Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Mass.) 1828-1830, 1830-02-16

rather OF boast than otherwise that the Spir
it of the ancient literature has been caugh
/ by US. 1t runs through the literature o
/ Europe and the nations descended from her
like the blood through the body. To remove
it, is death; and though it may not be out
of the nature of things to produce some
principle to keep the frame alive, yet none
but an Almighty power could do it. The
writer goes on to say, the worshippers Of
the classicks have gone upon the suppos ition
that knowledge of the works of man is
more important than of the works of God"
But is not man the noblest work of God /? Is
it nothing to search into the springs of ac-
ton that have actuated men of other ages
Nothing to study man? Is not the noblest
study of mankind, man? 1t is true, as he
observes, that language is subservient to
thought, in one sense. But what is thought
without language, without that which is to
bear thought from one end of the world to
the other? 1t is plain its power and energy
would be limited and contracted, if it were
not embodied in language, and transmitted
from one age and nation to the other. We
do not see we'll how one can be efficient
without the other. He observes again that
"the legitimate use of literature is to impart
knowledge; that it is duty we owe to God
to acquire knowledge, and duty we owe
to man to impart it." But is it not a duty
we equally owe to God to impart knowledge /?
or, to draw the necessary inference, to cul-
tivate literature !? Surely, the end of our
existence is not answered if the immortal
mind is to be an insulated thing. Is it not
equally duty we owe to the Author of our
being to impart what we have acquired, and
thus promote the happiness of those around
us? Surely it is: we owe it to God and
man to do both. We know man is selfish
bsing, but we are not aware that he is not
equally bound to the Father of his existence
to impart, as to acquire, knowledge. We
shall not stop here to inquire whether one
does not essentially imply the other.
What if "the virtue of nation does not
depend upon the study of the classicks 20
Should we all be farmers and mechanicks !?
Would they be less virtuous by studying
the classicks, even if it were desirable? If
there we're none but Literary men in existence,
would the virtue of a nation be endangered |?
These are cushions which might be turned
into direct negative assertions, and make
out pretty strong case in favour of the
preservation of virtue among literary men.
The religious principle may be more init
mately connected with literature than we
are aware.
We believe it has not been strenuously
maintained since the time of PerrauIt, who
was so vehemeatly attacked by the sarcas-
tick Boileau, the " lettered courtier" of Lou
is XIV. that the advancement Of philosophy
necessarily inferred that of the fine arts.
On the other hand it is from the fine arts,
the literature of nation, tn at philosophy
and the sciences spring. 1t is the trans
mission of thought, rich, deep, and beautiful
thought, the spread of enrolling and elo-
quent literature, the creation OF the immor-
tai mind that form the embryo, discovery,
and invention. 1t was not the simple fall of
the apple that gave birth to the theory of
gravitation, or merely observing the water
displaced by body immersed in it that de-
termined the specick gravity of bodies.
1t was the creative mind of the philosophers,
under the unreasonable sway of literature,
by leading them to examine into their own
minds. Literature must lead, and Phioso-
ply must follow. What more should litera-
ry men do than make books, throwing forth
thought in eloquent language, to penetrate
every where, and give birth to every thing
We might as we'll ask what science or phi
losophy had done besides making steam en-
gines and the like. 1t would, we think, be
no difficult matter to prove that not only a
nation, but the whole world became free,up-
on the revival of Classical Literature in Eu-
rope, when the nations were dying, as it
were, without torch to light them to the
tomb. Need we speak of the overthrow of
feudal slavery, of the mental and personal
freedom that followed?
We agree with the writer in what he de-
scribes as Metaphysics, though it may be
questioned whether such discussions have
not been of use in bringing forth new
truths. If he speaks of it as forming part
of college education, his remarks are use
less, as nothing of the kind forms part Of
such education. The philosophy of mind is
quite different thing, and of its utility as a
part of education we need not here speak
| We have endeavoured to refute what the
writer Of Our Opinions" advances upon his
( own ground but we think he has eyre
giously mistaken the nature of literature