New-York tribune., 1873-07-24
pHILOLOGISTS IN COUNCIL.
TIE CONVENTION AT EAsToN.

NHOAN
FAsroN. Penn, July 23.-The usual address
-, tho retiring President was delivered last evening by
rev DR. Kendrckwho began with tribute to the men,
orv OF the late Prof. Hadley Of Yale College,
deceased since the last year. As Plato in
ne olive groves Of the Academy missed Aristotle
the intellect from the circle Of his pupils miss
him who always gTaced our assemblages and most per-
fectly embodied the spirit OF Association. All too
soon in our human estimate, has he whose splendid
scholarly attauments cquaed only by his admira-
bic Judgment and unfaug mOdesty and courtesy, been
removed from among us. His family, his college, the
church, our organization, all have suf-
fered bereavement. The contributions which
ne has left, worthy Of his high repu-
tatiOn but deepen regret his untmely departure
But the Christian scholar dies We lay made
Quate memorial his bier and turn away to the living
duties Of the hour. We are Phiologists. We have to
do with words. Words small things to the eye, but
not to the mind They the media Of all human inter
course the embodiment Of all human thought, the re-
pcsory Of all human history. the worlds link between
remotest generations
Light, airy. scent as they seem. them rests
substantially the structure OF a nations civilization
Our modern vocabulary knows no such thing as small
and Insignificant From the kissing teakettle emerges
the steam giant that darkens the heavens and shakes
continent. The spectrum dscloses few deicately
Disseminated OF color but in these is read whole
volume OF celestial chemistry The minute is the
mother Of the vast. Blot out Palestine, Greece
Italy and England from your maps and the eye would
scarcely miss them but blot out their record aud where
human bstOryi The elements then Of our science
small materially but spiritually grand And though
subtle in their changes, they subject to law
they change without cause aud this fact brings
them within the sphere of science. They have been put
the cruc5le aLd tested by the severest laws Phi
lology allows no arbitrary assumptions. And II
Yields 20 science in the rigOr Of its laws
he eXactncs OF ITS methods and the searching charac
GER Of its analysis Thus the flowing. eyer-heaviug
ocean Of language tossed like bllOwy atmosphere
he broaths OF millions, has had meetes and bounds set
by The fat Of II is not, indeed, perfect.
To il 20 be would be TO Give totally
ccptonal position. II has had its charatans and noun
tebanks it's Ruofs ready 10 murder languages as to
murder 1t has its territories yet unexplored But
tbis the condition Of all true science The science that
could be finished would not be worth the finishing.
True science never realizes its ideal
But asked what is the value OF our sciencei
We answer frst In general, that the proper end Of
knowledge is know ledge. 1t is especially to be rcjoced
not that culture leads to material Improvement, bat
material is dependent upon high culture; than
sarge scale nations material resourcess can only
re devel0Tcd in connection with those educational
processes that develop the faculties and expand the in
loect We not foolish enough TO disparage material
wealth. We have no sympathy with the ancient sage
who disdancd TO degrade philosophy to material uses
1gt still less with the brilliant hercSy Of Macauay, that
sAb duNltut lutipeuPAJ was lNos DOOouoo ~ utu
not bring physical prosperity It was the noblest pro-
Duct OF PagInism, and by awaking the divine harmo
mics OF the soul was ncOmparaby better for Pagansm
than would have been the best-matured systems Of
physical science which should have poured in on the
community the corrupting luxures OF wealth.
But II as philoOgs,s we interested IN language
purely science have educators especially TO do
with it in literature. Lang1age hue art the noblest
Il the fine arts aud flowers forth in that aggregation of
que arts deuominaed literature Its grand disciplinary
power In the sphere Of TASTE developing that sense
~ the beautiful which God has deposited as deep
welhead OF enjoyment in the human soul, and whose
objective quality He has diIusod over the universe
language alI literature for moro than any or
an the arts utter the emotions and embOdy the
harmouies Of the soul, and are, therefore, the
most perfect instrument for evolving these
harInonies and cutiYating the aesthetic element in
man. this fact determines the languages which are
20 DO selected the means OF educational culture
They are The Greek and Latin. Some peculiarly fe1c
tOus conjunction Of causes made these nations peculiarly
alive 70 fitness. harmony, and proportion everywhere
and made them the worlds teachers in the realm OF
taste Many eonspre for selecting their Ian
ynages as the basis Of linguistic culture-their in
rnsc perfection the excellence OF their eratures, and
the central position which they occupy in human
history From other such vantage ground does the
eve Of the sweep the vast tract OF human his
tory. II high studies TO prevail, the classics will
hold their place in systems of education. Classical
earuiug has ever found and feel assured ever
will be found in the front rank Of the sciences OF prog
rcs TIE revival Of classical learning in Europe was
an attendant and handmade Of the great uprising Of the
popular mind against the coTuptons Of the Papacy
and found It's firm antagonists in the champions Of the
old abuses.
Tue speaker then sketcbed rapidly the achievements
q Phiolcgy, Illustrating tie variety and frutfuness Of
rs researches in the fields OF history and ethnology and
closed by pointing to the wide fields which lie before
the American phnolOgist lie can enter into and show
She labOrs Of European scholars, and has fields
which peculiarly his The confluence of differ
eu speeches soil creates peculiar forms of speech
demanding special attention; our rapidly waning abo-
rnal dialects should be diligently investigated and the
political, industrial, and climatic influences operating
English speech make the problem OF its future one
o. great interest TO the student OF language.
This mornings session began at o'clock. Prof. Joy
Of South Carolina, Dr. Howard Crosby Of the University
OF New.York, and Prof. Goodwin Of Harvard College
appointed a committee, to which the President
Dr. Hitchcock, was afterward added by motion, TO pre-
pare suitable resolutions the death OF Prof
Hadley Of Yale, and the Executive Committee were also
Greeted 20 prepare a memorial. The following we're
elected members Of the association; Thomas ID. Leg
nuever Of Western Reserve College, Oho Prof D. T.
Reilly Of Rutgers and Profs G. Fischer and Alex. John
also OF Rutgers The first paper read was by Prof.
Charles II. Brigham OF Ann HarDOr, Mich, on "The
Great Harris Papyrus" The paper was an abstract OF
tie account recently published by Dr. Eisenlohr
TIE manuscript was found in 1885 in mummy
pit Of T1eDes. 1t is written in the her
attic character and is Of great value 1t adds much TO
tue ancient Egyptian vocabulary, and nterprets the
history and customs OF ancient Egypt 1t probably
written 32l year Of the reign Of King Remess ILL.,
whose doags It principally details 1t is divided Into
parts the first Of which IS an introduction, while the
next four tell Of the gifts which Remess brought to
the gods Of nebes, Of Memphis, aud OF
Hauopol.s. This part OF the MS covers
lpages The next 1ye the close Of the MS and by far