adopted by the more enlightened philosopers of modern times.

Much importance was attached by the learned preceptor to the study of Greek versification, in which he was himself eminently skilled; and earnest and persevering were his efforts to teach its laws, and explain its intricacies to his pupils. But the desired success was not in all, perhaps not in many, cases obtained. So extreme was sometimes the distaste for this difficult study, that it was not to be overcome; and even some of Dr Parr's most intelligent pupils have complained that too much of their time was consumed "in learning to unravel the complicated perplexities of Greek metre; which, after all, they very imperfectly understood."

But with far greater and more general success, the practice of Greek composition, both in prose and verse, was introduced and enforced. It is a practice which has prevailed of late years more than formerly, in most of our private as well as public seminaries; and in the prosecution of a learned education, no employment can be more reasonable or bene ficial. For though composition in Greek is not so often called for as in Latin, by the occasions which arise even among men of letters; yet, as a powerful instrument for acquiring or perfecting the knowledge of Greek itself, it cannot be too strongly recommended. No language can be well understood which is not written as well as read; and if that of Greece be important at all, it surely becomes of consequence that the most effectual means of acquiring it should be adopted and pursued. No professor of Latin would think of teaching that language without the aid of composition, at least in the form of what are called exercises; and why the same advantage should be denied to the professor of Greek, it is not easy to say.

As a proof of the high state of Grecian literature in Stanmore School, it deserves to be related, that one of the most admired tragedies of Sophocles, the Edipus Tyrannus, was acted with applause before a large body of the assembled literati; among whom were, Sir William Jones, Mr Bennet Langton, Mr Lytton, and many other of the most distinguished scholars. The choruses were omitted; but the dialogues were recited by the several performers with a propriety, a fluency, and a force, which reflected equal honor on the preceptor and the pupils. The scenes were furnished

by Mr Foote, and the dresses by Mr Garrick. Dr Monro mentions, that he himself was one of the deputation sent, on that occasion, to Mr Garrick; that he and his associates found him at Drury Lane, engaged in rehearsing the part of Don Felix, in the comedy of The Wonder;' and that they were received by him with the greatest kindness and attention. Some articles of Grecian costume were prepared, under the direction of the learned master, by his own family.

The Edipus was acted in 1775; and it was followed, the next year, by the Trachinians of the same tragedian. To these two representations belong the merit of being the first attempts of the kind in England.

But, in Ireland, long before this time, a Greek play, it appears, had been acted by the pupils of that profound scholar and eminent schoolmaster, Dr Sheridan; distinguished as the friend of the celebrated Dr Swift; and still more so as the grandfather of the no less celebrated Brinsley Sheridan. It was in conversation with Sir William Jones, on the subject of that extraordinary representation, that the idea of a similar attempt first suggested itself to Dr Parr, who was also aware, that the plan, as an excellent method for the improvement of young scholars, is recommended by so great an authority as Milton.* After due deliberation, supported by the opinion of his illustrious friend, in defiance of all the ridicule or reproach which so novel or bold an attempt might possibly provoke, the plan was finally approved and adopted. Some invidious reflections were in fact thrown out upon the occasion, and Dr Parr was induced to write some Greek Iambics, for the purpose of vindicating himself from the charge of affectation or singularity.

He was so well satisfied, indeed, with the result of his own experiment, that he fully intended, if he had continued longer at Stanmore, to establish in his school the annual custom of representing a Greek play. He often spoke with pleasure of the good effect which it produced; and as often expressed a wish that his example had been followed in

* When all these employments are well conquered, then will the choice histories, heroic poems. and Attic tragedies, of stateliest and most regal argument, with all the famous political orations, offer themselves; which, if they were some of them got by memory, and solemnly pronounced, with right accent and grace, as might be taught, would endue them with the spirit and vigor of Demosthenes or Cicero, Euripides, or Sophocles.-A small Tractate on Education.

other seminaries. By the vigorous exertion of mind called forth in accomplishing so high and arduous a task, he found that his pupils more easily conquered the difficulties of which young scholars usually complain when they first engage in reading and investigating the ancient tragic writers. An important object is gained, as he observed, by compelling that exact attention to Greek phraseology and Greek metre, which becomes so urgently necessary, in preparing for the public recitation of a Greek author. The long, previous, careful study of the drama itself, without which the youthful performer could not hope to appear with honor, or to escape from shame, would of course introduce into his mind clear and correct views of its plan, its incidents, and its characters; whilst the actual representation, aided by the influence of dress, scenery, and company, could not fail to excite a livelier perception, and to produce a deeper impression of all those excellencies, which so eminently belong to the three great tragedians of ancient times, and most of all to Sophocles. The memory, too, must be in a high degree improved, by that severe exercise of it which would on such occasions be demanded.

But though the literature of Greece took the lead, especially among the higher classes of Stanmore School; yet, at the same time, that of its great and successful imitators, the Romans, received all the attention to which it is so justly entitled. Pre-eminent above the rest, in the judgment of Dr Parr, were the writings of the all-accomplished Cicero ; of whom it has been said, that, "for arts and eloquence he has eclipsed the fame of Greece," and that "by explaining all the parts of its philosophy to the Romans, in their own language, he superceded in some measure the use of the Greek language and the Greek lectures at Rome." Large selections, therefore, from his works, and other selections, more or less extensive, from the works of the most distinguished Latin poets and historians, were constantly read in the school; and the numerous instances of beauty or sublimity in the style or sentiments, as they occurred, were noticed and pointed out, with that keenness of perception, that accuracy of taste, and that ardor of feeling, which the learned. teacher, in so high a degree, possessed.

In remarking upon the plans pursued in some of our celebrated public seminaries, one considerable defect, which Dr

Parr often mentioned, was, that sufficient portions of Latin prose, especially in Cicero and Cæsar, were not read; and another, that sufficient time was not devoted to the composition of prose in that language. These defects in the systems of other schools, no doubt, he was careful to remedy in his own; whilst he gladly adopted from them whatever he found worthy of approbation. Indeed, it would be great injustice not to add, that if he sometimes noticed errors, where errors he thought he saw, at the same time, he ever acknowledged, with generous pleasure, the merits of other teachers; and commended, with no niggardly praise, the well-devised plans of other schools.

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Dr Parr was a strenuous advocate for the practice of committing to memory large portions of Greek and Latin verses; and applauded, in this, as well as in other respects, plan of Winchester School, where that practice has been long established, and carried to a great extent. It was his opinion, that by repeating passages, though not previously understood, a boy is incited by his own curiosity to explore, and is generally enabled by his own efforts to discover their meaning that what is thus learnt by voluntary exertion, is learnt with more effect, and fixed with deeper impression on the memory; and that, by these means, the youthful mind gradually accumulates, in rich variety and abundance, stores of pleasing imagery, and sublime or beautiful expression.

Alluding to these exercises of the memory, Dr Munro mentions as an instance, that when he was first placed in the fifth form, he was ordered to get by heart, as a holiday task -and no slight task!—the third Olynthiac of Demosthenes, which he accomplished. He mentions further, as an established regulation of the school, that the first business of the morning appointed for the upper classes, was a repetition of the lesson said the evening before; and this entirely from memory-which must have often required an exertion of its powers equal to their full extent. In some cases, the repetition-lesson was fairly and faithfully performed; but in many, he confesses, the task was accomplished by the aid of sly glances on the open book, which the master held in his hands. Not unfrequently the artifice remained undiscovered; but sometimes, by the sudden closing of the book, it was detected, and then-woe to the delinquent!

Devoted to the study of the noble languages of antiquity,

most of our great seminaries in England were formerly exposed to the just reproach of neglecting, and even despising, the language and the literature of their own country. For some considerable time, indeed, after the revival of letters, all the genius and taste and erudition which then existed, were to be found only in the volumes of the ancients; and most of the valuable works which subsequently appeared, were composed not in the vernacular language, but in Latin—the universal language, as it was long regarded, of learning. Under such circumstances, it is easy to account for, and in some measure to excuse, the contempt, which the scholars of that age usually poured upon their native tongue, and the entire exclusion of it from the prevailing system of education.

But when, in process of time, the use of Latin gave way to that of the living language of the country, even in the works of the learned, and when English literature itself became, from the number and the excellence of its writers, a just and important object of attention; still to contend, under these altered circumstances, that the study of English forms no proper or necessary part of the education of Englishmen, is surely an absurdity which may well excite surprise. Yet so slow often is the progress of the plainest truths, and so strong the force of the grossest prejudices, that some ages elapsed before even that absurdity was generally perceived and acknowledged.

Among the first to discover, and to hold forth to public. view, the strange error of excluding the vernacular language from the systems of public or private education, was the very learned prelate, Bishop Lowth; who not only opposed to it the strength of his reasoning and the weight of his authority, but also provided for it the practical means of correction, by publishing his excellent "Introduction to English Grammar," which first appeared in 1765. This is, indeed, an admirable work; possessing the rare merit of being at once philosophical and popular: a book, which the accomplished scholar peruses and admires, and which the youthful learner reads. and understands. Almost, it may be said, from the date of that publication, and greatly in consequence of it, the study of the English language has assumed the place, to which it is entitled in every wise and well considered plan of English education.