The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1870-06-18 00:00:00

THE CLASSICS AND MODERN
LANGUAGES.

Some time ago Lord Lytteltou wrote, on be-
had of the Endowed Schools Commissioners, to
the Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University. The
noble author of the epistle urged that Greek
should be abolished at the Universities as a ne-
ceasary subject for the pass examinations. The
occasion of the letter was this. The Commis-
sioners have resolved to employ certain educa-
tional endowments to establish certain schools
in which, by excluding Greek, modern languages
and natural science might be adequately taught.
But so long as Oxford and Cambridge exact a
knowledge of Greek such schools will be cut off
from the Universities. Hence Lord Lyttelton's
plea. It is a remarkable fact that the Vice-
Chancellor of Cambridge, now endorces Lord
Lyttelton's views, and is circulating his lord-
ship's letter. This is indeed a somewhat start-
ling state of things—that a Vice-Chancellor of
one of our great Universities should give his aid
to a movement which, considering the impor-
tance that Greek has hitherto held at our great
seats of learning, may almost be said to be of a
revolutionary character. But may we not con-
sider this a good omen? When such high au-
thority advocates reform, our prospects are um-
proving. Against the study of Greek we say
nothing in the abstract, but relatively we regard
as an evil, and the same may be said, though
less force, with respect to Latin. Where the
whole pe.tod from childhood to manhood can be
devoted to education, Latin and Greek may with
more or less advantage be studied in connection
with subsequent professional pursuits; but these
! are after all but the exceptioual cases in a clasicul
education. For the ordinary pursuits of life
devotion of years of study to the acquisition, or
partial acquisition, of Latin and Greek is a cruel
waste of time, involving the neglect of modern
languages and natural science. Between Latin
and Greek the difference of value is immense ;
, the former is much more valuable than the lat-
ter, and Greek can indeed be very well dispensed
with. We are quite aware of what can be said
in its favour, but abstract arguments on the
value of Greek are miserably deceptive so long
Its we shut our eyes to the relative value of this
ancient classic language and that of those lan-
guages which the study of Greek compels the
scholar to forego. This is the real question, and
one we arc glad to see learned men now taking
up. The neglect of modern languages has long
been a reproach to this country. We sadly con-
trast in this respect with the Continent, and es-
pecially with Germany ; and it is remarkable
that it is the knowledge which young Germans
possess of foreign languages which gives them
such power in lighting the battle of life all over
the world. Greek will be a sorry weapon for us
in waging that battle, while a knowledge of
French and German will do touch towards en-
abling English youths to compete successfully
with those of the Continent. The whole sub-
ject is worthy of more consideration than it re-
ceives, and we are glad to see that our Univer-
sity men are having their attention directed to
it.