Chapter 2

The hasty conclusions of naturalists as to _evolution_ do not explain the evolution and the vast variety of the vegetable kingdom. To attribute this to any power of modification by environment, when we see how little environment can do to make any _essential_ change in vegetation, would require more credulity than I would consider justifiable in the pursuit of scientific truths. So in the evolution of the animal kingdom, I believe the power of the physical environment has been greatly overrated.

A TRUE POET--THE POETRY OF PEACE AND THE PRACTICE OF WAR.

It is nearly thirty years since I met the English poet, Charles Mackay, at Louisville, on his travels in America. At that time he gave me the following poem suggested by our conversation. I do not think that he has ever published it:

Why, this longing, clay-clad spirit? Why this fluttering of wings? Why this striving to discover Hidden and transcendent things?

Thou wouldst fathom Life and Being, Thou wouldst see through Birth and Death. Thou wouldst solve the eternal Riddle, Thou, a speck, a ray, a breath!

Be at peace, thou struggling spirit, Great Eternity denies The unfolding of its secrets In the circle of thine eyes.

CHARLES MACKAY, Louisville, Kentucky, Jan. 31, 1858.

It is the function of the poet to realize and revere the mystery, but it is the duty of philosophy to explore and dissipate it, as far as possible, for _mystery is the foe of human progress_.

Mackay, though not the poet of psychic science, is profoundly the poet of practical, humanitarian progress, as was shown in his sublime poem, beginning,

"The man is thought a knave or fool, Or bigot plotting crime, Who for the advancement of his kind Is wiser than his time."

The psychometric impression from the manuscript of the foregoing poem was as follows:

"This seems like a poetical influence. I think the person who wrote this, was adapted to intellectual pursuits,--a man of fine powers of mind, but not fully progressed in thought. As far as he knew, at the time of this writing, he was appreciative of your suggestions, and of scientific progress. He was a cool-headed man,--not a light or superficial thinker, but thought on deep subjects. He was a brain worker; it makes my brain tired. I think he published books--poems. I think he was more a poet than a prose writer. He was not like Tom Moore--there was nothing light or superficial--his poetry was grand, solid, deep, stirring. He could write upon warlike scenes, vividly and descriptively, but was not in favor of war. He would deplore any appearance of war, but he had a patriotic spirit, a proud spirit, and would defend the right and assail the wrong."

This description was verified in his numerous volumes of poetry, such as "Legends of the Islands," "Poetry of the English Lakes," "The Battle," "Town Lyrics," etc. He also published three volumes of "Memoirs of Popular Delusions," edited the _London Review_, and was the war correspondent of the _London Times_ from this country during the rebellion.

His opposition to war is shown in the following admirable poem, the reading of which revived my recollection of its author.

FREEDOM'S WARFARE. BY CHARLES MACKAY.

We want no flag, no flaunting rag, For Liberty to fight; We want no blaze of murderous guns To struggle for the right. Our spears and swords are printed words The mind our battle plain; We've won such victories before, And so we shall again.

We love no triumphs sprung of force-- They stain the brightest cause; 'Tis not in blood that Liberty Inscribes her civil laws. She writes them on the peoples' hearts In language clear and plain; True thoughts have moved the world before And so they shall again.

We yield to none in earnest love Of Freedom's cause sublime; We join the cry "Fraternity!" We keep the march of Time. And yet we grasp not pike nor spear, Our vict'ries to obtain; We've won without their aid before, And so we shall again.

We want no aid of barricades, To show a front to wrong; We have a citadel in truth, More durable and strong. Calm words, great thoughts, unflinching faith Have never striv'n in vain; They've won our battles many a time, And so they will again.

Peace, Progress, Knowledge, Brotherhood; The ignorant may sneer, The bad deny; but we rely To see their triumphs near. No widow's groans shall load our cause, Nor blood of brethren slain; We've won without such aid before, And so we shall again.

This poem expresses the sentiment and policy of the JOURNAL OF MAN. But, ah, how utterly antagonistic to these noble sentiments is the way of the world at present, and the policy of the world's strong governments, upheld as they are by the so-called church of Christ, which is not the church of Christ but the church of Athanasius.

Everywhere men are trained with skill and perseverance for the work of homicide, as if murder were the most glorious work in which man could be employed.

Every Frenchman in his twenty-first year is held by the government (with very few exceptions) to five years service in the active army, four years in the reserve of the active army, five years in the territorial army, and four in the reserve of the territorial army--eighteen years altogether! Could his Satanic Majesty have devised any better plan for destroying the moral distinction between men and carnivorous beasts? The only mitigation of this horror is that college students are allowed to pass by one year's service, and a lottery of long and short terms allows a large number to escape with terms of abridged length.

Germany, like France, forces everybody through the army, and it is but five months since the continental governments were buying in England millions of cartridges for the expected war which psychometry pronounced a terrible delusion.

All governments are busy in preparing the deadliest possible weapons. European nations have generally adopted magazine guns for their soldiers. France has adopted the Kropatochek magazine rifle, Germany the Manser rifle, Austria the Mannlicher magazine rifle, Italy the Bertoldo magazine rifle, Russia the Berdan breechloader, Turkey the American rifle. The magazine guns seem to have almost unlimited capacities--firing 30 to 50 shots per minute which are fatal at a mile distance. The only mitigation of these horrors is that of a German chemist's invention--an anæsthetic bullet which is claimed to produce complete insensibility, lasting for hours.

Explosive shells of melinite are the leading idea in France. It is manufactured at Bourges and is said to be a hundred times as powerful as gunpowder, or ten times nitroglycerine, and reduces what it strikes to a fine powder. They have also a new rifle powder which explodes without smoke.

Russia has a new explosive, fifteen times as strong as any gunpowder, which produces no smoke.

America is not behind in explosives. Lieut. Graydon has been giving exhibitions near Washington of a new patent shell said to be seven times more powerful than dynamite, and yet so safe that it can be fired with powder from a common gun. Mr. Bernard Fannon of Westboro, Mass., has invented and patented a shell of terrific power. It is made of iron, three inches thick, and weighs 540 pounds. The effects of its explosion in a swamp near Westboro were wonderful. It is also said to be perfectly safe.

The rivalry of cannon and armor plates is going on, the development of torpedoes and shells is reaching its maximum, and the power of taking a nation to the edge of starvation, for the building of monster ships, costing each millions of dollars, is the study of CHRISTIAN (!!) governments.

Thirty years ago, the largest British cannon was a sixty-eight pounder, costing $561, which might be fired for $275. Now they have a 110-ton gun costing $97,500 to manufacture, and $935 to fire once.

The British government has gone into such matters deeply, paying Mr. Brennan over half a million dollars for his torpedo invention.

The British ship "Victoria" uses 900 pounds of powder to one of its 110-ton guns which send a missile of 1,800 pounds.

Nelson's flag ship "Victory" used no larger powder charge than eight pounds, and its heaviest shot was only sixty-eight pounds. A broadside upon the "Victoria" consumes 3,000 pounds of powder. Its 110-ton gun is moved by hydraulic machinery. Such a metallic monster would seem almost incredible, but Krupp has constructed a still larger gun for Italy, 46 feet long and weighing over 118 tons.

It could not be sent overland by railway, but was sent to Antwerp for shipping on a specially constructed carriage 105 feet long, running on 32 wheels.

The American steel cruiser "Atlanta" has two guns of eight-inch bore, 24 feet long, sending out a projectile of 300 pounds which explodes on striking,--firing correctly five miles. It costs $150 to to fire once.

Lieut. Zalinski is using a light steel tube, sixty feet long and one foot in diameter, to fire explosive shells by air pressure. Great results are expected from it, and it would save us from the enormous cost of modern cannon.

Fortunately, America, being out of the great maelstrom of war, can cultivate humane sentiments and abolish the barbarism of dueling, which still holds its ground in France and Germany in the highest ranks of society.

We have had one terrible war to demoralize our nation, but now peace is secure and the old Federal and Confederate soldiers are active in exchanging visits and generous hospitalities North and South in a permanent and peaceful Union.

"No vision of the morrow's strife The warrior's dream alarms, No braying horn, nor screaming fife, At dawn shall call to arms."

A re-established Union saves us from the wars and the military despotism in which other republics have perished, and all can unite now in the following beautiful tribute to the dead heroes:

"By the flow of the inland river, Whence the fleets of iron have fled, Where blades of the green grass quiver, Asleep are the ranks of the dead; Under the sod and the dew, Waiting the judgment day; Under the one, the blue, Under the other, the gray.

"These, in the robings of glory, Those in the gloom of defeat; All with the battle-blood gory, In the dusk of eternity meet.

"From the silence of sorrowful hours The desolate mourners go, Lovingly laden with flowers, Alike for the friend and the foe.

"So, when the summer calleth, On forest and field of grain, With an equal murmur falleth The cooling drip of the rain.

"Sadly, but not with upbraiding, The generous deed was done; In the storm of the years that are fading, No braver battle was won.

"No more shall the war-cry sever, Or the winding rivers be red; They banish our anger forever, When they laurel the graves of our dead. Under the sod and the dew, Waiting the judgment day; Love and tears for the blue, Tears and love for the gray."--_F. M. Finch._

THE GOSPEL OF PEACE has been illustrated in a Chattanooga Journal by a beautiful incident, the meeting of the blue and gray in church, during the war as follows:

"At the bar banquet given Saturday night in honor of Judges Key and Trewhitt, Mr. Templeton of Knoxville related an incident which occurred during the war at a revival service held by his father in North Georgia.

"About the time that Sherman was driving Johnson toward Atlanta," said he, "some time in the early part of August, 1864, my father was conducting a revival at a little house called Pine Log Creek Church, about ten miles from Calhoun. The times were most terrible about then; murder, robbery and rapine were of daily occurrence, and the whole country was subject to visitations by marauding parties from both armies. One day the old gentleman was preaching a sermon of unusual power, and before he had gotten well under way a gang of Confederate soldiers rode up, and, dismounting out back of the church, asked if they might be admitted to the church. Of course they were cordially invited in, and took prominent seats in the church.

"Not long afterward a cloud of dust was seen in the road from the opposite direction to what the rebels had come, and pretty soon the tramp of horses' hoofs was heard, and it was soon discovered that it was a squad of Federal troops, and before the Confederates in the church could be apprised of the approach, they had ridden up to the door. Perceiving that religious services were being held, they alighted and asked to be admitted. They were told that there were Confederate soldiers in the church, but they insisted on going in, and they were admitted.

"Naturally the strange spectacle created some consternation in the congregation, and for a time it seemed as if the confusion would break up the meeting. But my father raised his voice and began most fervently to plead a better life, beseeching his soldier hearers to become religious and abandon their sins. He preached with unusual force and power, the strange scene lending him inspiration. When he had concluded his sermon, as was the custom then, he invited those who were converted to come forward to the mourner's bench and pray and talk with him on the all-important subject.

"Then it was that one of the grandest sights ever witnessed occurred. Those soldiers, enemies to each other, engaged in a bloody war, arose as one man, friend and foe together, and marched to the front of the church and kneeled together, Confederate by Federal, their muskets joining and crossing each other; their revolvers touching each other as they kneeled; their heads bowed upon the same altar, and their tears mingling almost in their deep contrition and profound feeling. All animosities were forgotten, all strife forgotten--they were together as brothers around a common altar.

"After the service they met on the outside of the church, shook hands, pledged fraternity, and each party went off, taking opposite directions. They had been looking for each other, perhaps with murderous intent. They found each other, but they separated with love instead of hate, friendly instead of angry."

THE VOLAPÜK LANGUAGE.

In the attempt to form a universal language, no one has proceeded more philosophically than the late Stephen Pearl Andrews, who attempted to construct a language in which all the sounds should be selected in accordance with nature, being such as are naturally associated with the ideas they are used to express.

Mr. Andrews, by his personal amiability, enthusiasm, and lucid intelligence, interested a number of disciples who have studied his language called the _Alwato_, and it may be hoped will not allow it to disappear with the life of its highly gifted and philosophic teacher.

The Volapük language which has no such pretention to philosophic construction, is coming into such prominence as to deserve the attention of the readers of this JOURNAL, hence I present the following sketch which has been abridged from an article in the _American Magazine_ for June, written by Richard Walker:

"VOLAPÜK is the invention of the Rev. Father Johann Martin Schleyer, of Constance, Baden, Germany. He is an accomplished linguist, having for forty-six years been interested in the study of language. He can speak and write twenty-eight tongues, including the Chinese and three African languages, and is also eminent as a priest, hymnologist and religious editor. He invented his universal language in 1878, announced it in 1879, and had so far perfected it in 1881 as to publish in that year a small book, entitled "Entwurf einer Weltsprache für alle gebildte Erdbewohner" ("Plan of a Universal Language for all the Civilized Inhabitants of the Earth"). Thus the name, Volapük; _vola_ meaning of the world, and _pük_ language.

"Schleyer does not propose that Volapük shall supercede any living language. He has attempted to make it so scientific and natural, so regular in all the rules of construction, and therefore so easy to learn, that every educated person will acquire it next after the mother tongue; and he hopes that it will thus become the accepted medium for all international communications. With this end in view, he has formed it on the general model of the Aryan family of languages; that is, its signs represent letters and words, and not ideas; and the root words of which it is constructed, instead of being arbitrary sounds and signs, as in Bishop Wilkin's philosophical language, or sounds that have a real or fancied natural meaning, as in Stephen Pearl Andrews' "Alwato," are taken principally from living languages, the English being more largely drawn upon than any other.

"The alphabet employed is the Roman with some of the German dotted letters added, and the continental sounds are given to the letters. All words are phonetically spelled, so that there are none of the difficulties of orthography and pronunciation to be encountered which are so formidable in most natural languages."

In making his Volapük vocabulary, Father Schleyer has sought first for the simplest words now in use. If such words are to be found in the English language, he has adopted them; if not, then he has drawn upon the Latin, German, French, and Spanish languages in the order named. For example, the word man in English, is a sufficiently simple root, and, therefore, _man_, with the same spelling and the continental pronunciation, is made to signify a man, or the man in Volapük--for the articles _a_ and _the_ are discarded. But house in English is inconveniently long and ends with a silent letter, and therefore the word _dom_, from the Latin word _domus_, is taken. In some instances neither of the languages named contains a root sufficiently simple, and then the inventor constructs a new one. But, so rich is the English language in simple Anglo-Saxon roots, that more than one-half of the words in Volapük are derived from them, and the number of new words whose roots are not to be found in any living language is comparatively very small.

To the suggestion that, if the English language was to be drawn upon so largely it would have been better to have adopted that, and induce all educated persons to learn it, the advocates of Volapük reply, first, that its irregularities of construction, orthography, and pronunciation make it too difficult to acquire; and secondly, international prejudice would prevent it from being universally adopted. The use of so many English roots, however, makes Volapük much easier to learn by one whose mother tongue is English, and thus bring it within reach of the largest number of people speaking a common language, while it eliminates irregularities and does not arouse national prejudices.

The names of the cardinal numbers follow the vowels in their regular order, a denoting the first, e the second, etc. Thus: _Bal_, 1; _tel_, 2; _kil_, 3; _fol_, 4; _lul_, 5; _mäl_, 6; _vel_, 7; _jöl_, 8; _zül_, 9; _bals_, 10; _tels_, 20; _kils_, 30; _tum_, 100; _mil_, 1,000, etc. The year 1887, written out in Volapük, is _Balmil jöltum jölsevel_. The Arabic numerals are used as in English.

S added to any word forms the plural, which is never formed in any other way. The first three vowels (a, e, i) added to any noun, form respectively its genitive, dative, and accusative; s added to these forms makes the plurals of the same cases. Man is therefore declined as follows:

_Singular._ _Plural._

NOM _man_, the man; _mans_, the men; GEN _mana_, of the man; _manas_, of the men; DAT _mane_, to the man; _manes_, to the men; ACC _mani_, the man; _manis_, the men.

Every noun in the language is declined in the same way, so that all declensions may be learned in one minute.

The verbs in Volapük are all regular, and there is only one conjunction. The tenses are denoted by the vowels a, ä, e, i, o, u, placed before the verbs. When these vowels are preceded by p, it shows that the verb is in the passive voice. The personal pronouns are: _ob_, I; _ol_, thou; _om_, he; _of_, she; _os_, it; _ok_, one's self. S added makes the plurals. _Löf_, meaning love, _löfób_, means I love; _löfól_, thou lovest, etc.; _älöfób_, I loved; _ilöfóm_, he had loved; _ulöfós_, it will have loved, etc.; _palöfóms_, they are loved; _pulöfófs_, they will have been loved, etc. As it is only necessary to remember the few particulars named, all conjugation may be acquired in five minutes.

Enough has been given--and there is very little more of it--to show the extreme simplicity of the Volapük grammar. It can be learned in an hour, and, as the variations of the nouns and verbs are indicated by the vowels taken in their regular order, they are not easily forgotten. The principal labor necessary to acquire the language consists, therefore, in memorizing the vocabulary. Since more than one-half the roots are English, a person speaking that language can naturally acquire the new one in less than one-half the time required for any foreign language, and the better knowledge he has of Latin, French and Spanish, the faster will be his progress.

After Father Schleyer published his first book, in 1881, he was soon able to interest a few persons in Germany in Volapük. It next got a foothold in Switzerland, and then in Paris. English linguists are just beginning to give attention to it, the only publication in English until very recently having been a bad adaptation of an abridged grammar. But on the Continent it has gained in popularity very rapidly during the last two or three years, so that there are now at least ten thousand persons who are familiar with and use it. More than three hundred and fifty have received diplomas as adepts. There are eight monthly periodicals printed wholly in Volapük, or partly in Volapük and partly in other languages.

In the United States not more than twenty persons have studied Volapük, and only about half a dozen can read and write it. Mr. Charles E. Sprague, of New York, who holds the diploma of Volapükatidel, reads and writes it with ease, and to him I am under obligations for assistance in preparing this article. There are no Volapükese clubs or periodicals published in the language or in its interest either in this country or in England. A large number of books in Volapük, or about it, have appeared in Germany, including grammars in eighteen languages, a German-Volapük dictionary containing twelve thousand words, a biography of the inventor, Father Schleyer, pamphlets, etc.

PROGRESS OF THE MARVELLOUS.

Mrs. L. C. Moulton, London correspondent of the _Boston Herald_, sends the following, published July 17:

"Like every body else, in London they are interested in hypnotism, spiritualism, etc.--interested, I mean, as inquirers, not as believers, and I saw a table move round briskly under the pretty fingers of Mrs. Hunt and a young lady cousin of hers.

"The latest feminine sensation is Miss Ramsey, the Girton girl of twenty, who beat all the men at Cambridge this year in Greek; and what makes her success still more triumphant, is that the pretty little creature had only learned her Greek alphabet four years ago, while the men had all been pegging away at the language for ten years.