Essays, or discourses, vol. 2 (of 4) : $b Selected from the works of Feyjoo, and translated from the SpanishFeijoo, Benito Jerónimo
Philosophy
Essays, or discourses, vol. 2 (of 4) : $b Selected from the works of Feyjoo, and translated from the Spanish
Feijoo, Benito Jerónimo
Spanish essays -- Translations into English
XLIII. In Galicia where I was born, there are many people who
understand Spanish perfectly well, who speak it in a drawling sort of
a way, and by leaving out now and then a letter, are apt to lose the
exact and proper pronunciation. Many have attributed this defect, to
the imperfect organization of the tongues of the people of Galicia,
produced by the influence of the climate; but it is no such thing, for
this vicious pronunciation, is derived from the bad habit of speaking
they contract in their infancy; and it is evident that it proceeds
from thence, because many Galician children who have been carried
from home when they were very young, and have been afterwards brought
up and educated at Castile, some of whom I have seen, pronounce the
Castilian language with as much clearness and readiness, as the natives
of that province themselves. It is not many years ago, that there was
a celebrated actress, who was born in a small village in Galicia, and
who was carried to court by her uncle at four years old, and was there
trained up to the stage, and who was greatly admired for her neat and
ready pronunciation.
XLIV. The second limitation and exception I admit to the position
I have advanced, is, that both a vicious pronunciation, and an
aukwardness of motion and manner, may be greatly corrected and amended,
even after people are grown to a state of maturity, and especially
when these defects proceed from bad habits contracted in their youth.
But in order to accomplish this, there is need of great perseverance
and application. Even an inveterate bad habit, may be torn up by the
roots by applying vast force and exertion to eradicate it; but when the
fibres of the root, are inserted into the profundities of nature, all
endeavours are vain.
SECT. VIII.
XLV. Although Urbanity, with respect to the most brilliant and
beautiful parts of it, which we describe by the term gracefulness, as
we have before observed, depends very little upon study or instruction,
still in all its substantial and essential parts, it admits of precepts
and rules; so that any man who has been taught, or has made himself
acquainted with them, may perfectly understand in what this appearance
of Urbanity consists.
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