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1821. April 24.
J.B. to Nunez 4(2)
To the ear of him who learns it for the purpose of conversing
in it, it with indeed the most difficult languages. But To him who learns
it for no other purpose than that of reading it, it is by far the
easiest. The cause is that, though a good half of it is derived
from the same sources as those from which the language of its
next neighbours the French, as well as those of the Spaniards,
the Portugueze and the Italians are derived, it has been fortunate
enough to disencumber itself from that so much worse than useless
load of conjugations and other inflexions with which, by reason
of their descent from the Greek through the Latin, those
several derivative languages, as well as the German and other
children of the Teutonie, and the Russian and other children
of the Sclavonian, stand encumbered.
And now, much valued Disciple, will I put
thy enthusiasm to the test. If, in respect of other considerations
of superior moment, the circumstances in which thou findest
thyself placed (to me they are altogether unknown)
of it, learn English m that can, I say if thou hast not already learnt English language,
learn it. Take any English book in hand, if it be the first that
ever met thine eye, at the first glance thou will find it
half intelligible to thee: intelligible to thee in a degree not
much inferior to that in which Spanish is to me. Take in
hand an English Grammar - if any such work as a grammar
for Spaniards to learn English by is in existence, and within
thy reach - after reading it, from beginning to end, thy question
will be - but where shall I find a complete grammar: this is
but a fragment: what I want is the whole: Toribio Son Toribio,
in having that Fragment, thou hast the whole. For the labour thus impropriety, I am at liberty to style treasures
sought to be imposed upon thee, if my works are really to thee any
thing like what thou declarest them to be, thy reward, whatsoever it
may be in value, will not, at any rates in magnitude be a
one: not to speak of so many other works in the same language, which, without
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Identifier: | JB/013/180/001"JB/" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 13. |
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1821-04-24 |
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013 |
rid yourselves of ultramaria |
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180 |
jb to nunez |
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001 |
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correspondence |
1 |
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recto |
c4 / c4 / e4 |
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john flowerdew colls |
c wilmott 1819 |
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andreas louriottis |
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1819 |
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draft of letter 2770, vol. 10 |
4629 |
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