Chap. XIIL] Classic Literature. 219 



come almost unknown even to the liberally edu- 

 cated. A belief is daily becoming more prevalent 

 and popular, that the time bestowed on the acqui- 

 sition of these languages^ if not entirely wasted, 

 might at least be more usefully employed. This 

 belief, of course, has had considerable inlhience 

 on modern plans of education. And althougli in 

 a few of the ancient European seats of learning, 

 some portion of the former zeal for classic litera- 

 ture still remains ; yet even in these a considerable 

 decline from their wonted eminence is plainly vi- 

 sible; and in by far the larger number the decline 

 is great, humiliating, and evidently on the in- 

 crease. 



The vernacular tongue, it is believed, first be- 

 gan to be employed in works of science, to the re- 

 jection of the Latin, in Italy. From that country 

 the practice made its way into France, and soon 

 became general. Great Britain was the next, in 

 order, to adopt this innovation, whieh was ad- 

 mitted last of all into Germany and Holland. At 

 the present day the number of books published in 

 any other than the living languages is extremely 

 small. 



In America the decline of classic literature is 

 especially remarkable and prevalent *. i\lany of 



•* This statement respecting the low state of chissic literature 

 in the greater number of the American colleges, though true in 

 general, is not to be admitted witliout exception. There arc in- 

 structors in several colleges in the United States under whose 

 tuition a youtli, who is disposed to do justice to Wmsclf, may ob- 

 tain as accurate and good an introduction to Greek and Latin li- 

 terature as can be obtained in any European university, witlioiit 

 exception. But as nothing more than the found;Uion of know- 

 ledge can be laid at seminaries of learning, at least in the usual 



