Page:The ancient language, and the dialect of Cornwall.djvu/35

15 be fairly presumed that the truth lies in the middle. The English language had become familiar to, and perhaps fashionable with the gentry, while the lower orders of the people pertinaciously clung to, and retained the use of their mother tongue. The latter appeared to view with suspicion, and dislike those who spoke to them in English, which to them, in those days, was a foreign language. When spoken to in English, although understanding it to a great extent, the reply was in Cornish — ^^ Meea nauidua cawzas sawzneck," I can speak no Saxonage as has been already mentioned. But now, even a <tradition of a Cornish instead of an English language having been formerly spoken seems to have died out, except among educated people, in the eastern part of Cornwall. In 1878, the writer being at Menheniot and con- versing with a native there, enquired whether the people in that district had any tradition of the use of a former and diiferent language, and also of the first introduction of English in their church service. No, at least he had never heard of it. He thought they had always spoken English there ! In the " Cornishman " (a newspaper published at Penzance) there were in 1879, glossaries of old Cornish words, one by Mr. B. Victor, and another by Mr. Pen- treath. Each list contained about 140, or, 150 words. These last remains are very interesting as affording evidence that even now, there are many words of the old tongue still known by men now living, and which they have learnt apart from any books.