uage, began to study it. On the 5th of December, 1878, we united
to celebrate the birth of my language by a solemn festival. During
the feast there were speeches in the new language, and we
enthusiastically sang a hymn the commencing words of which were as
follows:--

"Malamikete de las nacjes
Kado, kado, jam temp' esta!
La tot' homoze in familje
Konunigare so deba."

which being interpreted into English, 'May the enmity of nations fall
away, fall away, for the hour is come! All mankind must become as one
family.'

"On the table, in addition to the grammar and dictionary, lay some
translations in the new language.

"And thus the first stage of my language came to an end.

"I was then still too young for my work to appear before the public,
and I decided to wait five or six years longer, and during that time
to carefully test my language and to work it out fully and
practically. Half a year after the feast of December 5th, 1878, we
finished our course at the gymnasium and separated. The future
apostles of the new language made some attempts to discuss 'the new
language,' but, meeting with the ridicule of their elders, forthwith
renounced it, and I remained in a glorious minority of one.
Foreseeing nothing but scoffing and persecution, I decided to hide my
work from the eyes of all.

"For five and a-half years whilst I was at the University I never
spoke to anyone about it. That was a very trying time for me. The
secrecy tormented me. Compelled to carefully conceal my thoughts and
plans, I went scarcely anywhere, took no part in anything, and the
most enjoyable time of life--the student-years--was, for me, the
saddest. Sometimes I endeavoured to find distraction in society, but
I felt myself a stranger, sighed and went away, and from time to time
eased my heart by writing poems in the language I was elaborating.
One of these poems, 'Mia penso,' I afterwards inserted in the first
brochure which I published; but to those readers who were
unacquainted with the circumstances under which they were written the
verses would appear strange and incomprehensible.

"For six years I worked at perfecting and testing my language, and it
gave me plenty of work, although in 1878 I had thought that it was
quite ready. I made many translations and wrote original works in it,
and severe trials showed me that what I had considered to be quite
finished in theory was nevertheless not ready for practical use.

"There was mu