TWILIGHT.

Original.

THE EUROCLYDON.

BY S. T. GILLET.

THE frequent acts of piracy committed on merchant vessels in the Archipelago by Grecian freebooters, in the years 1828 and 1829, made it necessary for an American man-of-war to be constantly present in those seas to convey our ships clear of the islands.

again wore heading inshore, thus throwing the ship again into danger. I am inclined to believe the captain considered the ship to windward of her true position. At two o'clock the gale increased, the heavens became black and threatening, and the darkness intense, except when broken by the flashes of lightning, which on disappearing left a momentary blindness. The captain, first lieutenant, and master, remained on deck, which showed that in their opinion the ship was in some peril. Still we did not wear, or change the During a continuance of thirteen months on service course. Between the peals of thunder the officer of of this nature, we became well acquainted with the the deck frequently called out, "A bright look-out peculiarities of these latitudes, one of which is "a tem- ahead," and as often was answered with the usual repestuous wind, called Euroclydon," in the 27th chap-sponse, "Aye, aye, sir," from each of the look-outs. ter of the Acts of the Apostles, but known in modern At three o'clock, the storm increasing, and the sea rundays as the "Levanter." It blows from the east, veer-ning high, the halliards were let go, and the topsails ing from N. E. to E. S. E., and sometimes continuing settled on the cap, and the topmen sent aloft to take in ten or fifteen days—a damp misty atmosphere usually a close reef. These, with the fore-top-mast stay-sail, accompanies it, rendering the navigation among the was ail the sail on the ship. At this juncture, the lee islands dangerous. Our ship ran down before one of look-out called my attention to a dark object to leeward. these winds as far as Cape Matapan, with a Boston I instantly cried out, "Breakers on the lee bow!" brig under convoy, and deeming her clear of dangerous "Can we weather them?" replied the trumpet. latitudes, we hauled our wind off the island of Cerigo, Breakers ahead!" halloed out the men on the fore(the Cythera of the ancients,) and with a head sea and top-sail yard. "Breakers on the lee beam!” cried the double reefed topsail gale, stood back for Smyrna, while||look-out at the lee gangway. These reports following our convoy under a press of canvass continued on to the west rolling most tremendously. Indeed, as we parted company, fears were entertained that the brig would roll the masts out of her, for the sea would become higher as she increased her distance from shore, and there is no situation where the masts and rigging are more strained than before the wind in a high sea. But while watching the brig as she rolled and tumbled about among the waves, we were called to attend to our own safety, as the hoarse voice of the boatswain, followed by his mates, was heard summoning "all hands to work ship, ahoy!"

each other in quick succession seemed to say the ship is lost, and no small stir existed on board, as the men below came tumbling up the hatchways, and half asleep hurried to the gangways and forecastle, to see the danger and look out for self-preservation. "Board the fore and main tacks, and call all hands," thundered the officer of the deck through the trumpet. As this order was given, the continued flashes of lightning revealed rocks on the weather bow; but the howling of the tempest and the roar of the thunder preventing me from being heard, I started aft to report "rocks to windward." By this time the whole ship's company were on deck; and on my way aft in the dark I came in contact with the second lieutenant, and was precipitated by the force of the concussion down the main hatch to the berth deck. Gathering myself up, I passed through the steerage to notify the midshipmen of our danger, but found every hammock empty. Arriving on deck, I found one of the Greek pilots in the mizen rigging, but utterly at a loss what to do. The other was on his knees to leeward, calling on the saints for help. Making my report, I jumped on the lee horseblock, and saw the white surf caused by the sea breaking on the rocks close aboard. Every moment I ex

I

Just ahead of us we saw a cluster of rocks, called the "Corvos," or Crows, from their black appearance; and it was thought unsafe to approach them in a gale without "all hands" on deck. The officers and crew repaired to their stations, and silence reigned fore and aft, as we passed close to leeward of them without touching a brace. This served to introduce us to them preparatory to a more intimate acquaintance during the approaching night. At sunset the watch received their hammocks, and the gale not increasing, the usual arrangements for the night only were made. During the first watch we occasionally wore ship, the wind being too high for putting her in stays. Having the mid-pected her to strike, and was calculating to take my dle watch, I came on deck at midnight, and found the weather boisterous and rainy, and the sea dashing the spray freely over the top-gallant forecastle. My relief recommended great vigilance, saying he believed we were running directly on the Corvos. At one o'clock, the voice of the first lieutenant was heard aft, giving orders in great haste, to "put the helm up, and shiver the after yards." As the ship payed off to leeward, we saw the breakers close aboard, but which we saw time enough to avoid. After standing off awhile, we

chance on the horse-block, with the purser's clerk, who just then came up to me with the ship's books lashed to his body. Thus far, the design was to weather the rocks, if possible, for there was not room to wear, and tacking in a high sea, with the top-sails on the cap, was out of the question. The first lieutenant, who had been on deck all the time, and perhaps knew better than any other man the position of the ship, jumped down to the wheel, and ordered the helm "hard up," threatening the helmsmen severely if they should dare

THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE.

to deviate from his orders. At the same time he directed the fore-top-mast stay-sail sheet to be hauled aft, thus facing the danger, as though we would run the rocks down! This manœuvre saved the ship, although it seemed certain destruction. She payed off beautifully, and shot through the breakers, while the flashes of lightning illuminating the whole sea showed us the rocks close aboard on either side, with the spray dashed by the fury of the storm almost as high as our tops. With scarce time to draw a long breath, we shot through, and the breakers were astern. In one hour more, half the crew were asleep below, and the ship gallantly walking before a fair wind for Milo, as though nothing unusual had occurred.

Original.

THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE.

BY I. EBBERT.

281

THE endowment of speech is one of the greatest blessings our Creator has bestowed upon us. Language is peculiar to all creatures. The power of articulate expression, however, is that which signalizes us amid a host of inferiors, and allies us to all whom God has placed above us in the scale of being.

Human language is not a crude and uncomely collection of mere signs, but has in it all the elements of a regular science-a science that embraces in itself the In the midst of the danger, some duty led me into most natural and philosophical principles; and these the cabin, and there I found one man who seemed to principles, properly arranged and applied, (as they are be proof against storms, and he a landsman! I inform-in our language,) produce the liveliest specimens of ed him of our danger, and expected he would exhibit || beauty, grandeur, and sublimity. the usual alarm of persons unaccustomed to the sea. He seemed apprised of our situation, yet manifested no fear or even inclination to go on deck. This man was the Rev. Mr., missionary among the Greeks. Al-quisition and proper use of our vernacular. though at that time I could not fully appreciate the selfpossession of a man ready for both worlds, yet the calmness of this gentleman, in a situation where death seemed just at the door, made a deep impression on my mind.

WIT AND ITS EVILS. THERE are many good-natured persons, who have paid the forfeit of their lives to their love of bantering and raillery. No doubt they have had much diversion, but they have purchased it too dear. Although their wit and their brilliancy may have been often extolled, yet it has at last been extinguished for ever; and by a foe, perhaps, who had neither the one nor the other, but who found it easier to point a sword than a repartee. I have heard of a man in the province of Bengal, who had been a long time very successful in hunting the tiger. His skill gained him great eclat, and insured him much diversion; at length he narrowly escaped with his life; he then relinquished the sport, with this observation: "Tiger hunting is very fine amusement, so long as we hunt the tiger, but it is rather awkward when the tiger takes it into his head to hunt us." Again, this skill in small wit, like skill in small arms, is very apt to beget a confidence which may prove fatal in the end. We may either mistake the proper moment, for even cowards have their fighting days, or we may mistake the proper man. A certain Savoyard got his livelihood by exhibiting a monkey and a bear; he gained so much applause from his tricks with the monkey, that he was encouraged to practice some of them upon the bear; he was dreadfully lacerated, and on being rescued with great difficulty from the gripe of bruin, he exclaimed: "What a fool was I not to distinguish between a monkey and a bear; a bear, my friends, is a very grave kind of personage, and, as you plainly see, does not understand a joke!”

Vol. I.-36

It is not the intention of the writer, at this time, to furnish a stricture upon general language, but to arrange for your readers a few plain thoughts, on the ac

That the English language has been much neglected (and much to the detriment of our general literature) none will deny, and neglected, too, by all classes, especially in those places where, of all others, we would look for its diligent cultivation. The high and the low have generally found what with them has been a reason for not laboring to acquaint themselves with their own tongue. Ordinary persons (we mean persons of ordinary education) have not studied it, because, in their opinion, it is at best vague and indefinite; and the scholar has supposed that other things had superior claims upon his attention. The former notion is not true-the latter is simple and absurd.

That there are forms of expression in the English language, which philologists (because they have no rules to dispose of them in grammatical order) have agreed to call idioms, anomalies, &c., we do not deny but that these necessarily render our language vague, we do deny. They are not defects, but beauties, as we hope to be able to show. The idioms, anomalies, &c., peculiar to English, can be accounted for, and accounted for in a way that not only rebuts the above charge, but speaks much in favor of the power of our language to regulate, to fix, and to harmonize.

The English language originally came from the Saxon, but has been immensely enriched and strengthened in later times, from the Greek, Latin, French, Spanish, Italian, and also, to an extent, from the German-more particularly, however, from Greek and Latin. Indeed, some have gone so far as to declare, that to these it owes both its energy and its excellence.

Now let it be remembered, that each of these languages has a multitude of peculiarities, and also each, a logic and philosophy of its own; and further, while there is a oneness in universal grammar, yet in the particular grammar of all the languages that enter into the English, there are discords and collisions without number; so that it argues much for the Eng

282

THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE.

In addition to this, you have forfeited the advantage which the exercise of study must have conferred; and this is far from being a trivial loss.

In all education two points are to be secured-the power to think closely, correctly, and with facility, and the art of expressing thought in an interesting and impressive manner. The perfection of these is the per

lish, that it has so far succeeded in harmonizing these discordant materials, as to furnish (of the whole) a language, free and energetic, concise and beautiful as ours. And instead of wondering that some forms have no syntax to govern them, we might rather wonder that there are not more. Moreover, it is peculiar to almost all that is anomalous in English, that it is essentially passionate; and since in nature emotion disdains re-fection of scholarship, as far as the individual's own straint, it is no small compliment to our language, that, under the wild impulse of passion, it does the same. That, then, which others use to fix upon it the charge of vagueness and uncertainty, we view (and we con- These may be termed the externals of education, since ceive properly) as its ornament and excellence. So far they are not the mind's own creations, but foreign is it, indeed, from being indefinite, that we may safely things, and merely subjects of memory. Learned and say no language under heaven has fewer ambiguous experienced teachers, with this general view of the subwords, and more definite rules for their grammatical ||ject, have directed the attention of their pupils to government and rhetorical order.

powers are concerned. Other important acquisitions he may certainly make from history, general reading, &c.

mathematics, and other abstruse sciences, as being bet"But," says one of the class to which the above ob- ter calculated than others to invigorate the mind, and jection more properly belongs, "I will not study Eng- develop the thinking powers; and so far is well. Let lish, because I can accomplish the same in another and those who would realize and use their intellects, by all a better way. I will read standard authors; and by means train their minds to habits of mathematical rethat means a good style will become habitual to me." search; but, previously, let them begin and make at That you should read "standard authors" is certainly least some proficiency in their study of our language. very proper; and that they will have a happy influ- In favor of mathematics in general, we admit the force ence upon your style we presume not to deny. But of every argument that has asserted their importance; suppose you were generally believed to be right upon and, indeed, were we to set about it, we think we this topic, and all would accordingly follow your erro- should be able to assign some reasons why they should neous example, then who would be the judges of a be studied that we have never heard in lectures, nor "good style," or who would be the "standard au- seen in print; but at the same time do enter an unthors?" Perhaps you may reply, we already have ex-qualified protest against the substitution of a knowltant a host of perfect English compositions. This may edge of mathematics, or any thing else in the way of be true; but you have certainly forgotten that both our science, for a knowledge of the language in which we language and our literature are making annual advan-converse, and upon which we daily and hourly depend. ces. But, all the probabilities to the contrary, we will If to know how to communicate what we have learned grant that you have read "standard authors," and form-formed no part of our education, then our argument in ed what you call a good style-that you have become favor of language would be cut off. This, however, is so perfect, (not only in the knowledge, but in the prac- not the case; and any education is defective, and essentice of your tongue,) that only occasionally you make tially so, that does not embody in it the art by which little mistakes, as, I seen, he done, &c., and yet, al- its benefits are rendered available to ourselves and esthough you have been so fortunate, we are compelled pecially to others. Mathematics, to the exclusion of to say you have nevertheless made serious forfeitures. other things, may make a scientific man; but to make a man or woman practically and directly useful, and prevent the mortification of daily embarrassment, a knowledge of our language is indispensable. As general departments of study, we advocate them both; but if both cannot be pursued, we give the latter a decided preference, and for this will give our reasons.

In the first place, you have forfeited the rational enjoyment of having founded your faith in your knowledge. If you do not understand the grammatical construction of the language you read, you will frequently lose the liveliest sentiment, notwithstanding your author has correctly laid it before you; and sure as you forfeit a generous sentiment, you forfeit a noble feeling. And do not forget that your rational and moral nature is excellent in proportion only as you feel.

In mathematics we must of necessity think closely, but do not think in language. We compare things, not words. Our thoughts in themselves, in mathematThe spirit of what you read can never be transferred ics, have no necessary connection with articulate to you through a second or third person, as you might sounds; and when we discover the truth or principle go to the fountain and get it for yourself. If you are we seek, it presents itself as it is, without dress, and sufficiently laborious, you may finally get it, not, how-before we can give it any expression, we must go back ever, as it is, but just as the caprice or taste of your in quest of language to clothe it. This process necescommentator may incline him to present it. Lan- sarily occasions detention, and is a plausible way to acguage is to the sentiment what the body is to the soul; count for the notorious fact, that persons of mathematand in your reading, the garb of the soul may be prop-ical genius and knowledge, (exclusively,) are generally erly adjusted, or it may not; but you have voluntarily slow of speech, bungling in most of their expressions, deprived yourself of being judge. and by consequence unhappy in their address.

THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE.

283

In the study of language, (and especially the lan- || preference, because it has an advantage almost peculiar guage we use,) it is not so. We think as precisely as to itself. I mean the direct, daily, and hourly use we before, and our thoughts, when first conceived, are make of it. In science generally, we study not absonecessarily in the words by which we express them. lutely for the sake of what we study, but for the intelIn the study of language we compare-not things, but ||lectual benefit to be derived from the exercise of study. words and expressions-the powers of words and ex- For instance, we labor with a demonstration of Euclid, pressions; and invariably we detect the idea in its most or a solution in algebra, not merely for the sake of the appropriate dress, and are always ready, without hesi- demonstration or solution itself, for we may live many tation, to give what we have discovered a glowing ex-years in secular or even professional life, and never pression. It is by this train of thought that we are again have occasion to use them; we, nevertheless, able satisfactorily to account for another notorious fact, have acquired by them a habit of deep and penetrating that those who are skilled in the nature and use of the thought upon intricate topics, which is of important language they speak, are almost universally persons of service to us at every step; and this is a gain truly inacceptable address; and though they may frequently || estimable. have but little to say, their knowledge of the power of In our own language it is not so. It has an advan words enables them to say it in a way that cannot fail tage above this. Here the very science we study is a to interest and impress those that hear. To teach the || continual, direct, and practical instrument in our hands, reader more certainly what I mean, I take the lib- which we necessarily use at all times, in all places, and erty to present a specimen of each, and I select by on all occasions, in the accomplishment of our purpopersonal knowledge. I knew a young man who grad-ses; and even when we come to a throne of grace, to uated at a respectable college, with but little proficien-breathe out our petitions to our Maker, (a duty and cy in language; but in mathematics second to none. privilege which, in their discharge and enjoyment, reUpon leaving college, he entered the ministry, and inquire, for the time being, the dismissal of all other study pursued his usual course, neglecting the lan- topics,) as the consecrated moments fly, in this sacred guage in which he endeavored to teach; and the result intercourse with Heaven, we have in the subject of now is, though a giant in intellect, possessed of resources our former studies helps to a felicitous spirit of imporrarely to be found in one so young, he is uninteresting tunity, which, to creatures related to a superior, as we and unpopular, both in private circles and in his publicare to our Creator, are beyond all conception invaluable. ministrations; and if he write it is no better. Only Again, we give the study of the language we use a two or three weeks since, I read one of his letters to preference, because the exercise of acquiring it confers a friend; and if some previously known circumstances improvement upon the heart as well as upon the mind. had not thrown light upon its contents, I could scarcely || Other studies in science have to do exclusively with the have told what it was about. I knew another who passed his collegiate course without scarcely learning what mathematics are; for though he graduated, a plain problem in Simple Equations would prove itself too much for him. He, however, became enamored with language, and especially with his own. He was fond of it, even to passion, and studied it intensely. He labored with its varied beauties, until (for himself) he rectified its few deformities. He is now also in professional life, and may be, and by many is taken as a model in our diction. As a speaker, he is admired by all, and multitudes delighted, listen to his words as they fall in flowing numbers with dulcet sweetness from his lips.

intellect; but this affects the moral feelings, and has a happy tendency to induce noble sentiments, and improve piety, and also to rectify and harmonize our peevish nature. It does this most effectually in the following way. We study our vernacular as a medium of communication; and since success, in all our efforts, to instruct or entertain, depends upon our manner, our natural ambition will always prompt us to make the best selections, and to adopt the happiest arrangement in the words and forms of expression we employ. Our laudable emulation to excel will not only prompt us to secure a happy manner, but as we succeed in the effort, unless we are totally vitiated, we will have misgivings about employing it upon inferior subjects, and, whether conscious of it at the time or not, we will be searching for loftier themes. This will enlist our thoughts upon topics that are worthy; and as we be

If utility is to be the measure of value, which of these, with equal capital, (natural abilities being equal,) | has accomplished the most? And how infinitely better would both have done than either, if the former come refined in our tastes and feelings, we will the had joined to his latent strength the fluency of the lat-more disdain the tame and the vulgar, and will aspire ter, or if the latter to his profusion of expression had with fervor to the elevated and the noble. This proadded the profundity and variety of the former? Then cess will invariably induce strong preferences for whatwe might have had two stars shining in their lofty ever is good, and although we sought it not, by this spheres, to bless the world with their genial influence, means we shall find ourselves raised in the scale of virthe piety of their counsels, and the richness of their tue; and as our improved thoughts and feelings beinstructions, instead of two fractions, who, separated come habitual, we shall be established in our elevation. as they are, are for ever incapable of doing the service Here will be a source of purer enjoyment to ourselves, of one. and of greater blessing to others. This, to an indefinite Moreover, I give the study of our own language a extent, will be the ultimate result of all faithful labor