"He who cannot express his thoughts correctly in his own language, is not likely to obtain credit for much knowledge of any other; nor will an ill-spelt, ungrammatical letter impress anyone with the idea that the writer of it is an educated' man; while, on the other hand, the Englishman whose linguistic acquirements do not extend beyond the language of Shakspeare, but who knows that thoroughly and can wield it well, possesses an instrument with which he may fight his way to almost any position he may choose to aspire to, whether he turn his thoughts to poetry or to politics, to literature or to commerce." THE READER, January 28, 1865. |
