Blackwall's Introduction to the Classics Containing a Short Discourse on Their Excellencies, and Directions, How to Study Them to Advantage Classic Reprint

Excerpt from Blackwall's Introduction to the Classics: Containing a Short Discourse on Their Excellencies, and Directions, How to Study Them to Advantage

Bin genius and abilities; yet it cannot be de~ nied that the antient classics were much happier in the beauty and durableness of their language. Greek and Latin have an intrinsic value, and are true sterling all over the learned world. English is chieflv valuable in this island and its colonies, and current within its own seas. It cannot sustain the sublime with that strength and grace that the Greek and Latin do; and this may be much more affirmed of most of the languages of Europe. Suppose a writer in any European living lan guage, to be of equal natural parts and ac quired abilities with auv of the noblest wits of Greece or Rome, yet the ancient would in his language have extremelv the ad vantage of. The modern as much asan ai chitect or statuary, who had the finest marble and most compliant materials to work on, would go beyond one of his own profession, equally sltilful, who was confined to such unlit and mouldering materials, as mocked his art, and were incapable of receiving his curious workmanship. Greek and Latin have for many ages been fixed and unalterable; and the best writers in those languages flomished in those happy times, when,learning and all the polite arts were arrived at their pet fection and standard. We are come to nosettledauthentic standard; our tongu'eds in; a. Daily flux and alteration.

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