^22 Classic Literature. [Chap.XIIL 



advantages. In consequence of discarding dead 

 languages, as the ordinary medium of philosophi- 

 cal publications, such writings have become more 

 accessible and popular ; the student has more time 

 left for becoming acquainted with his vernacular 

 tongue ; the attention of the learned is more di- 

 rected to moral and physical sciences ; the youth 

 destined for active life is no longer condemned to 

 waste his days by devoting them to objects which 

 are, to him at least, of subordinate importance. 

 In a word, the gradual disuse of what are called 

 learned languages, may be regarded as an im- 

 portant branch of the system of those who con- 

 sider the general diffusion of knowledge as a de- 

 sirable object; and who wish to make every part 

 of it as popular as possible. There are few things 

 more directly calculated to break down the '' wall 

 of partition" between the literary and the other 

 classes of citizens, and to render liberal informa- 

 tion the common portion of all ranks in the com- 

 munity, than making living languages the only 

 means of intercourse, and removing the necessity 

 of acquiring any other. 



But if some advantages have attended the de- 

 cline of classic literature ; if it have produced a 

 greater diffusion of knowledge, and favoured the 

 progress of the arts and sciences, there is, per- 

 haps, reason to doubt wjiether it has not pro- 

 duced more and greater evils. It has rendered the 

 intercourse between learned men more difficult, 

 for want of a common medium. It has produced 

 a necessity of consuming more time in the acqui- 

 sition of various modern languages. And, what 

 is of no less consequence, it has caused some of 

 the best and most precious works of antiquity to 



