UROUHART’S COMMENTARIES ON CLASSICAL LEARNING, 
in the mind, and associated with plea- 
surable sensations, and flights of ima- 
»gination. Each individual would thus 
‘be allowed to enjoy his own peculiar 
opinion without being shackled and re- 
. strained by definite language.” 
The fourth and succeeding essays are 
“solely occupied with abusing Dr. Blair. 
We have not often so painful a task im- 
posed upon us as we found here, that of 
641 
reading a series of the most’ contemp- 
tuous and insulting observations that- 
were ever penned. We have already en- 
abled our readers to appreciate the ta- 
lents of this ‘Critic?’ and “ Philoso- 
pher :” and we should feel degraded in 
our own estimation, to entér upon a de- 
fence of the professor against so puny 
and malevolent an assailant. 
Art. V. Commentaries on Classical Learning. By the Rev. D.H. Unqunart, M. A, 
Prebendary of Lincoln, Sc.Ge. Syo. pp- 540. 
IN reading the title of this work, we 
‘were induced to expect, what we have 
often wished to see ably executed, a trea- 
tise designed to vindicate, on rational and 
philosophical grounds, the present im- 
portance of classical literature, to deli- 
neate its branches, subjects, and extent, 
to open and clear its sources, to deve- 
lope some of the more important canons 
‘of criticism, and by these means to lay « 
solid foundation for the ultimate im- 
provement of the young and ardent dis- 
‘ciple of literature, who.is making his en- 
“trance upon these interesting fields of 
“stiidy. In such a work, tothe bibliotheca 
of ancient writérs, which would necessa- 
“Tily compose'a part of it, we should ex- 
Dect to sce joined a second bibliotheca of 
those grammarians and critics, to whose 
acuteness and labour the classic’ writers 
“Owe the principal ‘part of their elucida- 
“tion, and their restitution to a'state of 
“considerable ‘purity, from the numerous 
' «Stains and debasements which they had 
| €ontracted ‘in their passage through ig- 
zs porant and batbarous ages. 4% et 
_ Perhaps’ the ‘word: « Commentaries,” 
‘adopted in the title-page, with which the 
“Gidea of something profound and recon# 
; Pe ‘in popular use associated, led us 
¥ 
© expect, in the treatise of ‘Mr. Urqu- 
“hart, a work of the nature which we have 
described. The author; however, in the 
~~ commencement of ‘his*enquiry, cautions 
“his readers to expect no laborious inves- 
tigations, or acute observations. of icriti- 
ism, since his only purpose was to en- 
_. force an important truth, the utility of a 
liberal education to individuals and so- 
_ © ciety. In his first chapter, he forms an 
“estimate of the utility of -lassical jitera- 
_ © ture to the various professions and orders 
; ‘society, after which introductionsthe 
arranged description of the .principal 
‘writers of Greece and Rome, including 
~ slight notices of their biography, and 
 AnneRev. VorsIL | et 
"remainder of his work is occupied by an . 
some general criticism on the various 
characters of their composition. The 
arrangement and many of the observa- 
tions are taken, we are told, from “La- 
harpé; and in fact, though the passages 
thus borrowed are not distinguished, the 
style of a French critic is often discer- 
nible. 
Though Mr>Urquhart has employed 
sixty-five pages*in arguing the impor- 
tance of ancient learning, we are of opi- 
nion, that comparatively -little of this 
matter is strictly applicable to his pur-~ 
pose. He seems to consider, with a few 
exceptions, arts and sciences, politics and 
morality, as included in the discoveries 
and incorporated with the writings of the 
ancientss Hence we are to learn, that 
“the claims which our kindred have 
upon our affections are, subordinate to 
the claims of our country.” . Fence the 
student of medicine is to derive his pre- 
cepts,.and here the painter to seize the 
ideal perfection of his art. ' 
We are as little disposed as Mr. Ur- 
quhart to depreciate the genuine value 
of classical literature: we gratefully ac- 
knowledge that the improvement of the 
maderns results from the energies and 
exertions of the ancients; the day is, 
however, now past, when the ancients 
were our legitimate instructors in science. 
Still the enlightened study of their writ- 
ings is highly delightful and ornamental, 
their languages remain. exquisite speci- 
mens.of skill, accuracy, and beauty, the 
acquisition of which is a most valuable 
odiscipline, to the.mind, their works are 
‘monuments of inestimable importance in 
the history. of mankind, and those per- 
sons, if any such there are, who would 
wish to. consign them to oblivion, would 
be-a second race of Goths and Vandals. 
.. Mr. Urquhart speaks of these ‘ pre- 
cious relics as at first casually found, 
and now happily secured from farther 
ruin.” This however, except in a few 
: . aay + 
. 
