New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-03-20
CLASSIC STUDY.
AN AID TO ITS PURSUIT FROM THE MOS"
MODERN POINT OF VIEW

This book Is a monument TO the new tendencies
IN classical study In its combination or antiQui-
ties with literature II stands between the massive
separated works Of an earlier time, which, oy-
the-way II does not supplant and such an eie-
mentary and comparatively popular work as
that Of Seyffert, which has been for several years
domesticated in English But in many respects
It goes further than either class OF books ahuoeu
70 The old dictionary makers would have hest
tated to touch upon medieval legends about
the heroes of classic times But Professor Peck.
particularly in the case Of Alexander and Virgil.
gives q praiseworthy summary of the popular
lore leaving nothing to be desired except per-
haps. a somewhat fuller photography. Certainly
even the shortest article about the AieXahoe'-
saga should contain a mention OF DIT Buoses
Alexander the Great" a book whch oeihoh-
s,rates the existence Of the legends in classic
times. and which, as the first work printed III
England in the HISTORIAN Syriac character. is
destined to long career merely as CURIOSITY
of the press But 1t is an admirable thing 10
have broken as Professor Peck has done. with
classic exclusiveness. One never knows now
much inherited rnedievalism clings to ones own
notions of q classic figure until ancient ana
medieval ideas are brought into sharp contrast
with each other Professor Peck shows IN I'M
oortant cases how this contrast can be drawn.
Following the same romantic lines he also gives
his readers a suggestive article on ancient novels
showing the connection of these through the
monastic tales with the fiction OF modern times.
Now. as long as classical study set its own
limits there was no thought OF such Things as
connected In any way with the enjoyment ana
nrebension Of Greek and Latin literature.
This single addition Of a little medieval romance
10 the body of classical learning illustrates what
Nigh, be shown in a thousand other ways name
Nv how much that learning has been broadened
and strengthened by the very things Whlcn IL
uas once thought would destroy it. The votaries
of modern science We're all for the practlcal IN
education. Their aim has been attained in
MEASURE and vet the most brilliant result is in
Tho raiuverescerce of the studies against when
.b.v detained Men have a far wider conCep-
tion now Of studies properly humane than they
orce had but Latin and Greek stll stand AZ 'he
centre They are not supreme in the ola sense'
but they are stu q standard Of measurement anu
q means TO the best culture. The study OF the
is,cua1es ,itCratures and history of the two an
,,,ua nations is seen to be q necessary prelimi-
nary TO research in that remoter field or Egypt
and the Orient where the origins Of civilization
are 20 be sought. This aspect OF the matter is re-
fected also in this dictionary by many a9ocies'
The old merely literary split was engrossed with
beauties
books as they had been handed down in script
and print The scientific spirit was not content
with this sort of sat sfaction 1t wrestled with one
dirSculty after another until ii showed on the
one hand how the two book languages OF an
tiouity were born cousins of a whole group OF Ian
puaees living and dead ard on the other hand
had still closer relations with interesting dialects
that were revealed by persistent investigations
Among the most noteworthy articles in TINS
book are those relating to these themes on one
side for instance. a compact explanation OF
Grimm's Law. en- the other. to name specimen
the elaborate essay on the Latin Of the common
people in ancient Rome. The resui. of this kind
of inquiry has not been to lessen the attractive
ness Of the purely literary aspects or class'cai
studv but to add innumerable details. the effect
of which was TO restore the antique to lif" ara 20
convert purely literary aspects into downright;
forces Of to-day # the antique reaches the pres
ent by the roundabout way Of medi9val legend.
it also does this IN n more direct way when the
very things and the craven thoughts with which
II busted itself are unearthcd Modern discov-
cries e this kind have kept pace with the modern
passion for practically ard realism. We are in
closer touch with the poetry and philosophy OF
the old time now that We know almost 10 nicely
what kind Of houses the poets and philosophers
inhabited. 1t is no slight thing 70 know that the
tub of DiOCcnes was no tub at all. for a
Greek pithcs is less prosaic than thing Of slaves
and hoops But TO find that the problems of hu
man life in old times still problems. to be
troubled row with the same questions in religion.
in ethics with the same perils in political life
this is 70 sec the value Of classical study in its
true light 10 men Of The present day 1t is the pro-
fessed aim Of re work in hand TO deal with
tioue things from this modern point Of view.
The historical connection between ancient and
modern is shown in another line by the bio
graphical notices of classical scholars in series
extending from early times to a recent date.
The most important Of the Christian Fathers are
included These indicate the growing disposition
70 treat later Latnity and even that OF the
Middle Ages as part Of the complete story Of
Latin literature. But when ii comes 10 men Of
the Renaissance and of the later centuries TO the
Scaligers to Fabricius and Bentley and Parson
and Ruhnken and Madvig, men who lived very
modern lives and yet lived for antiquity. then II
IS possible to obtain a vivid sense or what the
classics have been 10 later times Almost any
one In looking over these scattered biographical
items will think OF more than one name which
might well have been added 10 the list. For ex-
ample, IT seems as II "Polyhistor' Morhof de-
served more than a mere passing alluson in the
article on Fabricus. His notices Of ancient
philosophers and philosophemes still con-
suited with profit. and his discussion Of Latin
poetcs IS one OF considerable interest. But II
all criticism OF this sort were met, Professor
Pecks book would only amplify the continuity
OF learned tradition. which as 1t Is, Is clearly
set forth in the names and lives that have been
selected. In the succession of these great
scholars is TO be read the change that has come
gradually over classical study since the medi-
sval period But there is also TO be noted a
curious reversion 10 the medieval type The
men Of the Renaissance. with their enormous
reading are no more. There Is longer that
absolute novelty which led Scaliger to explore
the whole accessible field OF antique letters for