The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1886-11-09
HARVARD CONCENTRATIONS.
The first Lecture in Rev. Or. Dalton s
Course.

A large audience was present. in spite of
the ram, TO hear DIR. Dalton Saturday. "a
Liberal Education" was selected as the sub
lect OF the first lecture of this course, the
lecture being co-incident with the celebra-
ton at Cambridge, which is to continue
three days. This quarto- millennial of Har-
ward, said the Doctor, is an event OF national
interest, furnishing the occasion of Presi- |
dent Cleveland's visit to Cambridge, as the
nations chief representative Without Har-
ward and the liberal education the college
stands for, and the intellectual influence it
has exerted, ours would have been very
different and inferior country to what it is
today. Many Of the ministers who first
came over, were college men,. having gradu-
ated from the University of Cambridge, En-
gland. Highly educated themselves, they
naturally desired to perpetuate their own
elevated standard, so that the churches of
New England should continue to be supplied
with learned pastors. There was serious
apprehension and real danger of sad fall
ing OFF in this respect, since the tendency of
all new colonies is to decline intellectually,
and deteriorate morally. Hence the gift of
successfully applied to the founding of our
first and most celebrated college So wisely
was 1t planned that it has proceeded on its
original lines to this day. Not only so. Har-
ward has furnished the model ON which all
our later colleges have been fashioned
Brown, Dartmouth, Princeton, Columbia,
Bowdoin, Colby, Bates, and the rest, to the
number of three hundred or more, have all
adopted the essential features of "Fair Har-
ward, thus acknowledging her as their COM
mon mother" Three of these, besides the
State College, are in Maine, and well de-
serve the patronage of Maine people. They
are now fairly well endowed, and ably Off
cered. The culture they represent and are
prepared to impart, is not nominal, but real;
NOT arbitrary and artificial, but directly in
man.
. Ihe torch OF learning was first lighted in
Egypt. and passed to Phenicia and Greece,
thence to Rome, by whom it was transmit
ted to modern Europe, and from Europe to
America. Moses was learned in all the wis
dom of the Egyptians. SO was Heroditus.
and indirectly, at least, Plato and the Greek
philosophers generally. But the Greek cul-
ture surpassed all that the world had seen
up to that time, and still remains the chief
source OF modern systems.
Rome built on Greek foundations, but
never so wisely and well as the Greeks
themselves. All the nations of Europe re-
pair to Greece for models of inspiration and
emulation, and alike confess their inability
to rival the originals which they are content
to copy.
What, then, are the main outlines of this
scheme OF education which by common con-
sent IS called liberal and which we find
adopted by the civilized part mankind.
Briefly stated, they are the following: First
and foremost, a careful and critical study of
i the Greek and Latin languages with their
literature, for this still stands at the head of
the column. English, Italian and German
literature approach the Greek, but all are
inferior unless the English be an exception.
Experience has shown that the study of this
ancient literature cannot be dispensed with,
Hence 1t is an essential part of liberal cul-
lure; Nor is there the slightest reason to
think that 1t will ever be superseded. Its
place in the education of the world is secure.
Occasionally it is assailed, as recently even
IN Germany, but always as there, the end of
the controversy is sure to leave Greek Gull
ture more firmly established than before the
assault was made
~ After literature proper comes science.
which also had its origin in Greece, and of
which Aristotle was the. greatest master in
those days. His name is still a tower of
strength. In the Middle Ages he reigned
without rival, but modern discoveries have
made part of his learning obsolete.
~ Science is knowledge, but man has also
sense OF the beautiful, and this gives birth
ment for the beautiful is the proper sphere
of art
% Still higher, however, is the range of
philosophy, which deals with the great prob
lens OF human existence. This also origi-
mated In Greece and Is still cultivated on the
essential principles of the Greek schools.
(5) theology is allied to philosophy and
has always been influenced and modified by
the system Of philosophy prevalent in any
given time or country.
A ii mn0prn litarafuro
philosophy are derived from these ancient
sources as their original spring from which
as so many streams they descend to water
the modern world.
OF course it is desirable to sip these re-
freshing draughts from the fountains if pos
sole. But to drink at least from the streams
moving thence, Is absolutely necessary to
our intellectual and moral health. A man or
woman who does not is simply without that
culture which constitutes the chief feature
of modern civilization, and is at the mercy
OF every charlatan, every literary, scientific
or philosophical quack.
Opinions, theories and systems are con-
stSntly preached and accepted by multitudes
Who.would neverlend an ear tothem if aware
that they had been exploded time and time
again.
Learned men differ among themselves. but
only within certain well specified limits, and
on questions which human wisdom has not
yet been able to solve The uneducated man
is an unsafe leader of men. 1t is the old
story of 1.-THE blind leading the blind Both
will fall into the ditch which is even in the
path of ignorance and quackery Such men
are always one-sided, opiniated, dogmatic
assuming and intolerant
Finally let us rejoice that ours is a day
when woman is invited to drink deep of the
Pierian Spring, and is doing so to the en-
largement of her mind, as she learns to think
and reason.
The above is an abstract of the lecture, in
which these points were elaborated and dine
reference made to many alumni of Harvard
diStin 0uishad in nrafessinnal ,a,-;..a.S