Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-07-13
THE STUDY OF THE CLASSICS.

The reader OF newspapers LOT Weeh ph'' |
has received the impression that Charles
Francis Adams, Jr., has delivered at Caui-
bridge, an Grafton in which he set himself IN
opposition to classical instruction. The wri-
tiers of the many editorial articles on the ora
ton evidently thought that such was the
fact. II, however, they had taken pains to
read the grafton, ubshed in full In the Bos-
ton papers, they would not have fallen into
the error. But during the heat OF the first
week in July, this was evidently too much
to expect What Mr.. Adams did, was
amid much laudation of classical studies, TO
plead for larger space and higher rank for
studies In modern languages and literatures.
| Drawing his materials for illustration main
| " from the history of the Adams family
during four generations, he contends
that fathers and sons, one after
another, have wasted upon two dead Ian
guaccs an amount of mental force which, II
it had been applied TO the mastery OF modern
thought in the modern tongues, would have
equipped them far better for the manifold
activities in which they have been engaged.
We are at loss, just at this point, which
of two possible differences to draw from
the experience of this historic family |;
whether to rest content with an education
which has given 10 craftsmanship. literature,
and business such a succession of great and
useful and honOred men, or to follow out
the hint Mr.. Adams gives us and imagine
how much greater and more illus,rous they
might have been if they had all learned Ger
man in their youth instead of Greek. For
MIR. Adams levels his criticism mainly
against the superficial study of Greek
which, he says, prevails in the Boston
Latin School aud Harvard College, and he
prcsumcs in all other school and colleges,
and he urges the optional substitution OF
German and French in its place both
in school and college. The gist of his whole
argument is to show that it is better to know
French and German thoroughly than to
know Greek specifically. 10 which we
answer: In most Institutions the modern
languages have place by the side OF the
ancient, u place of growing If not yet OF ade-
auatc importance. If Mr.. Adams sons are
as bright US other Adams boys have been,
they may learn Latin and Greek no! super
ficialy, and French and German thorough
ly. MIR. Adams is content that all who pur-
sue a liberal education should learn Latin
he demurs only at the demand for Greek.
As regards the study of Greek, we believe
that more and more thoughtful men ale COM
ing to his position, at least so far as this
that the mastery of Greek requires so rare
an order Of mind and so much time and exer-
ton, that it should be taken only as specially.
or at least as an elective. The average stu
dent wastes upon Greek time which
Tor him would he better spent on othei
things. But this means only that the infer
ior or the ordinary mind is not susceptible oil
the finest discipline it does not meau that il
is susceptible of some other discipline equal
ly good. That the German or any olhel
tongue has in it the capabli,y of fine culture
which the Greek has, or that the French o.
German literature has the power of develop
ing and Christening young intllect which
the Greek literature has and by virtue OF
which it holds its place in our modern cur
riculum, few scholars would venture to
affirm. Mr. Adams certainly does not. Il
recognize fully he says, "thc benefit TO b.
derived from severe training on those mothe
. tongues. No one admres more than
do the subtitle, Understandable fineness both
thought and diction which a thorough CLASH
cal education gives to the scholar Mr.
Gladstone is, as Macauley was striking
case in point. And as much as any one
note and deplore the absence of this literar.
Tower-stamp in the writings and utterance
of many of our own authors and publ
men,"
The net effect of Mr.. Adams's tren chan
paper will, we think, be about this Us to til
main charge, the failure Of the classic disci
pine to fit men for modern life, publ
, verdict Of not proren, as witness Mr.. At
, ans himself and the long line of illustriou
men who bear his name a fresh attention
the claims of the modern languages aud liter
atures; the survival, unimpaired, possibl
, strengthened, of the old classic discipline i
the Adams Academy at Quincy, and IIarvar
college, and in ''all inferior institutions