they are not clearly understood in their written form, more unintelligible still must they be when heard, as the foreign pronunciation then adds to the difficulty. On the other hand, the words being, in mental reading, glanced over much more rapidly than they can be spoken, he who is a proficient in the first acquisition, will find mental audition comparatively easy. Hence we have further proof of the great importance of the first branch.

A person visiting a foreign country and having but little intercourse with its inhabitants, as is often the case, would, nevertheless, if able to read their language, have great facilities for acquiring the power of understanding them and of imitating their pronunciation:—a servant, a child, any native of that country, in fact, who knows how to read, could rapidly forward him in this twofold acquirement.

The spoken Italian, Spanish, and German, would soon be familiar to a person conversant with their written form, because each letter being invariably pronounced the same way in the same circumstances, he will easily recognise the words in their articulate form, and, consequently, understand the people. But, of all languages, the most difficult, perhaps, to be understood by foreigners, when spoken, is the English, in consequence of this double anomaly, that the same sounds are represented variously, and the same letters stand for different vocal elements; in consequence also of its rapid utterance, ever-changing accents, innumerable contractions, and the indistinctness of its unaccented syllables. A foreigner needs to hear it for a long time, before he can attain the double acquirement expected from this exercise.

SECT. V.-BENEFITS OF MENTAL AUDITION.

When, after great practice in hearing, learners understand what is read or narrated with rapidity and without translating, they are, in respect to this branch, on a par with those whose language they have learned: they can enjoy all the advantages of social intercourse with them, if even they are unable to speak the foreign language; because, as was before observed, the benefits of social intercourse consist in receiving, much more than in communicating ideas; and the means of conversing with each other is secured by the natives of different countries, when they understand, although unable to speak, one another's language.

The art of following ordinary conversation presents no difficulty to a person who understands the language on hearing it read; for people usually introduce in their familiar discourse subjects and words more simple and familiar than those of books; they repeat often the same expressions, and accompany their words with tones, looks, and gestures, which greatly assist the hearer. The mind is kept alive by the ever-varying topics, and relieved by the successive interruptions of colloquial intercourse. The person spoken to is also more attentive, because he feels more interested in that which is personally addressed to him, and suits his particular circumstances. This truth is forcibly illustrated by the well-known fact, that, in public assemblies, extemporaneous speeches are much more favourably received than written discourses.

The professor should now put to the test the proficiency of his pupils in hearing, by always addressing them in the foreign language. The frequent practice of following a train of ideas through the medium of words spoken by a native, will render the audible signs so familiar as soon to secure the habit of mental audition; and this once attained, the learners should be made to derive from it the same advantages which we all obtain from this acquirement in the vernacular tongue. The professor should often address them in the foreign language on various subjects of instruction. These subjects should be selected in reference to the studies in which they are engaged at the time, and more particularly to the higher departments of the language in which they are addressed: he may treat of its genius and comparative merit, investigate its origin, rise, and progress, unfold its importance as a means of social communication, or as a store of information, comment critically on its best works, and examine its literature, considered either absolutely or relatively to the national literature of the learners. Should the professor feel diffident in extemporaneous delivery, he may either prepare discourses to read to his pupils, or deliver to them from the most eminent writers in that language passages which would enrich their minds with useful knowledge and familiarise them with a pure and elegant style.

In colleges and schools, in which classes have, through the process above detailed, completely mastered the art of understanding a foreign language when spoken, lectures on the most useful branches of knowledge could be delivered in that language by eminent professors, who might be induced to come over yearly

for the purpose. France, Italy, and Germany send hither their singers and dancers, because there is a demand for the frivolities in which they excel; and enormous sums are paid to those who thus speculate on the taste of the nation for such amusements: if there were an equal demand for intellectual acquirements, it would be no difficult matter to find, in the above-named countries, men of superior talent and knowledge in the various walks of literature and science, who could make valuable additions to the information imparted in the public schools of these realms.

This is no utopian suggestion. Already the members of the British Association have been afforded frequent opportunities of hearing distinguished foreigners. The French, the Belgians, and the Germans had lately similar opportunities of hearing the English language, when the English and American members of the Peace Congress addressed them in Paris, Brussels, and Frankfort, in the great cause of humanity which is the characteristic feature of modern days. That the advantage of hearing the scientific or literary celebrities of neighbouring countries may be rendered more general is obvious: it will be realised by collecting auditories capable of understanding the foreign language when spoken, and by inducing learned professors to pay occasional visits to this country. The first point presents no difficulty, particularly as regards the French language, which is learned very extensively, and the oral expression of which could, in a few months,-nay, in a few weeks, by the method above detailed, be rendered completely intelligible to those who can read it. The opposite course, the foreigner lecturing to the people in their own language-would, in most cases, be impracticable for an eminent professor, having gained his information by long study at home, cannot be expected to speak and pronounce the language of a people among whom he probably never resided, so as to be able to make it the extemporaneous vehicle of his thoughts in public.

The occasional visits of foreign lecturers to this country would be greatly facilitated by the present rapidity and cheapness of steam communication. English and Scotch professors often go to deliver courses of lectures in Ireland, which is farther from England than either Paris or Brussels. If the great academic institutions would procure for their students the double advantage of acquiring useful knowledge and of improving in the foreign language, they would be enabled to offer to the

foreign professors adequate remuneration. We do not see why they should not be patronised by an enlightened public, when French actors perform here, every season, to crowded auditories, who appear to comprehend them perfectly; unless it be proved, that the British nation is incapable of listening to anything serious or useful. Should English lecturers of repute pay professional visits to France, they would, we doubt not, meet with a proper reception.

Without expatiating on the many advantages which, in a moral, intellectual, and social point of view, would accrue to the two people, from this exchange of information and good offices, we will observe, as regards the present object, that the public discourses of these distinguished foreigners, and their private conversation, while in the enjoyment of British hospitality, would keep up and extend the practical knowledge of their language among those with whom they would associate. Persons who understand the foreign language spoken as they do their own, improve in their power of conversation in the one as in the other.

When once the language is perfectly understood, practice in hearing it affords the means of making rapid progress in the pronunciation and phraseology; for the mind of the hearer, quicker in conceiving the ideas than the tongue of the speaker in giving utterance to them, has leisure to attend to the manner as well as to the matter. So, in the vernacular tongue, we understand what is said with so much ease to ourselves, that we can even, while following the ideas of the speaker, spare part of our attention, and bestow it on the elements of expression, mentally noticing his phraseology and peculiarities of pronunciation, accent, or style, either to imitate or to criticise them, as the case may be.

Practice in mental audition will so closely connect in the mind the true sounds of the words with their corresponding ideas, as to cause them, in virtue of the laws of association and habit, to be easily reproduced, when the hearer has afterwards the same ideas to convey; and thus will he be enabled to express himself in the foreign language with a pure pronunciation, and without the intervention of translation.

CHAPTER IL

PRONUNCIATION.

SECT. I.-OF A GOOD PRONUNCIATION AND ACCENT.

In modern languages, pronunciation is of the utmost importance; it contributes, in great measure, to their clearness, agreeableness, and energy. As correct enunciation renders our ideas more manifest, and causes us to be listened to with more pleasure, so an incorrect pronunciation, by its ambiguity and confusion, soon fatigues the hearers, and often exposes a speaker to ridicule. In a foreign, as in the native tongue, men are oftener led by their ears than by their understandings. "The way to their hearts is through their senses," says Lord Chesterfield; "please their eyes and their ears, and the work is half done. I have frequently known a man's fortune decided by his first address." 29 *

Approximation is not sufficient in pronouncing a language, for the least deviation from the right sound or articulation,—the improper lengthening or shortening of a syllable, the omission or misplacing of an accent,-is enough to change the meaning of a word and to diffuse obscurity over the discourse. But, should even the mode of pronouncing not be so defective as to prevent the oral expression from being understood, learners, at whatever age they study a language, ought not to be satisfied with being merely intelligible. It has come within the experience of many persons that the pronunciation of a foreigner may be very intelligible and yet very disagreeable. No one who ever witnessed the force of sensible remarks nullified, although understood, by the amusement or impatience which a bad pronunciation usually excites, would deliberately make up his mind to address foreigners in their own idiom with an incorrect pronunciation.

It has been erroneously supposed impossible to acquire the

*Letters to his Son. Let.. 154.