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the deficiencies of their classical predecessors。 At the time of the revival
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of literature； no man could； without great and painful labour； acquire an
accurate and elegant knowledge of the ancient languages。 And；
unfortunately； those grammatical and philological studies； without which it
was impossible to understand the great works of Athenian and Roman
genius； have a tendency to contract the views and deaden the sensibility of
those who follow them with extreme assiduity。 A powerful mind； which
has been long employed in such studies； may be compared to the gigantic
spirit in the Arabian tale； who was persuaded to contract himself to small
dimensions in order to enter within the enchanted vessel； and； when his
prison had been closed upon him； found himself unable to escape from the
narrow boundaries to the measure of which he had reduced his stature。
When the means have long been the objects of application； they are
naturally substituted for the end。 It was said； by Eugene of Savoy； that
the greatest generals have commonly been those who have been at once
raised to command； and introduced to the great operations of war； without
being employed in the petty calculations and manoeuvres which employ
the time of an inferior officer。 In literature the principle is equally sound。
The great tactics of criticism will； in general； be best understood by those
who have not had much practice in drilling syllables and particles。
I remember to have observed among the French Anas a ludicrous
instance of this。 A scholar； doubtless of great learning； recommends the
study of some long Latin treatise； of which I now forget the name； on the
religion； manners； government； and language of the early Greeks。 〃For
there；〃 says he； 〃you will learn everything of importance that is contained
in the Iliad and Odyssey； without the trouble of reading two such tedious
books。〃 Alas！ it had not occurred to the poor gentleman that all the
knowledge to which he attached so much value was useful only as it
illustrated the great poems which he despised； and would be as worthless
for any other purpose as the mythology of Caffraria； or the vocabulary of
Otaheite。
Of those scholars who have disdained to confine themselves to verbal
criticism few have been successful。 The ancient languages have；
generally； a magical influence on their faculties。 They were 〃fools called
into a circle by Greek invocations。〃 The Iliad and Aeneid were to them
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not books but curiosities； or rather reliques。 They no more admired those
works for their merits than a good Catholic venerates the house of the
Virgin at Loretto for its architecture。 Whatever was classical was good。
Homer was a great poet； and so was Callimachus。 The epistles of Cicero
were fine； and so were those of Phalaris。 Even with respect to questions
of evidence they fell into the same error。 The authority of all narrations；
written in Greek or Latin； was the same with them。 It never crossed their
minds that the lapse of five hundred years； or the distance of five hundred
leagues； could affect the accuracy of a narration；that Livy could be a less
veracious historian than Polybius；or that Plutarch could know less about
the friends of Xenophon than Xenophon himself。 Deceived by the distance
of time； they seem to consider all the Classics as contemporaries； just as I
have known people in England； deceived by the distance of place； take it
for granted that all persons who live in India are neighbours； and ask an
inhabitant of Bombay about the health of an acquaintance at Calcutta。 It
is to be hoped that no barbarian deluge will ever again pass over Europe。
But should such a calamity happen； it seems not improbable that some
future Rollin or Gillies will compile a history of England from Miss
Porter's Scottish Chiefs； Miss Lee's Recess； and Sir Nathaniel Wraxall's
Memoirs。
It is surely time that ancient literature should be examined in a
different manner； without pedantical prepossessions； but with a just
allowance； at the same time； for the difference of circumstances and
manners。 I am far from pretending to the knowledge or ability which
such a task would require。 All that I mean to offer is a collection of
desultory remarks upon a most interesting portion of Greek literature。
It may be doubted whether any compositions which have ever been
produced in the world are equally perfect in their kind with the great
Athenian orations。 Genius is subject to the same laws which regulate the
production of cotton and molasses。 The supply adjusts itself to the
demand。 The quantity may be diminished by restrictions； and multiplied
by bounties。 The singular excellence to which eloquence attained at
Athens is to be mainly attributed to the influence which it exerted there。
In turbulent times； under a constitution purely democratic； among a people
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educated exactly to that point at which men are most susceptible of strong
and sudden impressions； acute； but not sound reasoners； warm in their
feelings； unfixed in their principles； and passionate admirers of fine
composition； oratory received such encouragement as it has never since
obtained。
The taste and knowledge of the Athenian people was a favourite object
of the contemptuous derision of Samuel Johnson； a man who knew
nothing of Greek literature beyond the common school…books； and who
seems to have brought to what he had read scarcely more than the
discernment of a common school…boy。 He used to assert； with that
arrogant absurdity which； in spite of his great abilities and virtues； renders
him； perhaps the most ridiculous character in literary history； that
Demosthenes spoke to a people of brutes；to a barbarous people；that
there could have been no civilisation before the invention of printing。
Johnson was a keen but a very narrow…minded observer of mankind。 He
perpetually confounded their general nature with their particular
circumstances。 He knew London intimately。 The sagacity of his
remarks on its society is perfectly astonishing。 But Fleet Street was the
world to him。 He saw that Londoners who did not read were profoundly
ignorant； and he inferred that a Greek； who had few or no books； must
have been as uninformed as one of Mr Thrale's draymen。
There seems to be； on the contrary； every reason to believe； that； in
general intelligence； the Athenian populace far surpassed the lower orders
of any community that has ever existed。 It must be considered； that to be
a citizen was to be a legislator；a soldier；a judge；one upon whose voice
might depend the fate of the wealthiest tributary state； of the most eminent
public man。 The lowest offices； both of agriculture and of trade； were； in
common； performed by slaves。 The commonwealth supplied its meanest
members with the support of life； the opportunity of leisure； and the means
of amusement。 Books were indeed few： but they were excellent； and
they were accurately known。 It is not by turning over libraries； but by
repeatedly perusing and intently contemplating a few great models； that
the mind is best disciplined。 A man of letters must now read much that
he soon forgets； and much from which he learns nothing worthy to be