Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1857-07-29
G0utatiumaI.
For the Spirit of the Age.
PHILOLOGY.

!
For the Spirit of the Age.
PHILOLOGY.
| Under the above caption some one has
thought proper to exhibit his indignation, at
my attempt to call the attention of your rea-
ders to the importance of Classical Litera-
ture, and to express his disapprobation of
the undue Importance attached to these
studies in our schools and colleges. The
gentleman must think himself another Wal
pole, pouring out his disgust-upon whom
4 not upon-o Pitt, for the atroeious crime of
J being yoasng man, but upon &c school boy
STRIPPING" In this you are right, Mr.. Wal
pole; for we are proud to admit the fact of
being school boy; but, when you say he
thinks himself scholar in the Classics, you
miss it far. If the "young tyro has exalted
opinions" they are not like Mr.. Walpole's,
of himself.
The Importance and utility of the study
of the Classics, should command the atten-
tion of all to whom the education of youth |
is entrusted. The Classics should be stud
led; first, for the invigorating discipline
which their study affords the mind. The
student acquires the habit of concentrating
his thoughts upon any subject at any time,
and for any length of time. When his mem
ory fails to bring to his use the meaning of
, back his wandering thoughts and chains
them down; by this repeated process, he
subdues the stubbornness of his mind, and
he is enabled to abstract it upon any subject
this is one of the great objects of education.
l The close investigation of every word-its
termination, root, onjugation or declension,
f Its government or concord, and position, 81
o requires close investigation and quick pre-
ception
Secondly; For the practical knowledge
and mastery of our own language, they should
D be studied. There. are many words now in
= troduced into the English language, borrow
It ed and derived from the Classics; so it may
!. not be improper to learn these tongues, that
~ we may understand our own the better. We
] mast know how to derive cur language-we
u must go to the fountain head, where its pu-
rity of meaning lies embedded. This should
be one of the main incentives to urge US on
n ward In the pursuit of classical education ;
,s tor 1t Is absolutely necessary to all who
would aspire to eminence in the English Ian
guage.
Thirdly; As a preparation for the study
OF the learned professions, they should be
is learned. There are so many forms Of pro-
le ceeding in judicature and things called by
Latin names in the profession of law, and 50
-, many words with latin terminations, that il
= y is necessary for the lawyer to understand this
~ language.
at Scare any man should be thought worthy
m Of the name of solid divine or skillfu
n te8Ghsr Of hibs sGqSpAlr Ar IN THIS are IF
Is the Greek language; since all the importan
! points of the Christian religion are derived
ia from the New Testament which was first
re written in that language.
es Physicians should he skilled in the Greel
as well as in Latin because their grea
lie master Hipocrates wrote in that tongue, anC
We his writings are still Of great value and use
"a A multitude Of names of the parts Of th'
body. of diseases, and of medicines, are de
- - rived from the Greek language and there
CD are many excellent books of Physic, both il
es the theoric and practical parts of it, which
If are delivered to the world in the Roman
he tongue, and of which that profession should
ov not be ignorant.
~ The great object of training the mind
~ should be, to enable her to fulfill her dutie
well here, and to stand on high vantage
ground, when she leaves this cradle of he
being for an eternal existence beyond tn
e. grave A classical education fits the min,
to be an instrument of usefulness in life
and if any training be useful, Classica
one must be.
1t was asked have we not translatlons G
the Classics in Englishp Of some, we have
but translations defeat the object in view, th
systematic training of the mind for transls
tions are of no more use than another Ems
lish reading books,as regards the intellectus
training. 1t is also asked might it not prot
US somewhat more to have carefully n
hearsed and studied the noble teachings
Bacon, Shakespeare, Locke, Milton and Wei
sterp No, by no means. Who could III
derstand the true meaning of Milton, div
A. h. oc ~
mire his many classical illusions, except tt
It, classical scholar Modern Poets, in ever
md living language, have brought into the
2 works so many words, epithets, phrases, ar
metaphors from Heather fables and the st
ries of their gods and heroes, that in order
understand these modern writer's, it is ne
essary to understand something of those a
cient follies.
1t is true that, If man has but one ide
though he may have half dozen differe
tongues to express it In, he has but one i'd
after all , but will not this man have de-
ded superiority over the man with but o
tongue in which to express himself? Z
cause Elihu Burritt has not astoundeG t
world with his genius, this same gentlem
has concluded that 'PhilologY is a ra
humbug and nothing else.' Bad logic,
Walpole; you have drawn a universal conc
sion from particular premises you might
safely conclude all learned men are infde
because Tom Paine was one, and he wa
learned man.
ION? We concInde that n knowledge Of
Classics are alike essential to the Statesm
le of the Orator. the Physician, the Theologi
aller the Historian and the Antiquary; to the
law lite Scholar, the Artist and the Connoisse
self. it is absolutely indispensable.
ALPHA
,,our York Collegiate Institute, N. c.