New-York daily tribune., 1843-05-25
VOL. HaH. NO. 80.
forth in the following passage that we cannot
/ iorhcar m continue our quotations

forth in the following passage, that we cahno'
iorbcar 10 continue our quotations
i Bpt the prospects Of American education
md refinement, are more encouraging. II we turn
from public TO private life. Il IS a much more
common thing for young men to continue Their
classical studies beyond the tune Of the college
education, than it has been IN former days. The
orators and dramatists of Greece and Rome are
frequently made the companions OF the writers
on Law and Divinity, though classical pursuits
arc sometimes represented as on the decline all
over the world. Modern literature, throbblng
with present life; impassloncd poetry, which the
strong and exciting character Of the age Hlndlcs
into fiery expression, take hold of all hearts, stir
up all minds, and leave but little time for the
severer pursuits OF the classical scholar. But tins
is a wrong view Of the subject, at least in the
tent to which II Is sometimes carried. The cx-
citements OF modern literature lend additona!
ardor TO classical studies. The young blood OF
modern literature has put new life INTO the
literature of the dead languages. That ex-
qnlslteiy beautiful poem, Gocthc's lpmgenla al
1auris, has inscparably connected the name Of
the great German with him whom Aristotle calls
the most tragic Of poets and who was Mitons
most cherished bard. The comparison between
the German and the Greek gives fresh charm
to the works of both This point is admirably
illustrated in IIermann's eloquent preface to his
edition Of the Iphigcnia Taurica OF Euripidcs.
That most delicate and harmonious tragic drama,
the Ion Of Mr.. Ta!toard.-whose compositions
shed delight and charm many years OF IN
tense professional abor,--h led many scholar
back to the beautiful antique, from which the title
and the general subject were taken and the ap-
plausc with which this mastcily Reproduction Of
the classical spirit and almost the antique form,
was welcomed few years ago. pleasant
indication of the still existn" love Of antique
beauty. The lnaie iestic simplicity OF MlIton's
Samson Agonistcs, and lis Dorian choruscs. iorcl-
bly, bring to mind the Promctheus Of -Eschylus,
and suggest very instructive comparisons between
the lofty characters OF the two poets. And who
does not feel that he can better understand, and
more profoundly appreciate, the glorious, but ter
rible imagination OF the poet of Agamcmnon,
when lie has once been moved and agitated by
the awful power of Macbeth; when the myriad.
minded poet Of England, in whom the genius Of
Man took its subIimest flights has once entered
into and taken possession of his soul.
'' But the Greek and Roman classics stand at
thc beginning and at the source Of European
culture. Nothing can dispace them. Homer
is the iountain-hcad of all European poetry and
art. There lie stands venerable with nearly
thirty centuries, touching his heroic harp to
strains Of unsurpassed, nay, unapproachablc cx
ccllencc and grandeur. All the features of a
great heroic agc,--tlIe chvalry Of the classical
world, from which European civilization dates. i
and political and domestic order take their rise,
stand forth in living reality, in his immortal pc
lures. There he stands, radiant with the beams
of the early Grccian morning, as locund day
stands tptoc on the misty mountaln-top.' Who
is TO drive him from his station there? And
how, then, is Homer to pass from the memory
and the hearts of men 2 Impossible. 1t is not
question to be decided by few petty and short
sighted ulitarian views. Homer's reign is firmly
established over the literary world, and if any ma
ton should ever become so barbarous as TO Danish
hiin from their schools the penalty and disgrace
would be their own. ,Thc language Of Homer,
picturesque, mcndious, and enchanting IN
s,rument of thought. has never been surpassed
Now these great ancicnls have been. time out
of mind the teachers of the civilized world. They
form common bond, which untes the cultivated
minds Of all nations and ages together. He who
cuts himself off from the classics, excludes him
self from world OF delightful associations with
the best minds lie fails to become member of
the great society Of scholars he is an alien from
the great community OF letters He may be
learned man he may have all the treasures Of
science at his command; he may speak the
modern languages with facility; but if he have
not imbued his mind with at least nncturc OF
classical taste, he Will inevitably feel that
great defect exists in his intellectual culture
The book we arc noticing is well adapted to re-
commend and enforce the claims of the grand
old literature, whose cause 1t so nobv and bcauti-
fully pleads. The Introduction, from which .c
have quoted, though far more brief than we wish
it were. is a most eloquent and graceful eSPos
ton Of the leading advantages OF CLASSIC study,
and is written in the spirit OF finished and genial
scholarship. The contents Of the book Itself are
wholly from the German and consist OF Essays
by some Of the most eminent German scholars,
upon ancient literature. and a somewhat extend
cd correspondence between some of the most dis
tinguished phiologists OF that land of scholars,
as Ituhnken, Ritter Ernesti, c. q. lleyne .oss,
Wolf, Wyttenbacl,. B6ckh, Jacobs. Schultz, Pas
SOW. and others, upon the subject OF Their mutual
studies. This is extremely interesting, and
abounds in most valuable suggestions Besides
this, there are Essays upon the Schools Of Ger
man Philosophy Study Of Greek Literature
Study Of Classical Antiquity, Wealth Of the
Greeks IN Works OF Plastic Art Superiority OF
the Greek Language in the use of It's Dialects
History of the Latin Language, Education OF
the Mora! Sentiment among the Ancien; Greeks
Schools of Philosophy IN Holland, &c. witha
copIoUs collection onotes and variety OF other
matter of great interest 10 al scholars and cutl-
waited men. We commend the work 10 general
attention, for we feel sure Ii must DO much to
awaken 2ca! for classical studies. the surest
means of attaining the refinement and graceful
dgnlty Mh!ca S!loa.d marx the strenglh OF eyery