On the Ufes of Claffical Education. 11g 
the light which it refledts on ‘the hiftory of mankind, 
in the early periods of fociety. 
VII. Whoever expects to find in the ancients the 
perfection of fcience, will be difappointed ; but this 
will not warrant us in a total rejection of all the 
affiftance which may be derived from this fource. 
Of natural knowledge, in particular, there is cer- 
tainly but little to be collected from their writings. 
Ariftotle, in his hiftory of animals, is a laborious 
and tolerably correct reporter of faéts—but how {mall 
a branch of natural fcience is this, and how much 
better detailed by modern writers? Pliny, except 
where he has copied Ariftotle, isa wretched fabulift, 
and no reafoner at all. 
The metaphyfics of Plato are fubtil, vifionary, and 
ufelefs; thofe of Ariftotle are mere {cholaftic defini- 
tions. In the republic of the latter, as well as in 
fome of the writings of Xenophon and Cicero, are 
fome good political obfervations; but the experience 
of the moderns, has enabled them greatly to improve 
this important {cience. 
But if the ancients were deficient in thefe topics, 
they were not fo in what may be confidered as the 
bafis of ufeful knowledge, in morals, and an exten- 
five acquaintance with the human heart. ‘Though I 
confefs I do net find much of ethical fcience in 
‘Plato, which is deferving- of attention; yet in the 
Amoaawyia of Socrates, and fome other of the dialo- 
gues, there occur fome beautiful reflections. “The 
morals of Ariftotle are a dry common place book, 
chiefly 
