The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1864-12-26

might almost be classed In numismatic cate
CORY; but, with the single exception Of the new
two cent piece, which is really handsome and
sensible In design, we have not presentabie
coin Of modern issue.
The growth Of the country from year to year
is well illustrated in the fact that, although it
IL not yet hundred years old, the issue of
money has been immenss-the product almost
entirely Of our own soil, industry and labor
Since the adoption Of the constitution the
Mint has struck off very nearly thousand mil
lions of dollars, and last year was the most
prosperous Of any. This is hopeful sign OF
what the country will be able to do when
few years Of peace have given her recuperatiye
powers chance to Develop themselves. n
More "News from Pasnasus'-Great
Classical PerfOrm . noes OF the Herald.
Our readers remember that short time ago
one of our contemporaries attacked US with
vclley of latin quotations, which we returned
with broadside of the same ammunition, but
Of much heavier calibre; whereupon our assail-
ants subsidized and have not been heard from
since. They showed their discretion in retir-
ing from the contest when they saw how I'M
equal it was. Egad, they little thought, when
they attacked the HERALD, what an old classical
lion they were stirring up. If we have not
alluded to their discontinue we know dis
corning public has done justice to our motives.
We never boast Of our successes. Besides,
PROSTATE foe or a fellow in any sort of trouble
is sacred thing with US;
Res est sccrd mser,
as an old Roman philosopher said. BY the
way we will give any one of the learned pro-
| fessors ten dollars in grcenbscks to name the
author of this genial sentiment, and point out
the chapter and verse in which it is to be found.
We offer ten dollars because we have been a
| good deal in communication, socially and other
wise, with that eminent class of citizens, and we
never knew one Of them who, at any period
Of his life, was not in urgent want of that exact
sum Of money. To give q reasonable time
for their researches: we will keep the offer
open to the end of Mr.. Lincsln's third term.
We make this suggestion, not to say prophecy,
in regard to the Inevitable continuance of our
learned President In Office for an indefinite
period of time because, as his friend, we wish
to throw bombshell into little knot Of
needy politicians who are already intriguing
| for the succession.
To return to the quotation above produced,
1t is usually attributed to Ovid. We have win
tered aud summered with that prolific versifer,
and we know he never uttered it. A bloody
Frenchman (that is the scientific phrase by
which our nautical men describe an individual
specimen of the Galiican species) compiled
more than half century ago book, which be
published under the title OF LA Morale deS
Poetes," or the cream Of the rhymesters. In this
book the quotation referred to is ascribed to
another author. We know precisely where it
IL, and therefore do not want the information
for our own use. We make the offer solely for
the benefit Of the learned professors, aud shall
have the money ready for them.
The reverend clergy, when they have laid
sNRxSs gaSyra i few words thy way Of improve.
nent." This is what We now propose to do by
way of EDMONTON to all literary pretenders.
We know these people thoroughly. Some Of
them are fellows who broke down in their
sophomore year; others are sickly products of
old effete colleges, which never had any ado
quate foundation, and in which the professors
doze through the recitations, without caring
whether their pupils turn out blockheads or not.
These useless drones would not be allowed
to stay In any respectable hive single day.
Ignovum, Jucos, pecus a prGsepibus arcent :
Anglice, they would be turned out OF the hive,
as lazy, good for nothing SET For the iAfor-
nation of the unlettered we observe that this
line Of Virgil, in company with four or Eve
| thoro fuu;o IN hat t.
fourth George, l68, he thought be had said such
COED thing that he could not resist the temp
tation Of saying it over again ia the first
Eneid, 439, repeating himself. as we have
known some silly writer's do in our own times.
But to proceed. These one-horse Colleges
are Of no account. We went through the regu-
lar course in one of them ourselves, without
learning anything. Our present celebrity in
the classics is wholly due to the profound
eruditon and the untiring devotion Of our
private tutors. Wide awake fellows they werc
too, and the very opposite ofthe dozy old fogies
we have alluded to. When certain sophomsres Of
the press attacked us with two Latin quotations
from Terence, the favorite poet OF our learned
President, we would have sworn that they had
consulted some second hand twopenny copy,
which they had cheapened at book stall in
Chatham street or down at Peck slip; and we
learn from good authority that this is the fact.
Now mark the contrast. We are particularly
strong on the grea. African dramatist. AS we sit
in our sumptuous classical library, 10 the most
luxurious Of easy chairs, our feet slightly ele-
waited, the smoke of our fragrant Havana curl
ing gracefully up to the lofty ceiling, and the
table before us grooming under the literary
treasures Of the Augustan era, our eye rests on
shelf-one Of the most capacious In our mag
nilcent bookcases-appropriated to and en-