On the Ufes of Claffical Education. 117 
regular than that of any other, and it is therefore 
admirably calculated to initiate young perfons in that 
neceffary fcience. | 
If. A fimilar advantage, which flows from a 
claffical education, is a general knowledge of the 
ftructure of language. ‘The Greek, fo copious, fo 
curioufly compounded, fo admirably adapted to 
fupply every want of the mind with refpect to expref- 
fion, affords the happieft inftance of art and human 
invention in the conftruion of language; it is im- 
poffiole to fludy it without perceiving our ideas 
enlarged and improved on this curious fubject. Such 
an acquaintance with the ancient forms of language, 
enables us to improve our own, to extend and 
diverfify our modes of expreffion, to add new and 
proper words, if neceflary; and gives us confidence 
in occafionally introducing new expreffions, and devia- 
ting from the common and colloquial forms, 
III, A third ufe, which is not lefs obvious, refults 
from an accurate acquaintance with the etymology 
of words. ‘To the phrafes of common life, cuftom 
has fufficiently familiarized us, and thefe indeed 
are moft of them derived from our northern anceftors. 
But the language of fcience, the language of books 
indeed, in general, is of claffical origin; and it is 
impoffible to know the full force, the correct 
application of words, without, in fome degree, being 
acquainted with their fource, : 
Every man who has compofed for the public, muft 
be fenfible of this obfervation ; and allowing every 
thing 
