being as the wisest confess it to be extremely difficult, would be the easiest thing in the world. It would be as easy on this ultra utilitarian system to point out a course of study to the young professional pupil, as it is for the carpenter tc. direct his apprentice in the acquirement of the knowledge and dexterity necessary to his craft. But then we should have no place for what is called a liberal as distinguished from a professional education; and every man, if this system be adopted in its full extent, must forever remain ignorant of every thing except what has a direct bearing on his own peculiar pursuits. No man of sense, we think, can at this day seriously defend such a course of education a course of education which would assimilate our condition to that of the Hindoo castes, or of the mechanic, who knows only how to form the point of a pin, but understands not the mystery of forming and adjusting the head. In direct opposition to all these narrow views, we maintain that it is the great purpose of early education, and particularly of a liberal education, as distinguished from a professional education, or from learning a useful mechanical trade, not so much to store the mind with large funds of knowledge, as to prepare it for the successful pursuit of useful knowledge, to fit it for the investigation of any subject on which it may be necessary hereafter to employ its powers, to train it to a methodical arrangement of the treasures which it may acquire, and to assist in rendering it capable of making these treasures available to others by communicating them in a perspicuous and agreeable manner.

So far as the best system of early training, and the acquisition at the same time of highly useful knowledge can be combined, it will obviously be advantageous to do so. The system of education which most completely combines both we would pronounce the best. But if subjects at the same time the most directly useful, and the best adapted to develope the youthful powers cannot be found, we should give our decided preference to that subject, though intrinsically less useful, which affords the best scope for exercising the mind.

These principles being submitted as necessary to be kept in view in forming a correct decision in respect of any course of education, we proceed to inquire whether the study of the Greek and Latin languages and literature has not high claims, both on the head of intrinsic usefulness, and as affording an excellent course of training and discipline to the youthful mind.

1

Let us first attend to the direct advantages which arise from the study of the learned languages.

The most prominent and obvious advantage of the study of these languages is, that it affords us direct access to the treasures of knowledge which they contain. The ancient languages being no longer useful as a vehicle for the interchange of thought with men of foreign climes, it might appear to a superficial observer that this which we have mentioned is the only benefit to be gained by learning them. And in regard to some ancient languages, we might perhaps admit that it is. The study of some of the Oriental dialects is, perhaps chiefly, if not exclusively, useful, because in them are contained the oracles of God in the original diction of the sacred penmen; and of others, because they throw light on these originals from affinity of dialect, or because they contain versions executed when the language of the scriptures was still a living tongue, and the manners of the inhabitants of ancient Palestine, their opinions, customs-every thing that would assist in the faithful translation of their records

were better known than at the present time. It may be observed, in passing, that all these advantages, to recommend it to the student of theology, are possessed in an eminent degree by the Greek language, in common with some of the Eastern dialects, as being the original language of the whole-- as many critics maintain -- or, as all adınit, of the greater part of the New Testament, and as containing the most ancient, and, in some respects, perhaps, the most valuable version extant of the scriptures of the old Testament.

Yet on the advantage which the ancient languages afford us, in giving us access to the treasures of antiquity, we do not intend to lay much stress, as an argument, in favor of retaining them in their present place in a course of liberal education; though many, who oppose the study of these languages seem to reason as if they thought this their only use. In declining to lay much weight on this argument, we do not intend, by any means, to depreciate the treasures of learning which are contained in the languages of Ancient Greece and Rome. The relics which have descended to us from the ruins of the literature of these nations, are still, even at this day, exceedingly valuable, as containing much most interesting knowledge in various departments of learning. Nearly all that we know of the history of the other nations, of antiquity, as well as the entire history of these illustrious nations themselves, is

contained in these languages, with all that we know of their arts and their political institutions. They contain, also, many excellent ethical writings, which, however defective in some important points, and though falling, as might be expected, far below the standard of christian ethics, abound generally with a much sounder morality, than those who have paid little attention to this subject, or who form their opinions from the uncandid representations of the enemies of ancient learning, might suppose. The Greek language in particular, (for on this head we can say little for the Latin), also contains specimens of poetry in every department, which have not only served as models to Europe for two thousand years, but with which we doubt whether the poetry of any modern nation would yet bear comparison.

But for a full display and a just appreciation of these treasures we have not a suitable opportunity at present, even did we think it all important to our argument. For such a purpose a long series of discourses would be requisite, and however useful such a course might be, as tending to give us correct views of what these nations have done in literature, and of the immense debt which we owe them, we could not in candor rest much weight on the number and excellence of their literary productions alone as an argument for spending, at the present day, an important period of life in acquiring their languages.

Were it our present purpose to vindicate the wisdom of our ancestors, at the period of the revival of letters, in giving the study of Greek and Latin such a conspicuous place in their course of education, we should need no other argument but this armed with this alone we should readily overwhelm all opposition. We might show how much they gained, or rather that they gained every thing from the cultivation of these languages that to this circumstance, not only they, but we through them, to this day, are (as has been already alleged) indebted for a large share of all that we approve in our literature, legislation and arts.

But the condition of these pioneers of modern learning, and our present condition are widely different. They possessed barren, uncultivated dialects, as yet not enriched with any native literature. They had neither poetry, nor history, nor eloquence, nor philosophy;-nothing better than rude ballads, and insipid chronicles, and incredible legends of misnamed saints, in their native dialects. In this state of things,

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