The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1895-01-07


the art of teaching and the German lead
ers of thought supplemented his work 50
thoroughly has been great. But still the
masters in Undertaking differ widely In
methods and even fail to agree in essen
tIals. In the matter of further progress
there is even wider divergence. and edu-
cation seems like religion destined to have
its schisms and its sects. Each leader Will
have his own following. some promising a
royal road to learning and others as con-
servatively adbering to the old idea that
education cannot be hurried and that the
mind cannot be disciplined if it is allowed
to be made a mere playground.
Education Cannot Be Hurried.
The Rev. John Pentland Mahaffy. DID,,
who has written an interesting paper
on education for THE CALL, was born
at ChappOnaire, near Vevay Switzerland,
in 1889. He was educated in Germany by his
parents till he entered Trinity College, Dublin,
in 1856. He gained his fellowship in 1864
was appointed precentor of the chapel in 1867,
professor of ancient history in 1871 and Don
nellan lecturer in 1873. In 1886 h. received
The degree of D. d. He has been decorated
with the gold cross OF the Order of the Savior
bv he King OF Greece and is an honorary TEL
low Of Queens College, Oxford. Mr.. Mahaf1y
is examiner and lecturer 10 Trinity College,
Dublin in classics, philosophy, music and
modern languages. He is Voluminous writer
Iucluded in his works are: a translation OIL
Kuuo FischeT's commentary on Kant
Twelve Lectures on Primitive Civilization
"Prolegomena 10 Ancient History" "Kanps
Critical Philosophy for English Readers"
'sGreek Social Life From Homer TO Menander,"
"Greek Antiquities" "Rambes in Studies in
Greece" 'sGreek Education" "A History OF
Classical Greek" "A Report on the Irish Gram
mar Schools" "The Decay Of Modern Preach
ing" "The Story OF Alexander's Empire" "a
Sketch OF The Life OF DeScartes," 1.-THE Greek
World Under Roman Sway"
l wonder is there any use in saying
again what have been constantly preach
ing for years. and preaching with very
small results? 1t is. as it were. another
vox CLAIMANTS in deserto. But. neverthe-
less. that voice had its effect; and we know
from many examples in history that men
of the study called theorists or dreamers
by their age have made their ideas IA
miliar with succeeding generations and
have led the way to ultimate reforms.
So then will still hope that the great Jug
gernaut of modern civilization will not
crush out all independent thinking, and
that American readers, whom [ find far
more open-minded than European, may
reflect upon what l have to say.
1t is a commonplace to speak OF the
hurry of modern life, the place at which
we all live, the wonderful compression of
space and time gained by the inventions
of this century; and it is also no doubt
fNrin oIFNln hof r
children are now born with quantity OF
vague knowledge, as it were, innate In
them. You may see some splendid spect-
mems of young children With innate con-
sciences, a sense Of honor and sense OF
truth, which no savage child or even grown
savage ever attains.
But even allowing for this. it is dire
mistake to think that education in any
real sense can be hurried up with in
creased pressure, and that what has cost
many wears to attain in the way of real
culture, can now be learned in, az many
months. Let US take as the best example
classical scholarship. That sort Of learn
ing has produced an intellectual refinement
which has not yet been attained in any
other way-a refinement affecting the use
of English, the proper estimate of modern
books, the laws of trnth in many depart.
ments of life. 1t has given to those W he
have attained it not only vast number
of the highest intellectual phrases, but has
created type and, if not ideal, is never
theIess one Of the finest we know. When
| asked Cardinal Newman. one of ouI
greasest masters OF chaste English, what
he considered the best wav of learning
to write English prose, he answered me
after pause: 81 suppose learning tC
write Latin prose-"
Now, if there Is one thing quite certain
it is this: That many years are required
to attain high slandardlin this direction.
II will not do 10 begin Latin and Greek al
IA and expect 10 be a scholar al IL or 20
The perfect familiarity with grammatical
forms. the power recalling the idiOms OF
one tongue in those of another, the full
appreciation Of the subtle beauties in the
great classical orators and poets-these
acquisitions take many years. beginning
with early childhood, to fit themselves
into the mind. l have seen great strides
in mathematics made by lads who began
the subject at Is, and l have seen them be-
come discoveries when their college course
was over. But | never knew a finished
scholar acquire his culture in that way
-s The mathematician may after all have nc
cultivation; he may then be bad thinker
on ordinary subjects; to obtain "a righ
judgment in all things" is higher prizt
and is only to be won in a much longer
race. Americans may, if they like, make
up their minds that such intellectual flush
is not worth the cost. All / can tell then
is that they are not going to get IL cheaper
and that all short cuts ana high roads il
education are to be mistrusted. Here ia
Europe we can distinguish at once the
man who has hustled Cp mis- education.
may be very practical; it may even be
necessary to do it; all | contend is tina
what you attain is not The same thing.
It is worth considering why we cannot
make a selection from the great masters
OF modern languages and set up the study
of Shakespeare, of GoeIhs and of Dante
instead of the Greek and Roman WORTHLESS
don't know that very much time would
be saved by it. To master thoroughly IL
the original Goethe's Faust and Dante
Inferno aud Paradise, as we'll as tn,
principal plays of Shakespeare, woulC
occupy a good many years. But, then, il
the end the student would have acquired
German and Italian, two valuable avenues
to further education, and, moreover, o.
direct practical use in modern life
should indeed be the last to despise mar
or woman who had really mastered thes
things II would be a good education
but it would not supply the place of th
old classics.
In the first place, no grammar is 80 nea
and logical as the Latin; none is so per
fectly the key to the learning of othe
grammars, and this signal advantage Il
that the Latin and Greek we learn ar
dead languages, for as they no longe