New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-06-25
DISCUSSING THE CLASSICS.
BIACKIE, RUsKIN AND MROSH ON GhEEh'
NEED OF STUDYING THE cLAssics-A. GREAT
wRrrER.c,LLs HIMSELF CLOWN

xrrD OF STUDYING THE CLAssiCs-A 1"Hni
wRrrRR.cALLs HIMSELF CLOWN.
Several English scholars have recently been
,,a nv the Editor of The University Quarterly the
magazine Of the University OF the CITY Oh new ioA,
to- their views on the value Of tho study of Greek nnd
Tun In modern education. The nun Der just pun
ll.bed contains letters from John Ruskin ana 'onn
e,art- Blacke After speaking Of the great Greek anu
Toman writers the special key to great lneec'ua
Injury Professor Blackie says;
Z, am of opnion altogether apart from the specaues
~ Creek and Latin that the acquisition OF
ought not to occupy prominent place as ~ uoe ~
the programme of our educational estaDslenss us, our
.aSe stores of literature and science are SO rlcn ana
various seems plainly vast 81 ZINE With the
acquiring double vocabulary lor ,ng o Numerous az
nomenclature OF the mother tongue arr ~ pIdc
To oyermasier the normal power oil acquisition bcsiaes
do not outsider that education Ought to consist NANNY
a. anv sort of bookish ndoctrEaton but rather IN the
exercise OF living functions, such as are III to
dexieros exercise OF the senses; that Is to say the
n,ties ibrough the senses should he trained to act on
objects rather than words ana rejoice more III M
fuey are able perform than In what tney are lhg. "
tnnw ara OF opinion therefore, that II inc acquisition
of any language than the .mother tongue Is 10 Ioin
part of tho school curriculum no more imam one
sch language sshoud be taught and taught thorousny
aud that the choice of the language whether ancient OF
o. ocai circumstances personal distinction Ol course
notupg in the above remarks Is Intended IN any way W
denrecate the high value OF complete classlcal culue
~ those who have leisure and capacity to ovcrke IT.
Tnkng tue pure Greek literature and the nierauie o
the Christian religion and the Christian Church toselhe
7 know no literature, ancient Sr modern, whlcn can DO
placed IN OF the highest caituTs on pe'o an
I,ncon and Walter Scott cannot IN all It's bearings nc
considercd as outweighng Greek. What mean simply
4, tnot ne nm engine OF high culture for the generality
~ ieducated gentemen Greek can no longer claim
Tho SANG place that it did In the time OF Queen ELIZA
Soh nlry bccluse what Greek 10 the great mass
of cultivated minds those days can now DC had from
more accessible quarters; partly because new quIios
of culture have sincel been opened ul winch nave a
,refcrahle claim on the advanced intelligence OF the
nineteenth century,
kMr Rushn wrote tho,followng:
MY DEAR SIR: Many thanks for your refereuce TO me
hut never would read trouble inyseH 10 speak
word on tho subject Knowing classic tongue ana
history ia the primary difference between gentleman
ana a clown. know neither myself TO call knowlns)
and am clown thereforebut at least who has the
e'"Oo ~ ~ -' j. RUsKIN.
7prcsdcntM OF Princeton, sent the following as
his view:
Tn ourcoegc we retain the ancient classical Languages
and we reourc such knowledge OF them the part OF
ali as NAV enable read ordinary passage OF
the great writer's and Rome. Our Faculty are
hanpily unanimous hs scientific being deter mined as
the literary mem insisting that Greek 10 required OF
those who the bachelors degree They thus INSIST
as thew consider to be the nohlcst language OF
antonity as furnishing admirable training FOR the
mind as opening to literature which has neN er been
surpassed, and the tongue in which COO mas peen
pleased TO make the full recitation OF bis VIII IN
regard 10 His and the duties we owe 10 HIM
and our fellow-lnen. II our colleges Systematically
discard the Latin and Greek, the whole ancient world
with its thoughts and deeds. will remain very much
unknown CIV educated men. and our knowledge
would be narrowed the last few ages in the history OF
the world.