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advanced for him to impart it to schoolfellows like-minded with himself, and on December 17th of that year they fêted its birth, and sang a hymn in the new language, celebrating the reign of unity and peace which should be brought about by its means, “All mankind must be united in one family.” But the enthusiasm of its first followers died down under the derision they encountereil, and for nine years more Zamenhof worked in secret at his language, translating, composing, writing original articles, improving, polishing, till in 1887 he published his first book under the title of “An International Language by Dr. Esperanto.” (Esperanto means one who hopes).

That the idea which impelled the young Zamenhof to undertake such a work is still the mainspring of his devotion to the cause is shown by the following extract from his opening speech at the second International Esperanto Congress in 1906: — “We are all conscious that it is not the thought of its practical utility which inspires us to work for Esperanto, but only the thought of the important and holy idea which underlies an international language. This idea, you all know, is that of brotherhood and justice among all peoples.” And, again, in his: presidential address at the third Esperanto Congress, held this year (1907) at Cambridge, he said, “We are constantly repeating that we do not wish to