of the Pintados, although in some of the villages therein the Harayan is spoken.  Of all these languages, it was the Tagal which most pleased me and which I most admired.  As I told the first bishop, and, afterwards, other persons of dignity in the islands and in Europe, I found in this language four qualities of the four greatest languages of the world, Hebrew, Greek, Latin, and Spanish:  it has the abstruseness and obscurity of the Hebrew; the articles and distinctions in proper as well as in common nouns, of the Greek; the fulness and elegance of the Latin; and the refinement, polish, and courtesy of the Spanish.  Examples of all these characteristics may be seen in the “Ave Maria” done into Tagal; and, as that is a short prayer, and more easily understood than the others, I will place it here with its explanation in our vernacular, and with word-for-word equivalents.  In this way may be seen the idioms and characteristic expressions of this language which will please some readers, and furnish information, both useful and curious.

The “Ave-Maria” in the Tagal language

    Aba Guinoo Maria matoa ca na. 
    Hail Lady Mary, joyful thou now,

    Napono ca nan gracia,
    full thou of grace;

    An Panguinoon Dios na saio.
    the Lord God is with thee

    Bucor can pinagpala sa babain lahat.
    especially, thou blessed among women all.

    Pinagpala naman ang iong anac si Jesus. 
    Blessed also be thy son Jesus.

    Santa Maria ina nang Dios
    Holy Mary, mother of God,

    Ipana languin mo cami macasalanan
    Let us be interceded for by thee, us sinners

    ngayon at cum mamatai cami.  Amen, Jesus.
    now and when shall die we.

The first word of this prayer Aba, is obscure, but apparently has the force of “salute,” like the Latin Ave.  Bucor expresses diversity, distinction, and singularity.  The article is Si (Jesus), as Ton in Greek.  The richness of the language lies in its many synonyms and phrases; consequently this prayer, which, as it stands, is very elegant, could be formed with equal elegance in various other ways, without losing its original sense and meaning.  The polish and courtesy consist in not saying, as in Latin, Ave Maria (which would seem in this language abrupt and barbaric), without adding that polite word, Guinoo.

There is none or very little of this courtesy in the other two languages of the Bissayas, which are more rude and unpolished.  I thought it good to present the same prayer in these languages, not only as a curiosity, but to give an idea of their similarity and differences—­giving notice, however, that it is not my intention to offer an interpretation (which is unnecessary, since we all know the “Ave Maria"), but, as I said, to show the idioms of these languages.  These idioms, moreover, ought not to displease or appear ignoble, for every tongue has its own beauty and elegance for those who are born in it, which the eyes of foreigners cannot discern.  This point has been discussed by Jesus Sidrac in the prologue to his Ecclesiasticus, a holy and Catholic work; and it was proved at length, and with great erudition, by the most glorious doctor St. Jerome, in the hundred and first Epistle to Pamaquio.