English Past and Present | Page 4

But this knowledge, like all other knowledge which is worth attaining,
is only to be attained at the price of labour and pains. The language
which at this day we speak is the result of processes which have been
going forward for hundreds and for thousands of years. Nay more, it is
not too much to affirm that processes modifying the English which at
the present day we write and speak have been at work from the first day
that man, being gifted with discourse of reason, projected his thought
from out himself, and embodied and contemplated it in his word.
Which things being so, if we would understand this language as it now
is, we must know something of it as it has been; we must be able to
measure, however roughly, the forces, which have been at work upon it,
moulding and shaping it into the forms which it now wears.
At the same time various prudential considerations must determine for
us how far up we will endeavour to trace the course of its history. There
are those who may seek to trace our language to the forests of Germany
and Scandinavia, to investigate its relation to all the kindred tongues
that were there spoken; again, to follow it up, till it and they are seen
descending from an elder stock; nor once to pause, till they have
assigned to it its place not merely in respect of that small group of
languages which are immediately round it, but in respect of all the
tongues and languages of the earth. I can imagine few studies of a more
surpassing interest than this. Others, however, must be content with
seeking such insight into their native language as may be within the
reach of all who, unable to make this the subject of especial research,
possessing neither that vast compass of knowledge, nor that immense
apparatus of books, not being at liberty to dedicate to it that devotion
almost of a life which, followed out to the full, it would require, have
yet an intelligent interest in their mother tongue, and desire to learn as
much of its growth and history and construction as may be reasonably
deemed within their reach. To such as these I shall suppose myself to
be speaking. It would be a piece of great presumption in me to
undertake to speak to any other, or to assume any other ground than
this for myself.

{Sidenote: The Past explains the Present}
I know there are some, who, when they are invited to enter at all upon
the past history of the language, are inclined to make answer--"To what
end such studies to us? Why cannot we leave them to a few antiquaries
and grammarians? Sufficient to us to know the laws of our present
English, to obtain an accurate acquaintance with the language as we
now find it, without concerning ourselves with the phases through
which it has previously past". This may sound plausible enough; and I
can quite understand a real lover of his native tongue, who has not
bestowed much thought upon the subject, arguing in this manner. And
yet indeed such argument proceeds altogether on a mistake. One
sufficient reason why we should occupy ourselves with the past of our
language is, because the present is only intelligible in the light of the
past, often of a very remote past indeed. There are anomalies out of
number now existing in our language, which the pure logic of grammar
is quite incapable of explaining; which nothing but a knowledge of its
historic evolutions, and of the disturbing forces which have made
themselves felt therein, will ever enable us to understand. Even as,
again, unless we possess some knowledge of the past, it is impossible
that we can ourselves advance a single step in the unfolding of the
latent capabilities of the language, without the danger of committing
some barbarous violation of its very primary laws.
* * * * *
The plan which I have laid down for myself, and to which I shall
adhere, in this lecture and in those which will succeed it, is as follows.
In this my first lecture I will ask you to consider the language as now it
is, to decompose with me some specimens of it, to prove by these
means, of what elements it is compact, and what functions in it these
elements or component parts severally fulfil; nor shall I leave this
subject without asking you to admire the happy marriage in our tongue
of the languages of the north and south, an advantage which it alone
among all the languages of Europe enjoys. Having thus presented to
ourselves the body which we wish to submit to scrutiny, and having
become acquainted, however slightly, with its