MONTH BY MONTH.
The world is now older by a year, and we are all the wiser in consequence. The progress made by Esperanto is even more remarkable than during the year 1903. To all fellow-workers do we desire to send most hearty congratulations on this success, and we also add our most sincere good wishes for the New Year. May it be still more progressive! May it be even happier for Esperantists!
Last month we had the pleasure of arranging the index of our first volume, and the fact reminded us of many charming hours spent with Esperantists in person and by letter. Especially do we desire to send good wishes to our devoted contributors. May they become more and more international!
When a sceptic looks through this index he can no longer doubt the internationality of the language.
Thanks to the year’s progress in England, one no longer need believe that "Esperanto is a cure for bodily ailments," or "a new food for the human frame," but almost all are aware that Esperanto feeds only the mind, and cures but the discords of humanity.
It is wonderful to find out how much advertising is necessary before the inhabitants of even a small town can all be made cognisant of the matter, and of course a great deal of work still remains to be done. Let us not weary; let us not rest on our laurels watching the garden which contains so many sown seeds! No, let us ever be busy; we must indeed water the seeds with the pure water of internationality, and we must take care that they be not dried up for lack of interest, care, or assistance on our part.
A prophet would say that this new year must be very important for the Esperanto movement. Shall we not have at least one great International Congress, which will probably take place in August among our kind friends in Boulogne? And will not this impatiently-awaited gathering be honoured by the presence of our esteemed chief, Dr. Zamenhof himself!
This single fact is enough to make the present year famous, but it is indeed unnecessary to wait for the lovely summer time to find signs of progress. Chill winter will bring forth divers new gazettes, which, no doubt, warm spring and hot summer will cause to flourish, till they can obtain some influence among the already numerous international journals.
This fact, the increase in the number of gazettes, is one reason for the non-enlargement of The Esperantist. Our readers may remember that we proposed to enlarge it if possible during 1905. We much feared that the progress of the cause would demand this increase, although we find that sixteen pages are indeed enough for our free time.
And, as it will not now be necessary to enlarge a gazette which will no longer be the only British organ, we are taking pains to enlarge it without enlarging it! This may seem paradoxical to our readers; it is nevertheless true that we have succeeded. Instead of the club news, which formerly was found only in English, we intend to print a series of articles under the title of "Month by Month." These will contain, in the two languages, the memorable events of the preceding month. Thus Esperantists in other lands—who are constantly becoming more numerous among our subscribers—will not lose three or four pages, and inland Esperantists will gain more practice by means of the appreciated literal translations. Here is the Q.E.F. and the Q.E.D. of our problem.
Two different courses now open up before us. We can begin this series with a résumé of the accomplished progress of last year, or we can limit our remarks to the last month. Employing the title given above, the latter of these courses seems preferable, and we now treat of the memorable events of the close of 1904.
It is cold during the winter months, so we will commence our explorations in warmer lands, where the Esperantic Sun has shown itself stronger and more powerful than of old. Farthest off, the vast region of Queensland, Australia, merits our notice. The Editor of the most important journals there has become allied with Esperanto; we have written a short article, which perhaps will appear there later, and from divers parts of the Colony come the usual inquiries from our future fellow-workers. New Zealand is also Esperantically inclined at present, and the several articles already published are bringing in their fruits.
As warm, and even vaster, India now enrolls recruits for our army. Mr. Adinarayana Chettiar has written a valuable article in the Indian Review, the most important of local gazettes. We have also written a reply—to be printed or not, according to the will of "His Mightiness the Editor."
In Central America, the Director of the National Institute of San Salvador warmly approves of the Esperanto lectures of our subscriber, Mr. R. G. Abrill. Perchance in this account we inquisitive Esperantists will soon be able to find out more about these (to us) almost unknown Republics. Speaking of these, we well remember an interesting circumstance. A very enthusiastic friend moved into Venezuela, and, of course, we proposed that he should found a group there. A few weeks later came a postcard representing "The Group Progress," but, unfortunately, it was a cluster of naked niggers! But, joking aside, there must be many intelligent folk in Venezuela who are willing to become Esperantists. Interesting articles have lately come from Virginia and Erie, in the United States.
Nearer to us, in progressive Malta, accented letters hinder the foundation of the awaited Maltese Gazette, but it is to be hoped that the solution of the difficulty is at hand, and that we shall soon be able to give it a welcome.
From Algeria, the ever-busy Captain Capé sends interesting news, and, among other things, wishes to receive the names of those able to take part in an Esperanto Caravan at Easter, 1905. An exhibition is also being organised. Will helpers kindly write to the President, 17, Boulevard Gambetta, Algiers?
In England, encouraging news comes from Folkestone. The Chamber of Commerce was much interested at a lecture given by Mr. Geddes, the well-known secretary of the Dover Group. Doubtless the foundation of a Folkestone Society will soon follow, and we shall then be able to invest in circular tickets to visit the "Five Esperanto Havens," Dover, Folkestone, Boulogne, Calais, and Ostend. There is a holiday trip for lovers of the sea! Just think of it!
Hastings now possesses a group, whose president is Dr. Martyn Westcott. This devoted collaborator has often written pro-Esperanto articles. He tells us that during a stay in Paris he visited Notre Dame, and there saw with pleasure the green stars worn in the buttonholes of two Spaniards. It is needless to say that the pleasure was mutual, and the proverb, "Two’s company, three’s none," did not here find confirmation.
At the Club Café we of the London Club had the pleasure of listening to a series of articles on German literature, kindly delivered by our visitor, Mr. Jürgensen. Then, as always, Esperanto needed no interpreter!
But possibly the best proof of our progress is the fact that the Esperanto Library has further increased. Shakespeare’s "Tempest" (Art Edition, 2s. 6d.) is now ready. Another well-printed book, on nice paper, which will give all much pleasure and instruction, comes from Belgium: Pages from Flemish Literature, translated by Drs. Seynaeve and van Melckebeke (134 pp., 1s. 6d.).
Messrs. Hachette have also published Conversation and Correspondence Guide, by A. Grabowski (180 pp., 2s.); a useful international volume.
Many Correspondents have applied for a cover for Vol. I. We regret that we are not publishing any special cover, as the majority of our readers have, we hope, their special fancies, and will prefer to choose their own binding.
[Literal Translation].