The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-07-17

the force of case, mood. &c His illustrations OF
this point were very ielicItous. Ii inquiry
is raised as TO how these views can be best
enforced. the reply is by enforcing the hoso
and the srhy, and insisting that the author
means something by what he writes.
He warmly commended Gildersleeve's
grammars IS doing much to correct errors IN
translation and enforcing true methods. MI.
Smiths paper was we'll considered, well
written. aud we'll read.
Rev. DR.. Toy, of the Southern Baptist The
illogical Seminary, being called out. concur
red in the main positions Of the report, but
begged 10 remind its author that he had
taken the extremes OF the several methods.
DIR. Arn;ld had taken the same view. a
GOOD translator must really know both the
language 10 be translated ana tnat lDto
which he proposes to translatc--in Woro,
bc master of 10Th languages. His expert
cncc of late wears had been In the Greek,
Hebrew. and other languages, rather than
the Latin, but be insisted that d living knoWi-
cdse of the language is to be derived only
from extensive reading. and not from the
bare bones of the granmars. The report
was further discussed by II. Ii. smi'h, OF
Tennessee; w. w. Smith. superintendent
Laid, and Professor J. NJ. Garneit. and was
a,d on the table for further discussion. A
report on
INSTRUCTION IN CHEMISTRY,
tv Professor j. w. G.. Davis, was then rcan.
The report expresses regret at the want ol
a suitable text book, and that the OLD anu
new nomenclature are so blended toSether.
I, urges the teacher 10 select the best BOOK he
can. aud supplement by lectures anu expert
mems.
The report calls attention to several new
Textbooks.
Professor J. A. Turner, of Hcllins lnsti-
iutc, from The committee "on the sequence
OF the study OF languages, ancient anu moo
crn. defining the stage at which relatively
each should be begun" gave 4 general out
line of his essay on this subject last year,
and adhered TO lis conclusions that the pupil
should study Latin first, Greek next, and
the modern languages next.
Mr.. w. W. Smith would study the classics
first for their disciplinary value, and the
modern languages next tor their practical
information.
Professor II. Ii. Harris could not see the
distinction between the study OF language
for discipline and for intormation-the one
pocs along with the other. lie thought
there could be no fixed rule as to the Sc
offence best in any given case. He would
BEGIN with English rs the foundation, ana
then take in order French, German, Latin,
Greek, and then reverse them.
The discussion was further participated IN
b. Mr.. W. w. Smith, Mr.. Laid, Professor
J. 4. Turner, Smith Of Tennessee, Professor
l.. NJ. Blackford. DR.. Little, Professor Price,
CAPTAIN Terry, and Professor }. III. Garnet.
and some derpy.interesting points we're So
licited, for which regret have not space.
Professor Price raised the question as 10
why French is commonly studied 6et0re
German. and made IN earnest appeal to the
teachers 10 give the German language tile
place which God has given the German peo'
pie.
Granby-Strect Methodist church was filled
Tonight with one of Norlolk's most refined
audiences, attracted by the reputation OF the
speaker and interest in the occasion.
After prayer 10y Rev. DR.. Toy. OF South
Carolna. there followed the address Of Pro-
le,>or I. X. Price, Of Randolph -Macon Col
lrSc, on
THE rLAcE OF TIE MOTHER TONGUE IN EDU-
CATION.
He begun by quoting from the old Gre
clan poet the prayer for his country, which
he brcalhcd when the countless hordes OF
Xcrxes threatened to oferrun the land.
'U'cr this our State may Ieus who dwc'ls In
Stretch forth Ills rich, hand for our maintenance
So. TOO the other Gods; but may Ap3!!"
LIf, up our language and lift up our thought.
He explained the circumstances and mean
Ing of this Stanza, and proposed to found his
argument for the study CT the mother
tongue as the basis of all education on the
relation between peoples speech and lis
capacity for greatness.
lie earnestly uttered the conviction that
tie building of railroads, the issue Of green.
back, and the degradation Of the suffrage
are rUt the whole Of national welfare. and
proceeded TO show the influence OF lang uaee
on the moral aud intellectual power OF the
State. In ably enforcing this point be
took. for illustration, the word "lelal,|
which was one OF the graadc>t words OF all
the Roman treasures of our English speech.
\ child OF the Roman lex, loyalty was at
first That quality by which good citizen
differs from a criminal, 4 civilized man from
savage. He showed how the spirit Of
I'rutonic chiv3lry breatbed upon it, the Ro-
mun word was modified to mark Christian
virtue. and bow there came 10 be blended in
this word all that was best both in the up
ri.htucsS of the law-abiding Roman and in
the flithfulness OF the Christian gentleman.
Yet even such word as this we have seen
in our evil days torn from good uses and
made word Of shame. For can any aSSo-
cations Of history or of romance can al!
the memories of Rome, or all the glories OF
the Round Table, ever cleanse for Us the
name that was given 10 the "loyal' men OF
reconstructed Virginia:
But there is greater evil still in the loss
Of the intellectual power Of words resulting
from the diSu>c OF our mother tongue. since
every word properly understood expresses
its own proper thought. 4 period 0! incl
lectual fail will come when the classic Use
of our language gives place 10 slang or yul-
oar rhetoric. He illustrated and enforced
This idea at some length, and with great Ie-
licitv. He cited Senior CASTELAR,, that Span
ish sumner, absurd and inflated fanatic, as
bv pompuus platitudes and disiocatcd meta
phors charming nation into the jaws OF
death. He asked if we are not III danger OF
the same evils since Bret Harte Is our ma
tional poet and Charles Summer the "Ameri-
can Demosthenes 2" He cited the case OF
Boss Tweed, who told the tailor, in answer
10 a question, that he was ga statesman" As
strange comment on our national misuse OF
well.born WORDS.
He cited the average speech in Congress,
or of the local orator, sensation preacher.
and the average newspaper report OF fire
or bull, as all having the same faint OF taW-
dry ornamentation. He wildly sketched the
pcrvasive influence Of this in every profess
sion, and the mighty evil it carries to So
ciely. he attributed the corruping inhu'
ence of our literature chiefly to the neglect
of the mother tongue in American educa-
lion. and elaborale!y argued that the anti