[ 34 1 



CHAP. VI. 



T T is not at all neceflary, convenient, or pof- 

 fible, that a whole civil fociety, or common- 

 wealth, fhould be learned, greatly knowing, or 

 experienced : it is neceffary, indeed, that fuch 

 as are intended for the ftudy and pra6tice of 

 deep fciences, Ihould be taught feveral of the 

 dead languages, the better to enable them to 

 join the knowledge and experience of paft ages 

 and diftant countries to that of their own. Po- 

 liticians, priefls, phyficians, lawyers, hiftorians, 

 &c. cannot be in any degree perfe6t, without 

 the fund of fcience preferved in ancient authors. 

 The mercantile part of fociety, of the fuperior 

 clafs, need not be at the pains, unlefs they chufe 

 it, to acquire any of the dead languages ; but 

 three or four of the living languages of Europe 

 will be neceffary to fit them for an extenfive 

 traffic, and raife them to the high fortune and 

 reputation in which they ftand amongft us ; 

 for, I believe, it may as juftly be faid, that our 



mer- 



