ART.VII. ΕΡΜΗΣ ὁ ΛΟΓΙΟΣ Η ΦΙΛΟΛΟΓΙΚΑΙ ΑΓΓΕΛΙΑΙ, περίοδος Α. εν βιεννηι. 8vo.

THE

pp. 437.

HE volume before us, being part of a periodical publication, does not naturally come within the pale of our jurisdiction; but several reasons induce us to think, that by extending in its favour the limits of our original plan we shall render an acceptable

service to our readers.

To maintain the empire of good taste at home is doubtless the first of our duties: but it is also one, and not the least important, of them, to direct the public attention to the state of learning in foreign countries, and to promote, by all the means in our power, its improvement and expansion. The early productions of an obscure and illiterate people must ever afford matter of interest to those who love to trace in the efforts of unassisted genius the rudiments of future excellence: but this will be materially increased, when we are called upon, as on this occasion, to consider a nation, once among the most powerful and enlightened of the earth, awakening, through a recollection of its illustrious origin, to a sense of its present degradation, and struggling to escape from the intellectual bondage in which it has so long been held.

Our interest was the more strongly excited by the work in question, as it is the first systematic attempt made by the modern Greeks to turn the thoughts of their countrymen to original composition. Hitherto their efforts have been confined almost exclusively to translation, that great pest of speech,' as it is called by Dr. Johnson, which, far from reforming the language, has rather tended to render its barbarisms more numerous and inveterate. But considering the prevailing ignorance and absolute decrepitude of the nation, it was, perhaps, most prudent for those who undertook the task of reformation to begin by laying a foundation of foreign materials. It would be vain to attempt the restoration or improvement of a language, without previously diffusing a general taste for literature amongst those by whom it is spoken. There is a period in the education of every one, when he must be contented to rest implicitly upon the opinions of others. We are disposed to hope that the modern Greeks have already passed this period; and that henceforth they will continue to strengthen their minds, and to amend their language, by thinking and writing for themselves.

The Philological Journal was undertaken,' we are told, at the instigation, and partly at the expense of the Philological Society lately established at Boucorest. Its chief objects are to afford information upon all matters of science and learning,-to remark upon the Greek language, comparing the ancient and modern idioms

with a view to the purification of the latter,—and to notice such new publications, whether in Greek or other languages, as have any connection with Greek literature, or tend in any way to the promotion of learning.' The studious among the Greeks are encouraged to contribute to the work by the promise that their lucubrations will be published once a fortnight under the names, and in the very words of the respective authors.

The volume now in our hands, the first and, as we believe, the only complete one of the series in this country, comprizes all the numbers successively published in the year 1811.

Of its contents the first, and perhaps the most interesting, is an account of the formation and proceedings of the Philological Society of Boucorest, which, as we are informed, was set on foot in July, 1810, by Ignatius,* the metropolitan bishop of Moldavia and Wallachia, and is composed of the clergy, nobility, physicians, schoolmasters, and principal merchants of those two provinces, at that time annexed to the Russian empire.

The purpose of this society is not merely to promote the object announced in the Hermes,' but to superintend a school (ATKEION) previously established at Boucorest, and already, in November, 1810, consisting of 244 students; each of whom is instructed in one or more of the following branches of learning; viz. mathematics, experimental philosophy, chemistry, ichnography, metaphysics, logic, ethics, natural history, geography, rhetoric, poetics, history, archæology, as well as in the ancient Greek, Latin, French, German, and Russian languages.

We will not trouble our readers with the detailed account given in the Hermes' of the system of education adopted at this respectable establishment. It will suffice, for the credit of its founders, to say, that the discipline and plan of instruction laid down by them would not suffer in a comparison with those of our first schools and universities. To consult the different capacities of the pupils-to open the mind by well regulated gradations-and to stimulate exertion by the hope of distinction, rather than by the fear of punishment, are the leading principles of their system.

When a scholar has completed one branch of learning, he receives from the master a certificate, which he is to produce at the public examination, occasionally held in presence of the society. If his answers to the questions which are put to him on that particular branch, are approved of, his certificate is sealed by the president. A general certificate, or dinλoua, is in like manner granted to the scholar, who leaves the school after having gone through the entire course of education with credit.

This prelate is a Lesbian Greek of considerable talent and erudition.

In the regulations above mentioned a considerable share of attention has been directed towards the means of improving the language, and of ultimately restoring it to its ancient purity; and for this end very particular instructions are given with respect to the manner and order in which the classics are to be read, and also with regard to translations, compositions, &c. This, indeed, forms the principal theme not only of many original essays contained in the Hermes,' but also of most of the speeches made at the different meetings of the Philological Society.

And here we propose to our readers the novel entertainment of a modern Greek harangue addressed by the bishop, in his character of president, to the scholars of the ΛΥΚΕΙΟΝ, on the occasion of a public examination:

* Κύριοι Μαθηταί !

· ΤΟΥΤΟ τὸ σύτημα, ὅπερ τώρα βλέπετε εις την Σχολὴν δὲν εἶναι ἄλλο, παρὰ προοίμιον ἐκείνων, ὅσων μετὰ ταῦτα μέλλει νὰ γίνωσι. Δὲν ζητεῖται ἄλλο παρ ὑμῶν, εἰμὴ ἐπιμέλεια, φιλοπονία, ὑποταγὴ εἰς τοὺς διδασκάλους, καὶ ἤθη χρησὰς διὰ νὰ καταταθῆτε ἄξιοι οπαδοὶ τὴς φιλοσοφίας. Αυτη ή δεξιά, ἥτις σήμερον, εὐλογεῖ τὰς προόδες ὑμῶν, θέλει σᾶς σεφανώση μίαν ἡμέραν μὲ δάφνην. Αν Μᾶσαι δεν λησμόνησαν τὴν παλαιάν των κατοικίαν, τὸν Ολυμπον καὶ τὸν Παρ νασσόν. Ἐκεῖ θέλεν πάλιν ἐπιτρέψει ἔτερον ἀπὸ ἕνα τόσον μεγάλου γύρου, ὅπως ἔκαμαν εἰς την Ευρώπην. Αν οἱ μαθηταὶ τῆς Βλαχίας ςαθῶσιν ἱκανοὶ νὰ τὰς συντροφέυσωσιν ἕως ἐκεῖ, ὁποία δόξα αἰώνιος θέλει εἶναι δι ̓ αὐτοὺς, καὶ πόσον μέγα κλέος διὰ τὴν Βλαχίαν! Σεῖς ημπορεῖτε νὰ ὀνομασθῆτε δικαίως εὐτυχεῖς, ἐπειδὴ ἔχετε να διατρέξητε ἕν σάδιον τόσον λαμπρὸν, ὅπερ οἱ προγενέςεροίσας, δὲν τὸ ἠξιώθησαν. Φιλοτιμηθῆτε λοιπὸν νὰ φανῆτε ἄξιοι της οὐρανίου ταύτης δωρεᾶς, τῆς προτασίας, καὶ τῶν ἡμετέρων κόπων.

· Η πατρὶς προσμένει παρ' ὑμῶν την βελτίωσίν της, καὶ οἱ γονεῖς προσμένουσι περί θάλψιν εἰς τὸ γῆρας των. Ο κόπος καὶ ἡ επιμέλεια ὑμῶν, ἔτι τὸ μόνοι μέσον, τὸ δυνάμενον ἀποκαταςῆσαι ὑμᾶς εὐγνώμονας καὶ εἰς τὴν πατρίδα, καὶ εἰς τὰς γονεῖς ὑμῶν. Εἶθε νὰ σᾶς ἰδῇ ἡ πατρὶς μίαν ἡμέραν δαφνηφορώντας! Είθε να λάβωσι διὰ Σᾶς οἱ γονεῖς καὶ οἱ συμπολῖται σας τὴν ἴδιαν χαραν καὶ ἐυχα· βίσησιν, ἥνπερ ἐλάμβανον ἄλλοτε οἱ γονεῖς καὶ συμπολῖται τῶν Ὀλυμπιονικών !

Young Gentlemen,

This

The system which you now see established in the school is but a prelude to further proceedings. Of you nothing more is required than diligence, labour, submission to your masters, and good morals, whereby you may prove yourselves worthy disciples of philosophy. This hand, which now blesses your progress, will one day crown you with laurel. The muses have not forgotten their ancient abodes on the summits of Olympus and Parnassus. Thither, after having traversed the whole of Europe, they will once more return. And if the students of Wallachia are able to keep pace with them, what eternal renown will they not acquire, what glory for Wallachia! Yon, indeed, may be called truly fortunate, who have to run this illustrious career to which your fathers were not summoned. Strive, therefore, to shew yourselves worthy of this heavenly gift, and of our patronage and labours.

From you your country expects the improvement of its condition, to you your parents look for consolation in their old age. By labour and industry alone you can prove your gratitude both to your country and to your parents. Oh may your country one day see you crowned with laurel! Alay your parents and your fellow citizens enjoy the

This volume abounds also with notices of new editions of the Greek classics, of translations from some of the most approved modern works, both literary and scientific, in the different languages of Europe, and of some original writings. We are assured that the greater part of the expense attending these publications is defrayed by a few public-spirited individuals.

The rest is taken up with a variety of essays, from different persons, under the heads of rhetoric, general history of arts and sciences, medicine, natural philosophy, poetics, philology. The latter subject is treated exclusively with reference to the present state of the Romaïc language, and to its means of improvement.

The severest critic must confess, that whatever these compositions may want on the side of ingenuity or argument, is amply supplied by honest zeal and national enthusiasm. And although the learned Greeks appear to differ in opinion as to the most eligible process for restoring the debased metal to its original standard of purity, they all agree that their language is neither more nor less than Greek; a point, upon which the Society of Boucorest, at their second meeting, came to the following decision, which we, oi Bagbago, can hardly presume to set aside without hesitation.

Where

The language now spoken is not modern, as the Europeans term it, but the ancient dialect, called Kom, which is proved by the usage of writers, with respect to the rules of grammar; and, indeed, it bears a great resemblance to the old Ionie. It is a national language which has long since undergone great changes, arising from political circumstances, and of which the idiom is not inferior to the Attic. fore there is nothing in it essentially barbarous, or that ought to be rejected, except some few barbarous, that is foreign, expressions, which have been introduced by intercourse with many other nations. Although the sufferings of the Greeks have been severer than those of the Italians, the Hellenic language has not suffered like the Latin, which has ceased to be spoken in Italy, and is found only among the learned; whereas the former, though uncultivated for so many ages, is still spoken by an entire people.'

Some persons will, perhaps, be as much startled at this assertion as the worthy citizen, who, on landing at Calais, discovered that French was fluently spoken by the children in the streets. Strange, however, as it may appear, such is the fact, although we will not go the length of asserting that the Greek of Pera is quite as pure as that spoken at the assemblies of Aspasia.

To enter into all the details with which the subject abounds, and to deduce historically the gradual decline of the Hellenic language from its original purity to its present corrupted state, would re

same pleasure and delight which was formerly participated by those whose relations and children were victorious in the Olympic games!

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quire much more time and learning than we can bestow upon it, besides carrying us a great way beyond our accustomed limits. Our remarks must, therefore, be considered as a mere index to some more elaborate work; and, indeed, we have reason to hope that this interesting subject will ere long be presented to the public, in a manner worthy of its importance.

As language is the expression of the mind, and therefore will naturally follow the intellectual improvement or depravation of the community speaking it, it is no wonder, after the lapse of so many succeeding ages, during which the Greeks have been exposed to every vicissitude most calculated to vitiate and debase human nature, that their language should be reduced to the same extremity as themselves:-yet, in neither case, is the identity impaired. The edifice is, indeed, fallen, but the original materials remain, and skilful architects are only wanting to restore it to its ancient form and proportions.

What some writers have termed dialects of the Romaïc, are in fact only so many modifications of its corruption, and these are as various as the different circumstances and accidents of situation into which the individuals adopting them are thrown. A thousand specimens of the language, as it is written and spoken, might be given, without its being possible to fix upon any single one as the true standard. The fact is, there can be no standard but the old Hellenic, which is, indeed, the most decisive proof that the language is not essentially new, but only in a state of corruption.

The chief variation observable in the declension of nouns consists in the substitution of the accusative case with the preposition eis, for the old dative, the use of which, in common conversation, would seem pedantic, though it is not unfrequently employed by persons of education in their letters.

In some instances the place of the original nominative has been usurped by the accusative, or its distinctive termination has been dropped, or changed for another; as ἡ γυναικα for ἡ γυνή ; το κεφαλι for το κεφαλιον, &c.

The accusative with the preposition arò is continually used in the sense of the Latin ablative; as, aяо тην жоλ, ab, or, ex urbe. The genitive, which the ancients employed in the same sense, is now only made use of in a strictly possessive sense; as, un To άνθρωπε.

But the most objectionable abuse is that which has crept into the nominative plural of feminine nouns, where the article ai is changed into the dative Tais; yuvaixa, for instance, makes in the nominative plural, Tais yuvaixes. In addition to this the ancient termination of the same case is always converted into s or ais; as ai μεσαι into ταις μεσες or μεσαις.

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