Inaccumulatingpropertyforourselvesorourposterity,infoundingafamilyorastate,oracquiringfameeven,wearemortal;butindealingwithtruthweareimmortal,andneedfearnochangenoraccident.
TheoldestEgyptianorHindoophilosopherraisedacorneroftheveilfromthestatueofthedivinity;andstillthetremblingroberemainsraised,andIgazeuponasfreshagloryashedid,sinceitwasIinhimthatwasthensobold,anditisheinmethatnowreviewsthevision.
Myresidencewasmorefavorable,notonlytothought,buttoseriousreading,thanauniversity;andthoughIwasbeyondtherangeoftheordinarycirculatinglibrary,Ihadmorethanevercomewithintheinfluenceofthosebookswhichcirculateroundtheworld,whosesentenceswerefirstwrittenonbark,andarenowmerelycopiedfromtimetotimeontolinenpaper.
SaysthepoetMrUdd,"Beingseated,torunthroughtheregionofthespiritualworld;Ihavehadthisadvantageinbooks.
Tobeintoxicatedbyasingleglassofwine;IhaveexperiencedthispleasurewhenIhavedrunktheliquoroftheesotericdoctrines."
Incessantlaborwithmyhands,atfirst,forIhadmyhousetofinishandmybeanstohoeatthesametime,mademorestudyimpossible.
Ireadoneortwoshallowbooksoftravelintheintervalsofmywork,tillthatemploymentmademeashamedofmyself,andIaskedwhereitwasthenthatIlived.
ThestudentmayreadHomerorAEschylusintheGreekwithoutdangerofdissipationorluxuriousness,foritimpliesthatheinsomemeasureemulatetheirheroes,andconsecratemorninghourstotheirpages.
Theheroicbooks,evenifprintedinthecharacterofourmothertongue,willalwaysbeinalanguagedeadtodegeneratetimes;andwemustlaboriouslyseekthemeaningofeachwordandline,conjecturingalargersensethancommonusepermitsoutofwhatwisdomandvalorandgenerositywehave.
Themoderncheapandfertilepress,withallitstranslations,hasdonelittletobringusnearertotheheroicwritersofantiquity.
Itisworththeexpenseofyouthfuldaysandcostlyhours,ifyoulearnonlysomewordsofanancientlanguage,whichareraisedoutofthetrivialnessofthestreet,tobeperpetualsuggestionsandprovocations.
Mensometimesspeakasifthestudyoftheclassicswouldatlengthmakewayformoremodernandpracticalstudies;buttheadventurousstudentwillalwaysstudyclassics,inwhateverlanguagetheymaybewrittenandhoweverancienttheymaybe.
Theyaretheonlyoracleswhicharenotdecayed,andtherearesuchanswerstothemostmoderninquiryinthemasDelphiandDodonanevergave.
Toreadwell,thatis,toreadtruebooksinatruespirit,isanobleexercise,andonethatwilltaskthereadermorethananyexercisewhichthecustomsofthedayesteem.
Itisnotenougheventobeabletospeakthelanguageofthatnationbywhichtheyarewritten,forthereisamemorableintervalbetweenthespokenandthewrittenlanguage,thelanguageheardandthelanguageread.
Theoneiscommonlytransitory,asound,atongue,adialectmerely,almostbrutish,andwelearnitunconsciously,likethebrutes,ofourmothers.
Theotheristhematurityandexperienceofthat;ifthatisourmothertongue,thisisourfathertongue,areservedandselectexpression,toosignificanttobeheardbytheear,whichwemustbebornagaininordertospeak.
ThecrowdsofmenwhomerelyspoketheGreekandLatintonguesintheMiddleAgeswerenotentitledbytheaccidentofbirthtoreadtheworksofgeniuswritteninthoselanguages;forthesewerenotwritteninthatGreekorLatinwhichtheyknew,butintheselectlanguageofliterature.
TheyhadnotlearnedthenoblerdialectsofGreeceandRome,buttheverymaterialsonwhichtheywerewrittenwerewastepapertothem,andtheyprizedinsteadacheapcontemporaryliterature.
ButwhentheseveralnationsofEuropehadacquireddistinctthoughrudewrittenlanguagesoftheirown,sufficientforthepurposesoftheirrisingliteratures,thenfirstlearningrevived,andscholarswereenabledtodiscernfromthatremotenessthetreasuresofantiquity.
WhattheRomanandGrecianmultitudecouldnothear,afterthelapseofagesafewscholarsread,andafewscholarsonlyarestillreadingit.
Howevermuchwemayadmiretheorator'soccasionalburstsofeloquence,thenoblestwrittenwordsarecommonlyasfarbehindorabovethefleetingspokenlanguageasthefirmamentwithitsstarsisbehindtheclouds.
Theoratoryieldstotheinspirationofatransientoccasion,andspeakstothemobbeforehim,tothosewhocanhearhim;butthewriter,whosemoreequablelifeishisoccasion,andwhowouldbedistractedbytheeventandthecrowdwhichinspiretheorator,speakstotheintellectandhealthofmankind,toallinanyagewhocanunderstandhim.
Itmaybetranslatedintoeverylanguage,andnotonlybereadbutactuallybreathedfromallhumanlips;—notberepresentedoncanvasorinmarbleonly,butbecarvedoutofthebreathoflifeitself.
TwothousandsummershaveimpartedtothemonumentsofGrecianliterature,astohermarbles,onlyamaturergoldenandautumnaltint,fortheyhavecarriedtheirownsereneandcelestialatmosphereintoalllandstoprotectthemagainstthecorrosionoftime.
Theyhavenocauseoftheirowntoplead,butwhiletheyenlightenandsustainthereaderhiscommonsensewillnotrefusethem.
Theirauthorsareanaturalandirresistiblearistocracyineverysociety,and,morethankingsoremperors,exertaninfluenceonmankind.
Whentheilliterateandperhapsscornfultraderhasearnedbyenterpriseandindustryhiscovetedleisureandindependence,andisadmittedtothecirclesofwealthandfashion,heturnsinevitablyatlasttothosestillhigherbutyetinaccessiblecirclesofintellectandgenius,andissensibleonlyoftheimperfectionofhiscultureandthevanityandinsufficiencyofallhisriches,andfurtherproveshisgoodsensebythepainswhichhetakestosecureforhischildrenthatintellectualculturewhosewanthesokeenlyfeels;andthusitisthathebecomesthefounderofafamily.
Thosewhohavenotlearnedtoreadtheancientclassicsinthelanguageinwhichtheywerewrittenmusthaveaveryimperfectknowledgeofthehistoryofthehumanrace;foritisremarkablethatnotranscriptofthemhaseverbeenmadeintoanymoderntongue,unlessourcivilizationitselfmayberegardedassuchatranscript.
HomerhasneveryetbeenprintedinEnglish,norAEschylus,norVirgileven—worksasrefined,assolidlydone,andasbeautifulalmostasthemorningitself;forlaterwriters,saywhatwewilloftheirgenius,haverarely,ifever,equalledtheelaboratebeautyandfinishandthelifelongandheroicliterarylaborsoftheancients.
Itwillbesoonenoughtoforgetthemwhenwehavethelearningandthegeniuswhichwillenableustoattendtoandappreciatethem.
ThatagewillberichindeedwhenthoserelicswhichwecallClassics,andthestillolderandmorethanclassicbutevenlessknownScripturesofthenations,shallhavestillfurtheraccumulated,whentheVaticansshallbefilledwithVedasandZendavestasandBibles,withHomersandDantesandShakespeares,andallthecenturiestocomeshallhavesuccessivelydepositedtheirtrophiesintheforumoftheworld.
Mostmenhavelearnedtoreadtoserveapaltryconvenience,astheyhavelearnedtocipherinordertokeepaccountsandnotbecheatedintrade;butofreadingasanobleintellectualexercisetheyknowlittleornothing;yetthisonlyisreading,inahighsense,notthatwhichlullsusasaluxuryandsuffersthenoblerfacultiestosleepthewhile,butwhatwehavetostandontip–toetoreadanddevoteourmostalertandwakefulhoursto.
Ithinkthathavinglearnedourlettersweshouldreadthebestthatisinliterature,andnotbeforeverrepeatingoura–b–abs,andwordsofonesyllable,inthefourthorfifthclasses,sittingonthelowestandforemostformallourlives.
Mostmenaresatisfiediftheyreadorhearread,andperchancehavebeenconvictedbythewisdomofonegoodbook,theBible,andfortherestoftheirlivesvegetateanddissipatetheirfacultiesinwhatiscalledeasyreading.
ThereisaworkinseveralvolumesinourCirculatingLibraryentitled"LittleReading,"whichIthoughtreferredtoatownofthatnamewhichIhadnotbeento.
Therearethosewho,likecormorantsandostriches,candigestallsortsofthis,evenafterthefullestdinnerofmeatsandvegetables,fortheysuffernothingtobewasted.
TheyreadtheninethousandthtaleaboutZebulonandSophronia,andhowtheylovedasnonehadeverlovedbefore,andneitherdidthecourseoftheirtrueloverunsmooth—atanyrate,howitdidrunandstumble,andgetupagainandgoon!
howsomepoorunfortunategotupontoasteeple,whohadbetterneverhavegoneupasfarasthebelfry;andthen,havingneedlesslygothimupthere,thehappynovelistringsthebellforalltheworldtocometogetherandhear,Odear!howhedidgetdownagain!
Formypart,Ithinkthattheyhadbettermetamorphoseallsuchaspiringheroesofuniversalnoveldomintomanweather–cocks,astheyusedtoputheroesamongtheconstellations,andletthemswingroundtheretilltheyarerusty,andnotcomedownatalltobotherhonestmenwiththeirpranks.
"TheSkipoftheTip–Toe–Hop,aRomanceoftheMiddleAges,bythecelebratedauthorof`Tittle–Tol–Tan,'toappearinmonthlyparts;agreatrush;don'tallcometogether."
Allthistheyreadwithsaucereyes,anderectandprimitivecuriosity,andwithunweariedgizzard,whosecorrugationsevenyetneednosharpening,justassomelittlefour–year–oldbencherhistwo–centgilt–coverededitionofCinderella—withoutanyimprovement,thatIcansee,inthepronunciation,oraccent,oremphasis,oranymoreskillinextractingorinsertingthemoral.
Theresultisdulnessofsight,astagnationofthevitalcirculations,andageneraldeliquiumandsloughingoffofalltheintellectualfaculties.
Thissortofgingerbreadisbakeddailyandmoresedulouslythanpurewheatorrye–and–Indianinalmosteveryoven,andfindsasurermarket.
Thereisinthistown,withaveryfewexceptions,notasteforthebestorforverygoodbookseveninEnglishliterature,whosewordsallcanreadandspell.
Eventhecollege–bredandso–calledliberallyeducatedmenhereandelsewherehavereallylittleornoacquaintancewiththeEnglishclassics;andasfortherecordedwisdomofmankind,theancientclassicsandBibles,whichareaccessibletoallwhowillknowofthem,therearethefeeblesteffortsanywheremadetobecomeacquaintedwiththem.
Iknowawoodchopper,ofmiddleage,whotakesaFrenchpaper,notfornewsashesays,forheisabovethat,butto"keephimselfinpractice,"hebeingaCanadianbybirth;andwhenIaskhimwhatheconsidersthebestthinghecandointhisworld,hesays,besidethis,tokeepupandaddtohisEnglish.
OnewhohasjustcomefromreadingperhapsoneofthebestEnglishbookswillfindhowmanywithwhomhecanconverseaboutit?
OrsupposehecomesfromreadingaGreekorLatinclassicintheoriginal,whosepraisesarefamiliareventotheso–calledilliterate;hewillfindnobodyatalltospeakto,butmustkeepsilenceaboutit.
Indeed,thereishardlytheprofessorinourcolleges,who,ifhehasmasteredthedifficultiesofthelanguage,hasproportionallymasteredthedifficultiesofthewitandpoetryofaGreekpoet,andhasanysympathytoimparttothealertandheroicreader;andasforthesacredScriptures,orBiblesofmankind,whointhistowncantellmeeventheirtitles?
Aman,anyman,willgoconsiderablyoutofhiswaytopickupasilverdollar;butherearegoldenwords,whichthewisestmenofantiquityhaveuttered,andwhoseworththewiseofeverysucceedingagehaveassuredusof;—andyetwelearntoreadonlyasfarasEasyReading,theprimersandclass–books,andwhenweleaveschool,the"LittleReading,"andstory–books,whichareforboysandbeginners;andourreading,ourconversationandthinking,areallonaverylowlevel,worthyonlyofpygmiesandmanikins.
AsifPlatoweremytownsmanandIneversawhim—mynextneighborandIneverheardhimspeakorattendedtothewisdomofhiswords.Buthowactuallyisit?
Weareunderbredandlow–livedandilliterate;andinthisrespectIconfessIdonotmakeanyverybroaddistinctionbetweentheilliteratenessofmytownsmanwhocannotreadatallandtheilliteratenessofhimwhohaslearnedtoreadonlywhatisforchildrenandfeebleintellects.
Thereareprobablywordsaddressedtoourconditionexactly,which,ifwecouldreallyhearandunderstand,wouldbemoresalutarythanthemorningorthespringtoourlives,andpossiblyputanewaspectonthefaceofthingsforus.
Thesesamequestionsthatdisturbandpuzzleandconfoundushaveintheirturnoccurredtoallthewisemen;notonehasbeenomitted;andeachhasansweredthem,accordingtohisability,byhiswordsandhislife.
ThesolitaryhiredmanonafarmintheoutskirtsofConcord,whohashadhissecondbirthandpeculiarreligiousexperience,andisdrivenashebelievesintothesilentgravityandexclusivenessbyhisfaith,maythinkitisnottrue;butZoroaster,thousandsofyearsago,travelledthesameroadandhadthesameexperience;buthe,beingwise,knewittobeuniversal,andtreatedhisneighborsaccordingly,andisevensaidtohaveinventedandestablishedworshipamongmen.
LethimhumblycommunewithZoroasterthen,andthroughtheliberalizinginfluenceofalltheworthies,withJesusChristhimself,andlet"ourchurch"gobytheboard.
Wehaveacomparativelydecentsystemofcommonschools,schoolsforinfantsonly;butexceptingthehalf–starvedLyceuminthewinter,andlatterlythepunybeginningofalibrarysuggestedbytheState,noschoolforourselves.
Itistimethatvillageswereuniversities,andtheirelderinhabitantsthefellowsofuniversities,withleisure—iftheyare,indeed,sowelloff—topursueliberalstudiestherestoftheirlives.
whatwithfodderingthecattleandtendingthestore,wearekeptfromschooltoolong,andoureducationissadlyneglected.
Itcanspendmoneyenoughonsuchthingsasfarmersandtradersvalue,butitisthoughtUtopiantoproposespendingmoneyforthingswhichmoreintelligentmenknowtobeoffarmoreworth.
Thistownhasspentseventeenthousanddollarsonatown–house,thankfortuneorpolitics,butprobablyitwillnotspendsomuchonlivingwit,thetruemeattoputintothatshell,inahundredyears.
Theonehundredandtwenty–fivedollarsannuallysubscribedforaLyceuminthewinterisbetterspentthananyotherequalsumraisedinthetown.
Asthenoblemanofcultivatedtastesurroundshimselfwithwhateverconducestohisculture—genius—learning—wit—books—paintings—statuary—music—philosophicalinstruments,andthelike;soletthevillagedo—notstopshortatapedagogue,aparson,asexton,aparishlibrary,andthreeselectmen,becauseourPilgrimforefathersgotthroughacoldwinteronceonableakrockwiththese.
Toactcollectivelyisaccordingtothespiritofourinstitutions;andIamconfidentthat,asourcircumstancesaremoreflourishing,ourmeansaregreaterthanthenobleman's.
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