The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-11-11
Classic LEARNING.

CLASSIC LEARNING.
The highest, purest. noblest human
life manifested in thought. feeling. as
piration and action, expressed and en-
bodied and perpetuated in clear. honor
able language, makes what we call clas-
sic learning 1t is TO many what the
honey in the wood was TO heroic, starv-
ing Jonathan, light to the eyes ana
strength TO the soul. 1t is pabulum
prlncipum; good words, royal dainties,
feeding among lilies, a spring shut up,
fountain sealed.
Early Greek and Roman life teens with
heroism, with courage, fortitude, self
sacrifice, devotion and prudence; very
admirable on many accounts. but all
too much favored with the spirit of that
vile French condment, La Gloire."
which anglicised is glamour. And their
poets and historians have. in wonderful
words and sentences, mirrored and per-
petuated the very best Of them in their
best aspects. These authors are taken
as the old masters Of literature, the
Remote Fontes. the head waters Of clas-
sic learning. And those Of our modern
writers, who are after their style in
depth and nobleness Of thought and ex-
preston, are known as classic. One au-
thor stands alone in all the world UNI
classified among uninspired writers, re-
ferred to only as Shakespeare. Quasi Luna
inter minora Sidera.
But the highest and best OF writer's in
poetry or prose, are immortalized as
they fulfil a great office to mankind They
make for the earth the high places Of
heart and mind, where the noblest may
find clear light and braciug atmosphere.
and battle in spendor. The sensible and
good mans library is a garden enclosed;
not open to the gaze of the idle, fancy,
luxurious. vain, admiring, bookish rab-
BILE. 1t is not common. His house is
his castle and he chooses his company;
| will walk within my house with a
perfect heart. / will not know wicked
person. mine eyes shall he upon the
faithful In the land, that they may dwell
with me; he that walketh in a perfect
way, h shall serve me; he that telleth
lies shall not tarry In my sight The
companonship there is the spirits OF
lust men made perfect. And yet how
prostituted may be this classic learning.
It's business is excellent virtues and
graces; its conceits the brightest and
best thoughts; it's pleasures the purest
and highest things; its clothing very
robes of righteousness. Yet II is these
splendid, unavoidable elegances that
catch the eye and wake up the common,
vile greed OF Caliban, Trinculo and
StephanO, the beast, the jester and the
sensualist, as they approach the sanct-
uary of learning. The glitter of hand
some words, the necessary clothing, the
blush. the bloom, the natural shows OF
essentially beautiful IDEAS, the fruit OF
the lips, take their lustful superficial
gravelly hearts. Then cometh the jealous
devil Of the world, flaps his wings, and
with an kbeste profani! off, brutes!
rights them from selling even the bright
coverings and shows Of knowledge. An
idle, selfish soul has no taste or Gtomach
for the realities OF truth and virtue. The
manhood that does not take up and rev.
crently and lovingly appropriate the
richness of classic lore, turning IL :nto
the fibre of ChOrocter and blood Of life,
that does rot suck the sweets OF sweet
philosophy. instead Of shining more and
more to the perfect day. is fraud ana
failure and finds his place in the muck
of agnosticism. From him that hath rot
shall be taken away even that which
be seemeth to have. II men use ambiti-
ously and greedily the best gifts of Goa
how can they fully possess them 20 Ills
honor and glory in actual ownership?
There is no common so full OF fakirs
and frauds and catch pennies as what
il known as the world Of literature anu
Intellect where heart and soul, where
iov and sorrow, thought and sensibillty'
the hottest experiences of our being are
nut on a business basis, materiaiized ana
made into stories and theories 10 please
the crowd and inebriate them Ana hO'
many removes from this arena are the
,,,orl,ats where classic learning IS sac
rilegiousIy sold in the SHAMELESS or hsht-
Is, offered as the goods Of the MillineraS
-. NIo,tua-makers. The sounds OF the
d,doctic hammer. with the grammatical
and biological line and piummet anu
straight edge quite disgust the soul OF
learning. And so il wings its night away
of from such conditions and orsalilza-
,ions 10 find home IN the Simple
bosoms of the lowly and single near .e''
,rbese think they know nothing oil claS-
sic learning: and yet they feast Ireshly
,,,,or its best bounties, gathered from
t,,ra,s hand. drawn from her breasts
NJ moor old Job and Homer: o. ii tncy
nn',Id only have had college Coulse,
higher education What h's"' NV
been!