7 i2 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



sword," a Roman would say " Sword-with-struck-he " a partial ad- 

 vance on the agglutination of more savage dialects, where, instead of 

 " He saw a pig on the road," we should have one word, " Road-pig- 

 saw-he." 



A classical education is also said to be the best training in English 

 composition. This argument, in so far as the end alleged is gained 

 through grammar, I have already shown to be groundless. I have still 

 to deal with the direct exercise in English composition obtained in 

 classical translation. 



It is to be observed that this value is not special to Latin or Greek, 

 but is common to all foreign languages. Further, if the idea of Mr. 

 Mill and of some others were carried out, and we were able to read 

 foreign tongues as we read our own, we should not translate at all, 

 and could have no conceivable exercise in English composition. If 

 we are exercised at all in English composition by foreign translation, 

 it must be under some such system as the present mode of classical in- 

 struction. Is it impossible to write good English without a knowledge 

 of classics ? I need only repeat the stock answer. Some of the greatest 

 names in our literature have won their reputation without a knowledge 

 of classics. 



Does the power of composing good English always follow upon a 

 good knowledge of classics ? Mr. Dasent's evidence, quoted before, 

 gives to this question as explicit a denial as could be desired. 



How far, then, is translation an exercise in English composition ? 

 Let us consider translation in detail. The pupil has to master the con- 

 struction, that is, to recall the meaning of the relational particles and 

 endings. He has to muster, partly from memory, partly from his dic- 

 tionary, the English equivalents for the foreign words, settling which 

 is the word for the occasion. Finally, he has to range the English words 

 in the form of a sentence. This last is the exercise in English compo- 

 sition. 



What proportion of tbe whole time given to translation does this 

 exercise occupy ? Sometimes hardly any time at all. The pupil pre- 

 pares the meanings of the words, and blurts them out anyhow. In the 

 most favorable cases, the time spent on this operation must be com- 

 paratively small. The other operations are much more arduous, and 

 must occupy at least five-sixths of the whole time. 



What is the nature of the composition done in this sixth of the 

 translating time ? Is it calculated to train in good English composi- 

 tion ? On the contrary, literal translation is often insisted upon ; that 

 is to say, the pupil is drilled in unidiomatic English. This is worse 

 than no English drill at all for purposes of English composition : its 

 only effect in that direction must be to foster a habit of writing bad 

 English. 



Where the arrangement of the English words is made in accordance 



