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    vourite national air is-as mighty to roiise the patriotic enthusiasm a # the most consummate harangue * or tlife consideration of the highest personal interests : and the flag of our country

    appears amidst the battle like its guardian artgel . Do not apprehend , Sir , that I am about to propose for the adoption of Unitarians any of those whimsical singularities which make some of our neighbours , with all their excellencies , seem such odd sort of

    beings as they sometimes do . I am not going to advfee any particular directions for the tailor or mantua-maker . Let us , by all means ; dress like other people , speak good English , and

    deal with all our neighbours impartially as men and brethren- But though , I trust , I shall recommend no foolery , yet I am aware t&at he who suggests any new plan , which deviates a little from the beaten track , must

    prepare himself for the smile of pity , if not the sneer of contempt . But these are light evils , and no more than many an excellent project has procured for its first proposer . Many little thiags are great in their effects , and he that will not consider this , is ei

    ^ nt her a philosopher nor a politician . The features of a friend ' s ftuce , though in themselves insignificant , are inexpressibly valuable , because they are associated with his mind , and a single glance at them puts us in full possession of his presence . So any thing

    that , by a read y notice to our senses , distinguishes those brethren , whose sentiments are most congenial to our own , excites our affections very powerfully , and has a strong cementing influence , owing to the ready and rapid play of association .

    But , without further proem , I will now come to my plan , and , I trust , it will appear to be one which , while it answers the purpose of a characteristic , involves no singularity of dress , speech or behaviour , in common lifieu and is not only unobjectionable in all these respects , but has much intrinsic

    utility , independent of the end for Which it is now more especially proposed . It is this : that Unitarians , jfbr m can conveniently fie done , should , in a peculiar and character * istic mannery atfopt the ttudy and use qfi tfie Greek Idtqgmage arnpng- thethsblvts , somewharl $ > l $ je same way ae the Jews do the Hebrew . An * WpiWe a . more characteristic effect , as well

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    as to secure a common pronunciation in all countries in which Unitarians might adopt the plan , I shottfd propose , that wfe should folio v * the-cncient mode of utteraticfe , as for as that is

    pretty well agreed upon by tke learned , « s , in fact , it is jft the main , - We should thus have in use thrpiighout oiir whole body , in all coi&ftnes , a common and beautiful language , in a

    considerable measure peculiar to us ; a thing which , I conceive , has a more conciliating and cementing efficacy than any external circumstance whatever . While in aH common

    intercourse we should freely use our vernacular dialects , We should stiM , those at least who were toleifcbty edufcsted , be sufficiently frequent and familiar in the use of Hellenism , to give it a

    characteristic effect , and to recognize each other readily by it ; especially by the aid of our mode of pronunciation , which , while it would be the genuine and beautiful utterance of ancient Greece , would also be , more or less , peculiar to ourselves , in the present day . I think all the advantages derivable from a characteristic and sensible token of

    our community , would thus be secured , and that in a way which would produce no singularity observable by our neighbours , though affording a ready distinction to ourselves ! It is almost needless to dwell on

    the collateral advantages of this plan : they arc such , I conceive , as would alone repay all the labour which it requires , which is indeed aot Y ^ ry con - siderable * if well managed . The week

    is not essentially a hard language to acquire . It is regular and perspicuous j natural and easy in its cg $ atiiiction ; its idiom , as has often been observed , much , ' resembling' the English , with which , indeed , it has a kiiic&ed origin ; the accent is always marked , and the

    quantity , unlike tfte Latin , generally seljf . evidait . JS otbijQg ' | s rflfil . J ) ul ; sWta ^ bqgka aj ^ d $ ratip ^ aj $ ' $ * ? instruction , to render the acquirement of this language far from a fojrflaidable Ufktertakiiig . The < Gm # language , mean while , is not only tb 0 moat beau tiful ^ ancf perfect' wbicb ttia ^ ttkiud i has < m ? spoked , btit in iN ^ te | to tbe . iMLk . t I * . —« .- - . ... . l . jM > _ V «> t A : ¦> . _*« . fbi'ri 1 / ^ Kb ... _ *^ ' ]!¦¦ 1 j LmM - *¦ — A-l « oeinff

    a ** vanta # j »"< M- 'Hwaww ifi > 4 « 4 hfe ^^ tJt # IorttKt ^ <^^ that WtMimmmdga&ge » f Cbi ? 8 % rii « f . -the ffriiunflwork 6 f thectetfyii ^ wrw *"

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    286 Gi * ee& Lmguvgebwrwljof Unfon& Unitdriana .

• Citation
  • Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), April 2, 1823, page 206, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1783/page/14/