ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING. CXX1X 



study of ancient literature in particular, if it is not an 

 exercise of the intellect, is a discipline of humanity; if it 

 do not strengthen the understanding, it softens and refines 

 the taste ; it gives us liberal views ; it accustoms the mind 

 to take an interest in things foreign to itself; to love virtue 

 for its own sake ; to prefer glory to riches, and to fix our 

 thoughts on the remote and permanent, instead of narrow 

 and fleeting objects. It teaches us to believe that there 

 is really something great and excellent in the world, sur 

 viving all the shocks and accidents and fluctuations of 

 opinion, and raises us above that low and servile fear, 

 which bows only to present power and upstart authority. 

 Rome and Athens filled a place in the history of mankind 

 which can never be occupied again. They were two cities 

 set on a hill which can not be hid; all eyes have seen 

 them, and their light shines like a mighty sea-mark into 

 the abyss of time, 



&quot; Still green with bays each ancient altar stands.&quot; (a) 



But, notwithstanding these advantages, Bacon says, &quot; the 

 studying words and not matter is a distemper of learning, 

 of which Pygmalion s frenzy is a good emblem ; for words 

 are but the images of matter, and to fall in love with them 

 is all one as to fall in love with a picture.&quot; (b) 



These different subjects are classed under the quaint 



observatione dignum (licet nobis modernis spiritus nonnihil retundat) anti 

 ques linguas plenas declinationum, casuum, conjugationum, temporum, et 

 similium fuisse; modernas, his fere destitutas, plurima per prsepositiones 

 et verba auxiliaria segniter expedire ? Sane facile quis conjiciat, utcunque 

 nobis ipsi placemus, ingenia priorum sseculorum nostris fuisse multt&amp;gt; 

 acutiora et subtiliora. Innumera sunt ejusmodi, quae justum volumen 

 complere possint.&quot; 



(a) See this passage in William Hazlitt s Table Talk. 



(b} Vol. ii. p. 37. 

 VOL. XV. k 



