A Treatise on the Importance and Utility of Classical LearningWhittaker, Treacher&Arnot, 1831 - 116 pages |
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adorned ancient antiquity aphelions arcanum Aristotle art and science aspiring astonishing authors beauty breath brightens brilliant cadence caduceus celestial character Cicero classic science climes composition concave conspicuous cultivated delight Demosthenes eloquence elysian energies enriched epic poetry eternal ethereal exhibit faculties fame fancy genius glimmering glorious golden Greece Greek Greek language harmonious heaven hemisphere Herodotus Homer human mind human nature illustrious imagery imagination immortal instruction intel invaluable JOHN STANFIELD knowledge language learning light literature lofty lustre lyre Lysia magnificence majesty mankind melodious mental mighty Minerva mingle modern necessary numbers orbs Parnassian philosophy Plato poetic poetry poets Polybius possessed principles prodigious promoted Quintilian realms refinement regions rise scenery scenes sentence sentiment shed shews skies song soul sound sphere spirit splendour spread strain stupendous sublime succeeding ages taste temple Theocritus thought Thucydides tion towering transcendent treasures ture unfolds UTILITY OF CLASSICAL vast Virgil vision Xenophon
Popular passages
Page 39 - I shall detain you now no longer in the demonstration of what we should not do, but straight conduct you to a hill-side, where I will point you out the right path of a virtuous and noble education ; laborious indeed at the first ascent, but else so smooth, so green, so full of goodly prospect, and melodious sounds on every side, that the harp of Orpheus was not more charming.
Page 42 - a beginning and an end within itself, and is of such a length " as to be easily comprehended at once.
Page 106 - But what should we have thought of the competitor of the Olympic course, whose object was the glory of a prize, contested by the proudest of his contemporary heroes, if, with that illustrious reward before him, — with strength and agility that might ensure him the possession of it, — and with all the assembled multitudes of Greece to witness his triumph, he had turned away, from the contest, and the victory, because he was not to tread on softness, and to be refreshed with fragrance, as he moved...
Page 100 - I should be an ingrate if I did. How can I regret having lived in constant converse, through their works, with the greatest and noblest men that ever breathed ! I have lived in Elysium—have breathed the celestial air of those hallowed plains, while engaged in the study of the philosophy and poetry of Greece and Rome. Yes, it is a consolation even for my bitter and premature death-bed, to think that my mind will quit this wretched, diseased, unworthy body, imbued with the ref,nement—redolent of...
Page 58 - Meantime the radiant sun, to mortal sight Descending swift, roll'd down the rapid light. Then to their starry domes the Gods depart, The shining monuments of Vulcan's art: Jove on his couch reclin'd his awful head, And Juno slumber'd on the golden bed.
Page 49 - ... by sedulous parental instruction. His early acquired fondness for classical and elegant literature laid his youthful fancy open to the liveliest impressions, and made him draw *' The inspiring breath of ancient arts, and tread the sacred walks, Where, at each step, imagination burns :" and this, undoubtedly, again aided his memory, the pictures being reproduced by constant warmth of feeling.
Page 45 - Nothing can enter into the affections which stumbles at the threshold by offending the ear. Music has naturally a great power over all men to prompt and facilitate certain emotions ; insomuch that there are scarcely any dispositions which we wish to raise in others, but certain sounds may be found concordant to those dispositions, and tending to excite and promote them.
Page 20 - ... occurred. His history, originally composed in forty books, of which only five are entire, with fragments of the succeeding twelve, comprised an account of the causes and means by which the habitable world became subject to the Roman empire, and embraced a period of fiftythree years, from the commencement of the second Punic war to the conquest of Macedon by Paulus ./Emilius.
Page 100 - Witn my faculties quickened and strengthened, I shall go confidently, and claim kindred with the great ones of Eternity. They know I love their works — have consumed all the oil of my life in their study, and they will welcome their son — their disciple !" Ill as he was, Mr — uttered these sentiments (as nearly as I can recollect, in the very words I have given) with an energy, an enthusiasm, and an eloquence, which I never saw surpassed.
Page 107 - ... occasionally all the vigour of your attention, at the risk of a little temporary fatigue, as often as it shall appear to me, that, by exciting you to more than ordinary intellectual activity, I can facilitate your acquisition of a reward, which the listless exertions of the indolent never can obtain, and which is as truly the prize of strenuous effort, as the Palms of the Circus or the Course.