and and on the
Continent. Boys do not read enough of the Greek and Roman classics. The
majority of our masters are scholars by profession, and they are apt to
lay undue stress on what they call accurate and minute scholarship, and to
neglect wide and cursory reading. I know the arguments for minute
accuracy, but I also know the mischief that is done by an exclusive
devotion to critical scholarship before we have acquired a real
familiarity with the principal works of classical literature. The time
spent in our schools in learning the rules of grammar and syntax, writing
exercises, and composing verses, is too large. Look only at our Greek and
Latin grammars, with all their rules and exceptions, and exceptions on
exceptions! It is too heavy a weight for any boy to carry; and no wonder
that when one of the thousand small rules which they have learnt by heart
is really wanted, it is seldom forthcoming. The end of classical teaching
at school should be to make our boys acquainted, not only with the
language, but with the literature and history, the ancient thought of the
ancient world. Rules of grammar, syntax, or metre, are but means towards
that end; they must never be mistaken for the end itself. A young man of
eighteen, who has probably spent on an average ten years in learning Greek
and Latin, ought to be able to read any of the ordinary Greek or Latin
classics without much difficulty; nay, with a certain amount of pleasure.
He might have to consult his dictionary now and then, or guess the meaning
of certain words; he might also feel doubtful sometime whether certain
forms came from {~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH DASIA AND OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}, I send, or {~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH PSILI AND PERISPOMENI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}, I go, or {~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH OXIA~}, I am, particularly
if preceded by prepositions. In these matters the best scholars are least
inclined to be pharisaical; and whenever I meet in the controversies of
classical scholars the favorite phrase, "Every school-boy knows, or ought
to know, this," I generally say to myself, "No, he ought not." Anyhow,
those who wish to see the study of Greek and Latin retained in our public
schools ought to feel convinced that it will certainly not