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room, and met her on the colonade.
They there talked of their short ac
quaintance, their separation, and the
future. “ When will we meet again ”
said Irene as her eyes filled with
tears. She promised, after his ear
nest solicitations that her mother's
dislike should not prevent her think
ing of him when they parted. Ho
expressed a hope that they would
meet again under more favorable cir
cumstances.
Walter felt that the sun of his ex>
istence was eclipsed when Irene had
passed out of his sight. He could
say no more, that he was “ heart
whole and fancy froo.”
[To be Continued.']
For the Georgia Collegian.
Classical Studies and Ehetoric.
Much has been written of late
years, in regard to the study of the
Ancient Languages, chiefly with a
view to show that too much time is
bestowed upon them, and that a
greater amount of profit tfould be
derived from other, and it is said,
more practical studies. It is not pro
posed to open a discussion already to
a certain degree, hackneyed. In*
deed, it would be unnecessary; for
the tide which set at one time so
strongly against classical study seems
already to have commenced its ebb.
Yet, in view of the fact that so many
of the students at this University
evince a disposition to lay aside the
study of the Ancient Languages,
while nearly all seem anxious to pur
sue a course, to a certain extent lite
rary, it may not be inopportune to
point out the close connexion of that
study with others for which a great
er predilection is exhibited.
Passing over then, the question of
the amount and character of mental
culture which the study of Ancient
Languages affords, and the related
one of the comparative value, in a
practical point of view, of the study
of the Modern Languages and the
Ancient, we propose to consider the
value of tho Ancient Languages in
connection with the study of Rheto
ric, and to point out how a knowl
edge of them is not only an essential
aid for a thorough appreciation of
that science, but also a positive pow
er over our own language in the
practice of that branch as an art. If
it can be made apparent that tho An
cient Languages are beneficial in this
particular, an answer will be afforded
to much of the objection raised
against them —since no use, it is pro
eumed, not even the most eager ad-,
voeate of the useful—would deny the
great utility to every man, of the
power of accurate expression, and a
clear and harmonious style.
The most difficult part of the stu
dy of Rhetoric, and that to which
THE GEORGIA COLLEGIAN.
most of its rules are directed, relates
to words, their choice as to signifi
cance, propriety and purity; and
again, as to tho arrangement and
connection of those words with re
spect to grammatical propriety, ex
pressional power and artistic beauty,
in such a manner as to give the
clearest and most forcible transcript
of the mental act or thought. Much
of this knowledge we pick up as we
grow, without any teaching, and
without perceiving how we have
gained it. We get enough to make
known our wants and our thoughts
in an ordinary way; but whenever
we come to regular composition—
whenever there arises a need for
clear and connected discourse of any
kind, we are all, more or less, aware
of our deficiency either in words or
in the arrangement of them in order
to the proper expression of our ideas
and thoughts. Hence the need for
Rhetoric and Grammar, and all tho
rules of both, which tend to supply
the want; and hence too, after study
and comprehension of these rules, tho
necessity for continual practice and a
study of the best models, in order to
make the rules of real utility.
For the purpose last mentioned, as
well as for that of the choice of
words, the Ancient Languages seem
to furnish one of the best and most
fruitful exercises. Tho relation of
tho English Language to the Latin,
and through tho Latin to the Greek,
is so intimate, that the study of the
one is also that of the other. All the
principles of English Grammar are
mastered when wo have obtained a
competent knowledge of tho gram
mar of these more perfect and more
elaborate languages. Besides, this
study supplies us with a vast fund of
words which we have derived from
those languages, and more than all,
makes us thoroughly acquainted with
that large class of words upon the
use of which Rhetoric enlarges so
much, viz: synonymes and cognates
from the same general root. In this
sense, the study of the Latin and
Greek becomes indeed the study of
our own language, since it supplies
us with words and best interests us
in their legitimate usage; thus af
fording, to a great extent, the neces
sary practice otherwise required for
readiness and accuracy.
Again, in respect to arrangement
of words into clauses and sentences,
the study of the Ancient Languages
is a continual practice in our own
tongue. The thorough analysis of a
sentence of a Greek or Latin author
affords the best exercise in tho ar
rangement of words and clauses, and
in the structure of sentences, that can
be offered, not excepting even the
practice of frequent composing, in our
own language; and when, as in the
caso of students of an University, the
curriculum of studies is such as to
preclude frequent and careful compo
sition. it is the only exercise that is
of real value. By analysis, Ido not
mean construing ; not the application
of so many rules of grammar and the
exercise of so much ingenuity on the
part of the student in arranging the
parts of a word—puzzle in such a
manner as to dig an English meaning,
out of so many Latin or Greek'words
placed in a seemingly distracted or
der; but the comprehension of the
reason for the particular arrange
ment of the words, as the most effec»
tive mode of expression, as giving
peculiar force or beauty or rythm,
and an appreciation of the given po
sition and collocation of words as ex
pressive of minute shades and con
nexions, and as being perhaps the
only method which the author could
employ to communicate bis exact
meaning in the most effective manner.
This is the very exercise we our
selves go through when we are com
posing with caro. The sentences of
the standard Latin and Greek au
thors, particularly the latter, present
us examples and studies in this line,
the best and most instructive, be
cause they are usually in the highest
style of the art of arrangement, and
are written in those tongues which
from their peculiar character and
power enabled the author to exhibit
the finest models of sentential struc
ture. In such an analysis we are not
engaged upon mere words, but we
are tracing the action, the highest
action of the human mind. We have,
laid out before us, the very mind of
the author in the elaboration of
thought. It has been remarked that
could we absolutely observe the
method of a single mind in its action,
it would be more instructive than to
bo thoroughly informed of tho results
of the actions of a great many minds;
the study and comprehension of a
sentence in the manner above indi
cated, is, perhaps, the nearest ap
proach we can make to such an ope
ration. Such an analysis makes us
acquainted with the power that lan
guage acquires from inversion, tho
difference that obtains between tho
simple, natural order, and the ele
gance and elevation of an inverted
order. It shows ns one of the strik
ing distinctions betwoen poetic and
prose diction. In the collocation of
words, it is a direct exercise in our
own languague; which depends so
much for its effect upon that pecus
liarity. In the arrangement of num
bers, we got an idea of the harmony
of words, and in the general struc
ture of the period, we appreciate the
force of unity.
The study of the Classical Lan
guages may thus become the best
study for tho proper use of our own,
and in a College course may supply
the place of that continual practice
which cannot usually be had. It is
intimately connected with the study
of Rhetoric, and affords the best
means for a complete knowledge of
its principles. Such a plan of study
as above indicated, can neither be
properly completed nor thoroughly
availed of at an early aga. It has
been said that the classics are all well
enough to train the mind in certain
degree up to a certain age; but from
our point of view, the study can nev
er cease to be of practical utility.—
Examples are not wanting to illus
trate the advantage of this study in
this respect.
It is said of William Pitt, the
younger, that one of his favorite ex
ercises to perfect himself in the ready
and effective use of English was to
translate the elaborate sentences of
Cicero or Caesar, to imitate as far as
possible, their order and connection,
and again to break up their periodic
structure into several English sen
tences, retaining the thought. This
was only makiDg himself thorough
master of the sentence by analysis,
and practising bis powers in the ar
rangement of words. He himself
said, that he owed much of the won*,
derful command which he exhibited
over his own language, to this early
practice in the Latin.
If to the verbal analysis of Latin
and Greek, we could also add instruc
tion in tho reading and recitation of
the sentence, we shonld still farther
enhance the value to bo derived in
this respect, from them. We take
in most of our knowledge of the
Classics through the eye, while in
fact they are works addressed to the
ear; and in the structure of the sen
tences as much is addressed to please
that organ as to instrnct the under
standing by means of the other. We
may read Gibbon or Macauly until
the ear becomes so completely satus
rated with the music of their periods,
that insensibly, in our own composi
tion, we faintly imitate them. So
too, could we recover the correct pro
nunciation of the ancient tongues, or
even approximate it, we might hope
so to inspire our young men with the
divine harmony of the Iliad or JE*.
neid, or the lofty rhythm of Demos*,
thenes or Cicero, that in their com
positions, we might catch an echo of
tho style of these great masters.—
Even as it is now, we not only derive
a sensible pleasure from this source,
but by practising ofiener the reading
of the original, connecting at the
same time the sentiment with the
arrangement, wo derive a decided
advantage. It is singular as well as
instructive to see how much nearer
we can come to the exact rendering
of one of Cicero’s artistic periods by
following his order of words, [only
so far varied in tho separate clauses
as to secure proper sense,] than to
follow our natural English order,
which in many instances will eitht