32 THE NEW METHOD 



those before us made it what it is, by applying to it 

 the resources of earnest and fearless thought, I can 

 see no reason why we, by pursuing the same course, 

 might not improve it. God intended us for progress, 

 and we counteract his design when we deify anti- 

 quity, and bow down and worship an opinion, not 

 because it is either wise or true, but merely because 

 it is ancient." — Francis Wayland, D.D., late Prcsi- 

 den t of Brown Un iversity . 



" We hear a great deal said of the intellectual treas- 

 ures locked up in the languages of Greece and Rome, 

 which it is asserted that our system of education 

 throws open to the student freely to enjoy. And yet 

 we know that practically this claim is without found- 

 ation. . . . For a period varying from seven to ten 

 years, we keep young men under a course of instruc- 

 tion in Latin and Greek, and at the end of that time, 

 they are unable, in any proper sense, to read either 

 the one or the other. . . . 



" We display a singular disregard of the plain in- 

 dications of nature, who herself points out the order 

 in which the faculties should be drawn out into action. 

 . . . And I suppose that the reason why we should 

 follow nature is because nature will thus most will- 

 ingly follow us. The tasks we impose will be pleas- 

 ing because they will be adapted to the strength. 

 The learner will easily submit himself to our guid- 

 ance, because we take him in the direction in which 

 he is already inclined to go. . . . We have inverted 

 the natural order just as completely as possible. And 

 this inversion of the order of nature, carries with it 



