On the Ufes of Claffical Education. 127 
appear of no inconfiderable importance in the educa- 
tion of youth. . 
Impreffed as Iam, witha full fenfe of the advan- 
tages refulting from a claflical education, I cannot 
help thinking, that an unreafonable and enthufiaftic 
regard has fometimes been paid to the writings of the 
ancients. Inftead of confidering them as ufeful 
affiftants, as guides to knowledge, they have been 
extolled, as containing within themfelves, all that js 
worthy of being known, and men have miftaken the 
rudiments of fcience, forfcience itfelf. How many 
have devoted their lives to the ftudy of the claffics, 
as if there were no other duties to be performed, no 
other advantages to be obtained, no other laurels to 
be reaped? How many have continued, during their 
exiftence, in the elements of {cience, without ex- 
tending their views to any thing beyond them, 
without indeed making ufe of their own underftand- 
ing. 
I thould with to fee the ancients ftudied for their 
matter, as well as for their language—But the in- 
formation which they convey, is too commonly made 
a fecondary confideration. The attention of youth 
is directed to the elegant latinity of Czfar and of 
Horace, not to the facts, obfervations, or precepts, 
which are contained in thefe valuable authors. If 
the tutors of our youth, condefcend to remark even 
upon the beauties of the claffics, it is not on the 
beauty of fentiment, it is not on the beauty or 
vigour of imagination, it is not on the poetical 
ornaments, 
