Directory_and_Chronicle_1841 — Page 577

Wanton Use of Native Words.

OCT.

and remarked: "Your majesty: asks about the books I read, and never inquires about the state of the country over which you rule.”

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Another emperor asked one of his servants, how he succeeded with the field, about which there had been a lawsuit, and was told, that his sphere was with superior men who did not design to converse about such trifles,

These may suffice as specimens from the Sack of Wisdom. May the reader be as much benefited thereby, as the kind-hearted compil- er of this work intended. The language is very terse, in imitation of the style of the classics. Had we spoke about the wisdom of speech, or rather repartees, we might have brought forward many a good answer to an impertinent question. The perusal of the whole leaves the, impression of dullness, that is heightened by the reader's ignorance of the personages, that are the actors in these stories. One, who, wishes to read the work with zest, must previously have become. acquainted with the heroes and heroines, and be their admirer, and their several anecdotes may then be found amusing, but otherwise it will be a very sorry, task...;

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ART. IV. The wanton use of native words by foreign writers,

reprobated by the Colonial Magazine and Friend of India. WHEN Occasionally we have hinted our dislike of the practice of using native words, and others that are not English, we have only uttered the sentiments of many competent judges in literary matters. We have no dislike to Chinese or Japanese, to Arabic or Mantchou, Malay, Bugis, Siamese, Pali, Sanscrit, or the modern dialects of India; though we profer plain English to any of these languages. It has become very common, however, among a certain class of writers, and chiefly such as wish to make a great show of a little knowledge, to bespangle their pages with native words-words foreign to the lan guage in which they write we say chiefly, because some have fallen into this habit, without any such intention, and who are far enough from wishing to make a display of learning which they do not possess. Though our own pages may not always be free from the fault in question, yet we do not hesitate to join with the Colonial

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