The Columbian fountain., 1845-11-27
LEARNING NOT KNoWLEDGE.-No. "

But we are told that we must cultivate the
classical languages, because, thus only can we
acquire taste, literature, poetry, oratory, gram
mar, etymology, and heaven only knows what
else besides In all these things, be it remark
ed, we are neither compelled nor desired to
cultivate our own grammar nor our own Ian
guage, with all these and whatever other cate
gones are connected in it. In fact, our own
language and its authors are not only neglected,
but excluded, by the system; and were it not
for our nurses, mothers, and playmates, it is
tolerably certain that we should possess as little
language as an ourang outang, since we should
understand neither English, Latin, nor Greek.
This is an ingenious method Of teaching and
learning the English tongue, it must be granted;
like that Of man who learns to build house
that he may be able to cut a coat. IS as9aaa at
We are told that the Latin grammar teaches
the English grammar, and SO on. Those who
say this, simply because they have heard it from
their ushers, are little likely ever 70 know any
grammar or any language. Those who say it.
kno,oing both gransm,ars, know they are saying
what is not true. The Latin grammar is not the
English grammar; and though a knowledge of it
should casually aid in the understanding Of the
latter, we are acting in this case as if we should
travel from Charleston to China in order to reach
New York. If it be the English grammar we
desire to understand, schy do ,ce not learn the En-
ghsh gramnaars
We need not trouble ourselves respecting the
indirect utility of the Greek grammer; since it
is very certain that not one school-boy in ten
thousand acquires any other knowledge of it
than what parrot might. But we are inform
ed, that the Greek tongue is indispensable, be-
cause its compounds form our technical terms,
and that, moreover, because, in short, the En-
glish is derived from the Latin and Greek, and
therefore, we cannot hope to understand our
own language without a previous knowledge Of
these two "learned" /" languages This, to be
sure, is not polite to the fair authors of various
works, which are an ornament to the English (
language; it is treating Mrs. McCauley, Mrs.
Montague, Mrs. More, Mrs. Barbauld, not to
speak of the host of female writers Of our own
land, with somewhat Of aristocratical contempt;
and really is not very civilly predicated of va
rious other classes Of useful citizens that might
DO named. sttt tVt ENh htH
Then as to poetry. We deny that American
poetry either has been or can be formed by that
of Greece and Rome; we affirm that the poetry
of the ancients, instead of being blessing as
model for us, has been a stumbling block and a
trammel enchanting free and bold spirits, and
producing a sckly herd of insipid imitators, who
have nauseated the world for centuries, with
homemade Jupiters, Venuses, and Daphnes.
If we had space, we would argue this question
more seriously. There are those who can do it
for themselves, if they will but dare; and as to
the rest, they will cant still, say what we may;
since there is nothing SO easy as to sing the par
rot note, and no opinions 50 little costly as those
which do not cost the trouble Of forming
We glance at the oratory of the ancients.-
Denlosthenes and Cicero: these are impressive
terms Isocrates--but we will say nothing Of
him. There were great men In those days,
doubtless land we hope there have been great
men in these degenerate ones There were
great orators when there were great objects,
great minds, and great labor, with Whist is not
nnimpoftsnt -hsvers. Does any one believe
thit If these men had never lived, there might
not have been great orators now7 It's from his
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