There are any number of delightful stories about the friendship of English Baronet Sir Francis Dashwood, Premier Baronet of Great Britain, Post Master General of the British Empire, and his successful interview and employment of Dr. Benjamin Franklin as the only man ever, up till now at least to be Post Master General of North America. This, for Dr. Franklin, from his first appointment as Post Master of Philadelphia in his twenties, had been remarkable in his advancement of postal and vital communications deliveries between the 13 Colonies.
Indeed, Dr. Franklin had hurried along, and contributed generously himself, to a worthy postal road up along the eastern American seaboard. When Ben reported to Frank in 1760, he could proudly say the postal coach journey between Savannah right up to Boston was now a common journey that he had enjoyed thoroughly.
Sir Francis knew with chagrin that such a postal road in Britain had been built, but rather let go, since the days of the Roman Empire. With his own funds, he employed workmen to repair and make safe the road from London to Oxford.
Already, in 1760, American energy and efficiency was pulling America ahead of the leader of the world, mighty Britain, but that basic of modern efficiency, strong infrastructure. With brilliant men of America, as well as mighty Britain, with some much knowledge of Newton, English began to be required reading, as well as German, to understand direct communications with the genius of the works. History has fewer unpredictable turns of events as the evolution of English as the language of the working world, which with creating America brought forward respect for Greek democratic values, and Roman permanence, seen in any Justice Hall or Capitol in Washington, D.C.
But, in 1500 there were little more than 2 million wretched English, a hundred million Chinese, 25 million French, many more German, and 12 million Spanish. One of these national languages, and mostly likely Spanish, from the East Indies to most of the American continents, north and south, seemed destined to be the language of the world.
But in 1608 and again in 1620 English speaking peoples who in desperation for a free life in a new land began, and for the next decades hung on in precarious health and hope, but they persisted, and more seeking hope kept arriving, not contesting but really from early on recognized as further support to take on this vast forested continent with few people compared to the slums of London and the hopeless lives of serfs throughout Europe, who came, adapted, fitted in, learned to mingle and speak as the locals did, until.
Now the English blood in America is a small fraction of the total population: there are way more born in America of German and now Spanish ancestry than English, and soon likely more from India.
But America is the teacher, and the world is learning English, as understood for acceptance to any great American university. Napoleon said beware of China. She is a sleeping giant. When She awakes, her roar will shake the world. Yes, we hear the dragon roar: we know she is awake at least.
And in China, as in all over the world, five hundred million people are learning English in order to get ahead in the world. It did begin with brilliant English minds arriving in America, wanting freedom to experiment with their ideas. And look at how that model is alive today behind millions of computer screens and technology classes everywhere. And we think, is a good thing.
History has fewer unpredictable turns of events as the evolution of English as the language of the working world, which with creating America brought forward respect for Greek democratic values, and Roman permanence, seen in any Justice Hall or Capitol in Washington, D.C. Amazing events happen in five hundred years, as we say in English. And hundreds of millions around the world are learning to speak American English with gusto. And who can but encourage them? Us. That is Who, said Cindy Lou. So, from models for America from Greek God to Roman Noble, to the grime faced G.I. Joe of the world, aching, butt half shot off 20 times since Sunday: eager to get home to their families and love. Is that not what our daddies talked about then between coughs, well so should we.
Derek Dashwood