The Chautauquan, Vol. 05, May 1885, No. 8

The Chautauquan, May 1885, offers a snapshot of late‑19th‑century American intellectual life. Published by the Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle, the magazine gathers educators, clergy and scholars—including President Lewis Miller and Chancellor J. H. Vincent—who champion a broad, democratic vision of culture. Its pages blend poetry, scientific reports, and thoughtful essays, each aimed at raising the mind of a curious readership.

The centerpiece of this issue is a lecture‑style essay titled “English as a Universal Language,” delivered by President D. H. Wheeler, D.D., LL.D. Wheeler surveys the bewildering variety of world tongues, from the hundreds of languages catalogued by Max Müller to the historic dominance of Sanskrit, Persian, Greek and Latin. He argues that, while true linguistic unity remains distant, English is already serving as a modern lingua franca in trade, diplomacy and scholarship, and may well become the pre‑eminent literary medium of the Aryan‑derived world. Listeners will hear a measured, persuasive argument that balances historical perspective with the optimism of the era.