SECTION VIII. ON WRITING LATIN PROSE. 1 Scribendum quàm diligentiffimè et quàm pluri-, mùm. Let him compofe with the utmost care, and as much as poffible. QUINTILIAN. A MONG many established practices in public fchools, which the lovers of innovation wish to abolish, is that of compofing in Latin profe. When they affert that they know not its use, they will readily be believed; for ' fuch innovations as this commonly proceed from those who either have not had the opportunity of a truly liberal education, or who, from idleness or froin dulnefs, have not availed themselves of its advantages. Perfons under thefe circumftances cannot form an adequate idea of the utility of claffical inftruction in all its parts and confequences. Their ideas are ufually confined to commercial objects, or to those which have little in them of a refined and a purely intellectual nature. That accomplishment which has no apparent tendency to lucrative advantage, or which does not make a confpicuous figure in bufy life, they cannot underftand, and they confider as contemptible. But the compofition of Latin profe, confidered merely as an exercife, naturally contri E 5 butes butes to increase, and to confirm, an intimate knowledge of the language. He who can write a language, will not often be at a lofs in reading the authors written in it. He will underftand the delicacies and the beauties of the language, both when he confiders it in its fingle and feparate words, and when he views it in conftruction. When words and ideas pass immediately under the pen, in the act of compofition, they are confidered more diftinctly and maturely than when they are only perused in a volume. Befides this advantage, to be able to write Latin, qualifies the ftudent to correfpond with the learned in all countries*. Latin has long been the univerfal language of learning. The books, which, from their extenfive fubject, seem to intereft mankind at large, have usually been written in Latin. They are not fo commonly written in Latin in the prefent age; a circumftance which plainly indicates a lefs degree of attention to that learned language, than was paid to it at the revival of letters. fcientific fubjects of all kinds are ftill often difcuffed in Latin; and it is unbecoming a fcholar to be unable to exprefs his ideas in a language, in which learned foreigners not only write, but frequently converfe. Yet Add to this motive, that if the student proceeds to either of our English univerfities, and really wishes to appear and be a scholar, and Latin letters fhould. form one of the evening exercises at fchool; for which Cicero affords admirable models. mot not merely a man of pleasure, he must acquire the habit of compofing in Latin. Latin themes, Latin declamations, Latin lectures, are conftantly required of academical ftudents. It is true that the idler and the man of fafhion, as he calls himfelf, always procure these exercises, either from friends, from books, or from collections of old compofitions; but, though they may pass through the forms of an univerfity by fuch mean fubterfuges, they cannot acquire credit, or acquit themselves to their own fatiffaction. Indeed, if they take the degree of mafter of arts in one of our univerfities, they are bound by their oaths to recite publickly in the fchools Latin declamations of their own compofition. Nor is the practice of exacting Latin exercises in the univerfities, to be confidered as originating from prejudice in a dark age, and con tinued by a fond attachment to ancient cuftoms, but as producing, and as intended to produce, valuable effects. It contributes greatly. to keep awake an attention to the claffics, and confequently to all ancient literature. Many a lively young man would neglect his ftudies in Latin, if he did not fee that his neglect would expofe him to contempt or trouble, by difabling him from performing thofe public exercifes which must be performed for the attainment of academical honours. Many members of the univerfity are induced to keep up, by conftant application, the habit of reading and imitating the more elegant claffics, becaufe they may be required on fome occafion to speak publicly in Latin. If the exercifes were reE 6 quired quired only in English, I am, fure that the tudy and knowledge of the Latin language would greatly decreafe. Indeed, all who with to innovate in this particular, indicate a defign to render the univerfity a place of education merely for men of the world, and to banish the Mufcs, that the Graces may reign alone; yet it is certain, that, without the Mufes, the Graces will lofe much of their beauty. Every fcholar ought to be a gentleman; and indeed I can hardly conceive a true gentleman, by which I understand a man of an elegant, a liberal, and an enlightened mind, who is not in fome degree a polite scholar. It is another argument in favour of the Latin exercises in our feminaries, that it has a natural tendency to improve the ftudent in Englifh compofition. He who has been accustom ed to make Cicero his model, will infenfibly exhibit fomething of his beauty, in whatever language he can compofe with facility. That habit of accuracy, and that care in the collocation of words, which is required in Latin works, will infenfibly extend its good effects to every production. To write Latin in youth, is an excellent preparation for that yernacular compofition, which fome of the profeffions indifpenfably require †. It ought *But hear an innovator.. "I carefully avoided the common method of employing my boy in exercifes of any kind; for, after all the stir we make about the Latin tongue, it is no more than any other language." TANAQUIL FABER. It always gives perfection to have the exercife harder than the ordinary ufe. BACON, "therefore therefore to be continued in our schools; but it will not often be attended with fuccefs, unless the pupil remains there long, and applies closely under the infpection of an experienced inAructor. Much practice and long habit are neceffary, to give excellence and facility. There is no argument brought against the practice, which is not founded in that prevailing averfion to difficulty of all kinds, which is injurious to fociety in general, and particularly hurtful in the courfe of education *. But while I infift on its general utility, I must allow, where boys are intended to acquire only a fuperficial knowledge, and to be removed early from their feminary to the warehouse and accompting-houfe, or to be introduced into any mode of active life incompatible with contemplation, that then they will not be able to acquire an ease in Latin compofition, and that it will not be neceffary. Enough has been faid," fays Dr. Beattie, "to evince the utility of that mode of difcipline, which for the most part is, and always, in my opinion, ought to be, eftablished in grammar Schools. If the reader admit the truth of thefe remarks, he will be fatisfied that the ftudy of the claffic authors does not neceffarily oblige the ftudent to employ too much time in the acquifition of words; for that, by means of thofe words, the mind may be stored with valuable knowledge; and that the acquifition of them, prudently conducted, becomes to young perfons one of the best inftruments of intellectual proficiency, which, in the present state of human fociety, it is poffible to imagine." About |