University Reform. 311 



achievements. The spirit of Aristotle and Galen 

 dwelt not with the stupid schoolmen who, parrot- 

 like, repeated their doctrines, but with Galileo 

 and Harvey, who overthrew them. 



Not only does classical scholarship ripen the 

 judgment and widen the sympathies ; it also af- 

 fords unrivalled scope for the exercise of practical 

 sagacity. In order to acquire tolerable proficiency 

 in the use of an ancient language, it is necessary 

 to go through with an endless amount of reason- 

 ing, classifying, and guessing. Hypotheses must 

 be skilfully framed, inferences must be correctly 

 drawn, probabilities must be carefully balanced ; 

 a high degree of shrewdness must continually be 

 applied to the solution of questions for the mo- 

 ment of practical importance, and to the removal 

 of constantly occurring practical difficulties. It 

 is a grave error to suppose that all this mental 

 exertion can take place without beneficial effect 

 upon the after life of the student. Even if he is 

 so unwise or so unfortunate as to allow his classi- 

 cal attainments to slip from his memory, he will 

 be the better fitted for all the business of life, by 

 reason of the exercise which they have entailed. 

 Whatever native keenness and capacity for pa- 

 tient drudgery he may have in him will show it- 

 self developed and strengthened, just as his alert- 



