3 8o 



The Mtiseum Gazette 



Perhaps, however, after all, the two attainments are not so 

 widely apart as they seem. The man whose knowledge 

 stopped short at what was called reading might be very 

 prone to make mistakes even in that. It might be better 

 for him to read Homer in Chapman's translation, as he is 

 already content to enjoy his Old Testament without knowing 

 much of Hebrew. In passing, it may be here remarked that 

 the excellence of the translations now so easily accessible 

 is an important feature in the changed aspect of modern 

 education in reference to the classics. On all hands it is to 

 be admitted that there are truths — modes of thought and 

 forms of opinion — enshrined in the writings of the Greeks and 

 Romans — of which no more than of the History of the nations 

 themselves — ought any pupil to be left in ignorance. Our 

 conclusion regarding them is, however, clearly this — that 

 they may be acquired as well, in many respects probably 

 better, by the use of scholarly translations than by laborious 

 recourse to the originals. 



There is, however, a yet lower stage of attainment in the 

 classics — if it even deserves such a name at all — to which we 

 now desire to call attention. Its plea would be based upon 

 a belief that some elementary general acquaintance with 

 the Greek and Latin languages is very helpful, nay, almost 

 essential, to the English student, and that opportunities for 

 its acquisition ought to be carefully afforded to all. It is 

 not possible to read any English poem, novel, history, or 

 newspaper leader, without encountering allusions which are 

 unintelligible to one wholly ignorant of classical literature. 

 In science and natural study most of the more important 

 words and terms are derived from those languages, and are 

 only half understood, or not at all, by those uninstructed in 

 them. When explained, they still remain for such persons 

 a burden to the memory, whilst to linguists their meanings 

 are quite obvious. 



What, then, should be the scheme of education, which 

 should include this elementary acquaintance with the classics, 



