Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-12-19

DEAR Mr.. EDIToR!-When anything
gives me entire satisfaction, l am so I'M
selfish as to desire all others to possess the
same. If my tailor, halter, dry-good;
merchant, organ manufacturer, etc., please
me l like to exhibit what has thus beer
produced. 1t is just the same with pub
fishing establishment. If it furnishes me d
work that gives me satisfaction, boob
that helps me, want to tell others of the
work in question, and where to get it
Such pleasure and service the HarperS
NeW Classical Library" is TO me | wan
to speak of it. know that it would bt
like carrying Goals to Newcastle to attempt
to say anything in favor of the " Harpers'
Publishing House. hence | will only
speak of the intrinsic merits of the New
Classical Library" This is as literal Il
translation Of the principal Greek and
Latin authors read in our American
schools and colleges us is permitted by tue
diomalc usnges of the ancient languages
Very many having the natural inclination
and strong desire for classical culture flint
that Providence, somehow, has placed Il
their disposal neither the time nor the
means necessary to learn to read intelli
gently and to any great extent the Greel
and Latin authors in the original. An'
when these circumstances conspre favor
ably not one in thousands ever read tn
entire author, or with the appreciation o
the Fellows of Oxford and Cambridge, by
whom this translator is chiefly effected
What reading man or woman is thore, be
ing unacquainted with the ancient Ian
guages, who does not have Il bewitching
curiosity to become familiar with the in
comparable models of literary art thu
preserved? Why should not all who Cal
read their vernacular have placed at thei
disposal the information they seekP VIII,
should a classical allusion be to all bu
college graduates such II profound mys
terry? Why should not every active mine
become familiar with the dnjnluS of the
ancients? The writer, twice at least il
his lifetime, was never placed at create
discount than when attempting Il CONVEX
sation with very plain man "a farmer il
each instance), an omnivorous reader, VIII
though he did not understand what Hae
faJuld docct" meant, had read all tina
.Esop Or Livy, Xenophon or Thucydide
or anybody else, acciJnt or modern, ha
ever written. We determined then 10 be
come as wise (Which we now doubt yer
much) Us the classical farmer.
The standard and ever ready objection
that such TRANSACTIONS are capable of bcin
abused by the lazy and unfathful pupi
or by the indolent and hireling teacher,
no valid argument against their utilit
when legitimately used. No ambitious
respectable and sound principled teacht
or student will make such use of them
while the teacher or pupil that would, wi
amount to nothing either way, and soone
or later will come to literary grief. SUI
cesslul teachers will find it no detrimer
to them or their class TO consult sue
translation before recitation. That h
whole corps of American classical teacl
ers have given a cordial welcome to II
" New Classical Library" at once speal
its worth With some twenty-five duode
imo volumes ut Il very moderate cost, Il
mothers and daughters OF the land M
immensely surprise their sons and brot
ers on returning from college, coverC
with its palchments, by evincing ten tim
us much knowledge Of what the ancien
thought and wrote us those who perha
fancied that what they did not know W
not worth the knowing.
ALUMNUS.