VII SCIENCE AND ART AND EDUCATION 1S7 



science, but one, or, if possible, two languages. 

 The knowledge of some other language than one's 

 own is, in fact, of singular intellectual value. 

 Many of the faults and mistakes of the ancient 

 philosophers are traceable to the fact that they 

 knew no language but their own, and were often 

 led into confusing the symbol with the thought 

 which it embodied. I think it is Locke who says 

 that one-half of the mistakes of philosophers have 

 arisen from questions about words; and one of the 

 safest ways of delivering yourself from the bondage 

 of words is, to know how ideas look in words to 

 which you are not accustomed. That is one reason 

 for the study of language; another reason is, that 

 it opens new fields in art and in science. Another 

 is the practical value of such knowledge; and yet 

 another is this, that if your languages are properly 

 chosen, from the time of learning the additional 

 languages you will know your own language better 

 than ever you did. So, I say, if the time given 

 to education permits, add Latin and German. 

 Latin, because it is the key to nearly one-half of 

 English and to all the Eomance languages; and 

 German, because it is the key to almost all the 

 remainder of English, and helps you to understand 

 a race from whom most of us have sprung, and 

 who have a character and a literature of a fateful 

 force in the history of the world, such as probably 

 has been allotted to those of no other people, 

 except the Jews, the Greeks, and ourselves. 



