Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1871-08-11
Cor. Free Press and Times.
Our Albany Letter.
The Uaipsrsify Conr0eafioa.--7 FaPsL y
Prot. TAYLOR Lessis. = The true t'a ,.,s
RIM Greek and Latin shoHid Be @i1'sa
"a C0Ilsyeg


ALBANY, Aug ID, lo4i-
Dear Free Press and Time
l left my .4lna Mater at Burlington JESTER
day With great hesitation ami reluctance, ce-
cause to-day is commencement day with you
there, and desired to be in attendance. But
the gathering Of professors and teachers and
scholars here, from all parts Of the Empire State
must be he'd strong temptation, to one who
besitates between choice Of two things each Of
which is too good to be lost
This morning We had among other things
paper by Prof Taylor Lewis As his name Was
announced remembered how deeply had been
interested in 3 paper upon the nemoriier me'hod
Of instruction, read by hin here seine i've years
go. and in the appearance Of the man Al 'n@'
time As Prof Lewis cane forward today
saw thst wears had rendered him more VeneF-
able :. appearance anl was hardly surprised
:, hear him ask the indulgence Of his heSrsrs'
adding thst he could no longer hear bis own /
voice. and might not be able TO manage II so IS .
to be entirely acceptable to his audieaes.
But there was SO much Of interest AID real /
worth in the paper read by this dis'ingnished .
scholar that all defects Of manner were soon for
-,,teu snd lost in the chsrm Of his peculiar and /
fascinating eloqueuee. ! had hall thought |
that il was because he echoed a suggestion or
two that was often III ~ OWL mind when s
.,ulen. At Burlington. tha; Sd much admired
hi. uauer: but when Prof Davies, the mathe-
nstisian Of West Point Academy, iecisred en-
thusiastisaHy s, the close Of the paper, that the
very las, thing 30 Re given a. IN the schools
.bsuld be the study Of the saciel, classics for
which Prof. Lewis PLEADED, felt that others were
exercised by the same feeling which ezPe-
riepeei Prof Davies. 50 widely known as great
Mathematician, said give up any ching ani every
thing. al the sciences ana even mathematics,
before welding up the study Of the ancient
,l.,.i. literature. For al the sciences s7e but
TIE basis upaa whieh is reared that Hot-est and
eraudsst work Of hunsn Feuius, namely. Ian
ruare AMI literature.
Alhsu-a canrl; undertake 60 give al iiea
Of the entire ps1er as read by Professor Lewis
desire 90 notice some points in T.. upon topics
20 which NV stieution vas drawn ay M OH
experience s. student
Professor Lewis frs, s;A,el the reasons Why
Greek and Latin should be studied The tEo
reasons c-mm,uly urged, viz. TIA, they open
the door TO q kuovlsi-e Of language, and that
they sforl the best means OF mental discipline
be REGARDED as only secondary reasons. and not
the primary reason Tae primary reason he
held TO be. the value of the knov.sige Of the
literature itself % tie c-el, classic writers.
remember very sell Lov often p the early
months of my college H., .-is question was dis
cus.s5 by myself aui classmates. Il vss held
BY cur best scholars. Or ty most Of then,
that discipline was tl- main orie-t 81 -eaiias
Latin aul Greek But some Of the class re3s-.ei
strongly a-sius. ,5e doctrine 1t vas l-4imei
f- The -s,ss ,as- ta5zlel-e o. ancient rtsra-
ture should be- .ls primary ltiec. IL pursuing
these z;ui.es. vas among ,le -edels upon
this point. sud VS. therefore much pleased to-
is, av tie views Of Prof Lewis I believe
with him ih-. mere ijs1-ise ku0vleig- q lau-
gu4se. however aceu-ate it mag be, esu never
iu9art taa- eutaus.ssu which classical studies
should ava1ea IN TIE mind Of -ls F-ui=u-
When usel o. contend that We SHOULD lsz-n
Ls-ln aul o-aaa. IL "-a' is Ft is-Thl- --s-
ish by hearing 30 reading sl' .l. Of 1t IN
Il. We a-. familiar with Is, ami -y absorbing
il IL the 1t.rsf way Of learning language. the
rsuIy vss male tll- what proposed was iui-
,,.sstra AMI chat th-r11rt r-a1ul-lc-l
-.t --.
--'Na-=7 % ss
tlau 1ulirci ps-ef --re-es--y t-l o'ei-
Bu psot Lewis taxes my size ct this CUES
ut.-5- .t.....-.,-, .... r.,-ir and
ui5e1 's -1s man I--ai i.- '.-- p isa- -.'V '-
,A, ire->lrs= q ancient learning l-st be- Einl-e-
- ... la..- ~ .t. s-,.sa-- and nav e-i-.s.- bis
r-. 49, p. -...,-.'- ,---t ---..- +-.. chat
s.. 20 -t.is.s.-,s t1.- s,-,a .---i.,. s.b5I.rs
,e.-7.- ,..-,.. t,..gI..l.4 - -b- structure
~ e-s- f.,-. .,,. ,.i-.-. 80. Int ~ view than
n NOV se. r,s..,...l .,f r., t5-se sans critic
ri e,5--.-. -azr b... vq-- hide the s1s-i- o.
$500, -.-sr.-.-s r+a-- ..iar DELIGHT Is N dis
.,...-- and ,..--.-..i-.- t-4-. a--l-s .bs- U.av
t.,s .-,---si b. --,,s--i..-.- i.1i15ra--sr- pas
ss-ss ~ ancient v1rss Tte re.Uv i-lr1rtsut
Is.s-,, b.ra .. ..l- s-.1-t b. tts-. ID. preserve
,t.- =, 81, rs- thew Az rs-sfv ne .1-is-t Of the
--,rs.-ir.s--. -,i,..rss
lf ..u-s. there is --.s- inheritance q. be A.
ts-hal +s al accurate ..,5v'ei-a o+rhe structure
~ i.n4Ba-s. and csreei,-.v t.. the Grees hut
If ~ .iscip,ine j. made A. ell. il irsc.f. and
no.. means trr higher tr5s edge. IN most
rai,.i. Ii...e .- no enthusiasm is awakened. and
.,..s.. i-,--.-ur. tbs -r.sfe.- .-ors-55uss Of
b,7a- t,..vlzi-. b. vbi.. s. fuui the wis
5--, ef II TN. INST r--sa.a. u-.r-l1r.l i7 ts,
s.,,e,t
Tvir..- ,.k4tns srtce Do nst..s the fell of
.s-.-f-.. .-sys-..l i.. fi--.srs.- r,z-fs in
,.,-.,-- ,.- -is -as-f-. ara. rai t, -ta -vs DIFF
is-e,.+ -7..lss % s-uiv Tr IS erar-b Do say that
-ba mon ra5e strong Dis Breathing the
s,,-,- ~ -ta au-.sr- eI<s.i.. have u1t
b.sn those Of the modern school of
,--sr.,s--,.f and rb-oI,r--l criticism. On
.s.l.- L,.s ,-s,- nav. issrl mon ,yho -..i.I che
cls.s.s. t',sr-.-.,-. ami ,-.ry Id rbeu vitbsu.
tbs an oft4s. ..is-Bess OF -rau,rusrs ana Isyi-
cons which -, nov supposed o. aid. an doubt
less d, all. the --f..-r. student Bv much
-aa3--- ir siIsr times they became f,ilisr with
na 1.r-us-as which tbev read nat As An eul.
rr- SIS q mean 10 s.irir- q kurrieI-e u a.
,iar.- -ta-s.--p
lar, su-e that tss -scsr,.'r elected President Of
va--,,n. I,ivsr.i-r -a-i.v -ns.qu~,,ai 5is
M. k,,es z the interest with q eb some If the
members o. q lsrre s.asr. some In Years So
mn Ter MS instruction.. listened 90 casual remarks
I,- r,l. bv hin. IN the class r1gr. heqriu- ur7n
the 0ussisp ..l,7 .iis-usssi hero sv pr5s Lsuis
In he r.per Nv recollection of those remarks
an hi. te4-hin- and pra,ti., Iesi ise o. think
that President Baekhtn might be- .n-lulel IL
tine exeeDt,5r which Prof Lewis made in regard
70 President " 1olsey Of Yale s.f Prof TYLER Of
Amherst Coue-e.
Prof Levin regards these scholars IS aiming
al and attaining in some degree the true prac-i-
cal use 10 be male o. classical studies. in their
teaching and il public Nfe The true spirit Of
classical learning ought. 10 would seem. % reu-
der one more broadly and wise y practical not