he beauties of composition, characteristic of different
languages, should be familiarized to the student. Classical knowledge
and taste afford such continual and innocent sources of amusement,
that we should be extremely sorry that any of our pupils should not
enjoy them in their fullest extent; but we do not include a talent for
Latin composition amongst the _necessary_ accomplishments of a
gentleman. There are situations in life, where facility and elegance
in writing Latin may be useful, but such situations are not common;
when a young man is intended for them, he may be trained with more
particular assiduity to this art; perhaps for this purpose the true
Busbyean method is the best. The great Latin and Greek scholars of the
age, have no reason to be displeased by the assertion, that classical
proficiency equal to their own, is not a _necessary_ accomplishment in
a gentleman; if their learning become more rare, it may thence become
more valuable. We see no reason why there should not be Latinists as
well as special pleaders.

We have not laid down any course of classical study; those who
consider the order in which certain authors are read, as of material
consequence in the education of scholars, may consult Milton, Mrs.
Macaulay, "Milne's Well-bred Scholar," &c. where they will find
precise directions.

We have _lately_ seen a collection of exercises for boys,[6] which in
some measure supplies the defect of Mr. Garretson's curious
performance. We wish most earnestly that dictionaries were improved.
The author of "Stemmata Latinitatis," has conferred an essential
service on the public; but still there is wanting a dictionary for
schools, in which elegant and proper English might be substituted for
the barbarous translations now in use. Such a dictionary could not be
compiled, we should think, without an attention to the course of books
that are most commonly used in schools. The first meanings given in
the dictionary, should suit the first authors that a boy reads; this
may probably be a remote or metaphoric meaning: then the radical word
should be mentioned, and it would not cost a master any great trouble
to trace the genealogy of words to the parent stock.

Cordery is a collection of such mean sentences, and uninstructive
dialogue, as to be totally unfit for boys. Commenius's "Visible World
displayed," is far superior, and might, with proper alterations and
better prints, become a valuable _English_ school-book