'226 Classic Literature^ [Chap. XIIL 



defending Revelation. With what boldness would 

 every heresiarch assail the foundation and the pu- 

 rity of our faith, if its teachers were j>'enerally ig- 

 norant of the original records of truth ! With what 

 confidence would unbelievers triumph, and with 

 what manifest advantages would they be armed, 

 were the friends of religion unable to appeal to 

 the primitive oracles of inspiration, and to the» 

 primitive witnesses of their authenticity ! To re- 

 commend the dismission of classic literature, there- 

 fore, from plans of education, is not only to de- 

 clare war against taste and sound learnings but 

 also to betray the interests of evangelical truth, 

 and put a new weapon into the liands of its ene- 

 mies. 



No wise man, indeed, would think of enjoining 

 the acquisition of the dead languages upon every 

 youth who seeks a liberal education. To impose 

 such a task upon those who have no view to any 

 of the professions denominated learned, or whose 

 circumstances in life leave little leisure from the 

 toil of active pursuits, would be to make a very 

 improper use of one of the most important portlouij 

 of life. But that the acquisition is abundantly 

 worthy the labour of making it, to those who 

 have the time and the means necessary for the pur- 

 pose; that some knowledge on this subject has a 

 tendency to meliorate the whole literary charac- 

 ter, even if it be afterwards forgotten ; and that the 

 prevailing and increasing disposition to neglect 

 this department of study ought to be regretted a^ 

 among the fashionable follies of the age, would 

 seem to follow necessarily from the foregoing re- 

 marks. 



