CLASSICAL STUDIES IN ENGLAND 81 



spoken, and plain speaking is not always 

 agreeable to democracies, — English democra- 

 cies, I mean, of course. 



Now-a-days, the old undisputed prerogative 

 of a classical education is extinct. Classical 

 study is fighting for its life, with very credita- 

 ble success, so far, and, as I said, the exercise 

 is quite good for its muscles. Naturally, no 

 result has been achieved which one can con- 

 sider permanent. There is no finality, for- 

 tunately, in educational matters. But it is 

 perhaps worth while to register the state of 

 things at this particular moment in England. 

 So far the result of the battle amounts to this: 

 in nearly all secondary schools, Latin main- 

 tains its position as a necessary part of the 

 curriculum. It is for the moment fairly 

 secure. The Homeric combats of to-day 

 rather centre round Greek. The modern sides 

 of our public schools do not teach Greek; and 

 from many secondary schools it has been ban- 

 ished altogether. In the universities, its fate 

 trembles in the balance. Most of the newer 

 foundations have settled the matter for the 

 present : their students may begin and continue 



