Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1857-03-21

to Scotland another of those nsmes which preserve
her nationality more distinct and sovereign than
the Stuart sti regned in Hoiyrood and the thistle
were not blended with the rose? [Cheers] Well.
then take your industry for granted: let Us see
how and where it should be applied.
And, first, there Immediately comes before us the
learning of Greece and Rome-those still dead Ian
guages Of that still dead world which seems to the
ignorant so indefinitely remote and which to scho.
lars and statesmen is always so intimately near Tt
has indeed been asked in our day, !" But what avail
to spend much time in the acquisition of lam
guages which are only Of use to professional scho-
lars? 1t might be very we'll in the dark ages. when
no other literature existed But now in modern
tongues there is living literature. Why not con-
fine ourselves to the language may have to talk,
and to the books by which modern ideas con-
vcyed?" This sounds p'ausiby enough but before
you allow the argument to weigh with you one jot
has in youth acquired fair acquaintance with the
classic languages, and who has since attained to
eminence in active life, the bar, in the pulpit in
the senate. in the public offices, in medicine in
short any calling which requires high degree of
educaton-ask him if he has found the classics of
any usc-ask him if he would have changed the
ideas he gathered from Greek and Latin for the
ideas which any living literature except his own
could have bestowed and will venture to predict
that such man, if he pause to analyse his own mind,
will answer, that to Greek and Latin his obligations
great that he cannot even tell what he might
you struck from his mind the early habits of
racy which the study Of these dead languages mpe-
rativcy necessities; or If he were compelled TO
exchange for French, Italian or even German liter
ature those large and luminous ideas which flash
him at the loosest reference to the City Of
the Violet Crown-or to the Conscript Fathers and
the Roman Capito. Ask next, some man, also
eminent in life. but who has been deprived of
classical education, if he has fet disadvantage
in that loss; and less confident that he will
tell you the loss has been subject of regret in
every stage of his career-that on many occasions
it las inundated his ud Sment, oppressed him with
sense of intirmity, INSTRUCTED the recognition by
others of his talents and requirements, and made
him perhaps contented with some secondary grade,
when bnt for that loss he would have justly
gated the foremost. Loud cheers Till you have
asked these questions and found that deceive you
to the answers YOU obtain, take for granted that
the uses of the dead languages. not only to scholars
but to men Of the world, are incontestahe. And
why? Why? One obvious reason is IN their very
difficulty. and their continuous and symmetrical
exercise of the faculties which the contest with that
difficulty requires They discipline the powers
which. whatever be calling, we most need in
after lifr-first by that minute accuracy which is
necessary to master the roots Of the language and
the order Of their construction; and the habit of
accuracy thus mech anicay contracted gives to after
pursuits truthful cioSenesS in detail and facility
Of generalization.
and hca,hfnl Judgment, through the formation of
correct and chaStened taste, accustomed early to
distinguish between simplicity and vngar!ty. e!cva-
ton and honbast-a taste formed. not according to
the marneriSm Of a modern tongue, which shifts
with each generation, but according to models fixed
and perpetual. and received as such in every civil
lied community There is, too this notable advan-
tace in the anr,ent tongues over an exclusive or
prepondcrant attention to the modern Study as
We WI: the Greek and Latin. we do not make our
selves less purely rational in our own ideas or our
own modes Of expressing them. But II, in youth,
which is the season Of imitation. were to cult
vate exclusively. say the French or the German.
ten to hut we should half dcnat"naze ourselves
we should Frenchifv or Gcrmanize our minds and
our style: ard ] think Won must have observed
occasionally in Great Britain, hu, perhaps more
frequently in America that writers who, not having
accomplished themselves in classic literature apply
with passionate devotion to f"rei gn modern Ian
gnacc-sav the Gcrman-do really corrupt and
adulterate sober English that it seems as If they
sought to torture their own language into the ago
nizcd confession that it was ,hcv>h imroSter that
had run away from another. Laughter and cheers
And. whether would or rot will now show YOU
why those ancient languages must. in preference to
all modern tongues. remain the groundwork ct
liberal and comprehensive education. | have said
that youth is the season Of imitation. We place
before Youth not only books to read. hut authors
who to serve as models Of ideal excellence and
whom commend to its special love and admira-
ton. Where could agree to such models in
any modern language? Take. for instance. the
French. 1t is clear that models Of a language must
he sought in the greatest masters of its style and
d'cton. Who arc the two greatest such masters in
French? Un0ucstionably still, in their several
ways Rousseau and Vo,airc. But what prudent
teacher would commend Rousseau and EOltai-c
models TO he studied night and day hv inqui>t;ve
and initiative youth? Pass to Italy. However we
admire the snblimv of Dante. his arSterc and
Gothic beauties cannot furnish the models FOR gene.
raj study while the other Italian masters. such as
Aristo and Bocrnrcio who night furnish hints Tor
more flowing and graccs Of STYLE, arc scarcely
those whom the people Of these kingdoms would
like to see the elementary moraStS in n manly and
beautiful education. Tnrn to Germany; an GOETHE
meets colossal at the threshold. But would
Gnthc's warmcst admirer commend to his own
young that calm artist who profoundly de-
picts orr inirmtcs and frailtics, but who rejects
from his the rude outlines Of fortitnde and
heroism, would he commend to his sons as their
early study and model the greatest Of the Germans.
whose mind has been compared to n cupo'a lighted
from below with the same confidence with which
he would dismiss them to their Homer to learn
there in the large language Of the carly GODS
learn to low in Hector the defender Of his country.
and admire in Achilles the fnot that cannot Weld
and the lips that hate lie the gates Of hell?
(Cheers Again. in the ancient language both the
popular mythology and the philosophical free think
ing are SO "hni'v remote rom "S '"al we nave u"
fear ofther innring the Christian tenes profess
I apprehend that student wonid be tempted to
raise an altar to Jupiter nor he sednced by Lncre-
thus into belief in the doctrine Of atoms. But in
the great body of modern continental languages,
when escape from the writers who openly or
covertly sap Christianity to the writer's who most
warmly oppose intidelity, the nseparable distinc-
tons between the Roman Catholic religion and all
denominations of our Protestant faith obstruct
the moment we come to decide upon models for
minute study and passionate attachment. If, for
T o11od fo fur to Franco for