(seq. 33)

3

attention that they ought to receive.

The linguist takes a concise method for
deciding questions of this nature. He exults
with raptures in praise of the ancients; he as-
cribes to them genius, taste, and knowledge;
and then concludes that their languages ought
to constitute a principal part of a modern ed-
ucation.

If language and knowledge be the same
thing, or if the veil of the antient tongues conceal
from the moderns the sources of knowledge, or the
means of improvement; this laconic argument
will, indeed, operate with no inconsiderable valid-
ity. But if Nature's works are invisible to us as
they were to antients, and if we prossess the arts
and sciences not only in as high perfection as
they did, but have moreover many improvements
and discoveries unknown to them, it must be ac-
knowledged that their languages, so far from
being useful to us, are in fact very injurious;
because, they consume much of our time, which,
otherwise, might be improved to some valua-
ble purpose.