the learned languages opened to them a vast mine of intellectual wealth. Instead of toiling in the slow and painful process necessary to create a new literature, here was one already formed for them, and which they had the wisdom to turn to excellent account. The effects of adopting this literature, already formed to their hands, were similar to those which have arisen from transporting into the forests of this New World, all the experience and improvements of the Old. In both cases the progress towards the highest excellence has been accelerated, perhaps, by centuries.

In accounting for the rapid progress which learning made immediately after the revival of letters, we think that due consideration has not been generally given to this circumstance. Whilst we give all the credit due to the new invention of printing, we do not adequately appreciate the influence of those stores of ancient learning, without which this art would, for a long period, have been comparatively useless.* Of the wisdom, therefore, of our ancestors in giving these languages, and the literature which they contain, a most prominent place in their systems of instruction, there cannot, amongst intelligent men, as we think, be any question. They had, in fact, scarcely any thing else, which was worthy, according to our present notions of learning, to occupy the attention of a liberal mind. What a glorious emancipation for the human understanding to be delivered from the dry, knotty, uninteresting jargon of the schools, and to be introduced to the rich intellectual treat, which the elegant and finished productions of Grecian literature afford.

But (thanks to the efforts of our predecessors) we are now in a very different condition as regards literature from those who were the contemporaries of the revival of letters, and the first patrons of Greek learning. Many of the modern languages of Europe, and our own in particular, instead of being meagre and rude dialects, are enlarged by a vast accession of terms, borrowed almost exclusively from the Greek and

* We are ready, also, to forget how completely ancient learning was unknown and uncultivated in the western parts of Europe, till a very late period. The Latin language, indeed, was less or more cultivated in the Universities, from their first foundation; and was in most, if not all of them, the only language permitted to be used. But the Greek language and Greek literature, the great original of which the Latin literature is but a tame, and too often spiritless imitation - were utterly unknown, even in Italy, till the times of Petrarch, till after the final destruction of the Greek Empire, and in the more western countries till a much later period.

Latin languages, and enriched by a literature formed in a great measure after Greek models, and by numerous translations, which, though certainly not in general remarkable for excellence, yet enable us to become acquainted with much of the most important knowledge contained in the ancients. Still, to the admirer of fine writing, much of the beauty and spirit of the originals, considered as works of literary excellence, is lost, even in the best translations; and to him, who has any ambition to consult the primitive, and perhaps to this day, the purest models, whether in the arts, or in literature, we would repeat the counsel of Horace:

"Vos exemplaria Græca Nocturna versate manu, versate diurna."

But, for the purpose of obtaining, through the medium of their own diction, the information transmitted to us by the Greeks and Romans, or for the purpose of contemplating the ancient models, we could not in candor say that it were justifiable to subject all who wish to procure a liberal education to drudge so many years in learning their languages; however strongly we should recommend this course to all who wish to view, in a satisfactory manner, the finest and most perfect specimens in the several departments of literature. Especially are we deterred from resting much weight on this argument, when we reflect, that, either through indolence, or want of taste, or the imperfect manner in which their early studies have been conducted, or the distracting avocations of active life, it is but a very limited number of all who attempt to acquire a classical education, who ever make sufficient progress to reap this advantage from it. Their acquaintance with the ancients, in most cases, remains miserably limited, and the difficulties of the language have not been sufficiently overcome to enable them to peruse a Classic with ease and satisfaction.

But there are other advantages arising from the pursuit of classical studies in our schools and colleges, which, though sometimes overlooked by superficial observers and reasoners on education, are, we think, more substantial in themselves; besides being greatly enhanced, (especially in the present very imperfect state of classical education) by this circumstance, that even he, who makes but comparatively slow and unsatisfactory progress in the languages, shares in them in a

proportionate degree, as well as he who makes a greater proficiency.

One advantage of this description arising from the study of the Greek and Roman languages, is that it affords us a key, not to the literature of these languages alone, but also to modern literature.

Owing to the general introduction of Latin and Greek literature in our schools of learning, our own literature has been, as we have already said, fashioned after the ancient models. Our best writers have been deeply imbued with classical learning, and in order to understand them thoroughly and relish their beauties highly, it is requisite to possess some little tincture of the same learning. They abound in allusions which are not generally well understood by any but those who have some share of classical knowledge. They deal much in ancient mythology and ancient fable. Whether their taste in this matter is correct, or not, it is not our business at present to inquire. The fact is indisputable that a large number of our fine writers presuppose in their readers, a certain familiarity with classical learning; they write for such readers, and by such only can their merits, in many instances, be properly appreciated. Even some of our public orators still abound with classical allusions. In former times they abounded much more in such allusions than at present. Nothing was more common among our ancestors, than to make quotations from the Classics not only in the senate, at the bar, but even in the pulpit. Those who read the sermons of Tillotson, and still more those who read Barrow and the Commentary of Grotius, will find abundance of such quotations sprinkled over their pages. We do not, certainly, admire the taste of those who would introduce quotations freely in public discourses from languages not understood by the great majority of their hearers. We join heartily with those who would call the orator who did so a silly pedant. At the same time the classical scholar will feel reluctant to pass any strong censure on the illustrious men whom we have named, when he considers both the appropriateness of most of their quotations, and the vast learning and thorough acquaintance with ancient literature which they display. Nor would we go so far, even at the present day, as utterly to banish all classical quotations from writings of a purely literary cast, and intended chiefly to meet the eyes of the educated part of the community. To do so would, we think, discover an excessive fastidiousness. In an elegant production, of that

class which gracefully admits the ornament, nothing affords higher pleasure, to a man of letters, than the judicious introduction of an appropriate quotation from the ancient Classics.

But, whether right or wrong in point of taste, our literature -and especially our early literature-abounds with such quotations, and with continual allusions to the classics; and we must either lose the full enjoyment of this literature, or continue sedulously to cultivate ancient learning. Modern literature may in fact be considered a continuation of Greek and Roman literature, rather than a literature original and independent either in its commencement or in its characteristics. And as it is both expedient and agreeable in learning the history of a nation to begin at the earliest period, and trace the progress of its infant institutions, so is it equally pleasing and advantageous to trace the progress of the literature of Western Europe from its cradle in early Greece.

It may be alleged in regard of this, as well as of the advantage which we have last considered, that it may be obtained without travelling beyond the precincts of our own language. In some degree it can. We might in the English tongue obtain considerable assistance in explaining the classical allusions of our own authors, and we might pass over the quotations from ancient writers, endeavoring to alleviate the mortification resulting from our ignorance by reviling them for their pedantry. But still we must be allowed to question whether any man can ever fully relish, or even fully understand some of the finest portions of our literature, without some share of classical learning. This advantage, thus stated, we leave our auditors to estimate for themselves. We have no design to rate it beyond its proper worth.

Another advantage of the study of the ancient languages, is that it enables us to trace with greater satisfaction the etymology of a large class of the words of our own language, and to understand more perfectly their exact force and meaning. It is well known that our language has borrowed largely from the learned languages not only directly, but also through the medium of the French. Hence the knowledge especially of Latin, gives a prodigious facility both in correctly apprehending the meaning of a vast number of our ordinary words, and in using them appropriately—a facility which, we think, is never possessed in an equal degree by the mere English scholar of the same rate of talents and erudition in every thing save the Classics. This is an advantage not easily overrated

in the case of those who aim at writing their own language with elegance, or even with accuracy.

The Latin language affords the same, and still greater assistance in ascertaining the etymology of the other modern languages, especially those of the south-western portion of Europe, which stand in the relation to the Latin of daughters to a common mother. Consequently the acquisition of Latin affords surprising facilities to those who wish to become ac quainted with any of these tongues. To him who wishes to acquire thoroughly Italian, Spanish and French, it is perhaps no exaggeration to say that it would be labor well spent to study the Latin first, for the sole purpose of learning these with greater accuracy, ease and expedition.

Such are, as it seems to us, the principal direct advantages to be gained by studying the ancient languages. They pre sent us with a key by which to unlock for ourselves the treasures of antiquity; thus affording us an opportunity of coming into more immediate contact with the minds of the great ge niuses of Greece and Rome, and of appreciating more accurately the beauties of the models which they have bequeathed us in the various departments of literature. Secondly, the study of these languages serves as a very useful, if not an indispensable introduction to the higher literature of our own language. And, lastly, the Greek, but especially the Latin, affords most important help in the study of etymology; not as a subject of literary curiosity, or philosophical inquiry only, but as an important assistance to the accurate knowledge, and appropriate usage of the terms of our own language.

Though any one of these advantages, considered separately; should not appear of sufficient importance to induce us to spend years in acquiring it, we can, at least, safely say that they are unitedly of such value that few, who have realized them, have regretted the time spent in attaining them, or could, were it possible, be induced to resign them for any reasonable compensation.

We now proceed to consider the advantages of classical learning, as affording a course of training for the youthful mind.

It is upon its usefulness for this purpose that we would chiefly rest the defence of the study of the Classics. For, highly as we appreciate the direct advantages which we have above mentioned, we should not think them alone sufficient to justify a very general extension of classical education.