on hat
and made to order at short notice.
june 28 3rao
HI. A. C'oheiL
(Late of the firm of S. Solomons fy Cos.)
COMMISSION AND FORWARDING MERfHAB.
SAVANNAH, GA-
Agent for steam packets H. L. Cook and Ivanhoe.
may 10
marsh & webster]
ATTORNEYS AT LAW,
175 Bay-Street—Up-Stairs.
SAVANNAH, GEORGIA.
Mulford Marsh. Andrew M. Webste*
BOOK AND JOB PRINTING,
Os all kinds, executed at thiM Office, with neatness n?
despatch.
HAVING lately put our Office in complete oru
and made large additions to it, we have now the mostr'j
tensive Job Printing Office in the City and are prepare I
execute all kinds of PLAIN AND FANCY’ PR IN TIN
with neatness and despatch, and on the most accomodau I
terms. Office 102 Bryan-street, entrance on Bay Lane.
Savannah, March 22d, 1849. EDWARD J. PURSE J
A FRIEND OF THE FAMILyT
A WEEKLY SOUTHERN NEWSPAPER, PUBLISHES
EVERY THURSDAY, BY
EDWARD J. PURSE.
TERMS:—TWO DOLLARS A YEA K-
Three Copies for one year, or one copy three years, &**
Seven Copies, - - _ - _ 10 ‘•
Twelve Copies, - - - - - lo
*** Advertisements to a limited extent, will be intf r!f ’
at the rate of 50 cents for a square of nine lines or tee
the first insertion, and 30 cents for each subsequent in*? 11 *’ I
Business cards inserted for a year at Five Dollars.
A liberal discount will be made to Post Masters “
will do us the favor to act as Agents.
Postmasters are authorized to remit money to PoW j
and all money mailed in presence of the Postma ster * j
duly forwarded by him, is at our risk.
I3P All communications to be addressed (post-paid)
E. J. PURSE, Savanna]*, tl4