when the mind of the student is best fitted for improvement in regard to subjects of taste, and best able to grapple with the difficulties which he has to encounter in the higher parts of criticism; and, we may add, when he would enjoy and profit most by the study of entire works of the ancient authors, instead of hobbling over promiscuous and disjointed fragments of them; which, however necessary in school books, are not sufficient in themselves to excite and keep up the interest that is indispensable to the successful progress of any scholar, who has passed his boyhood. At Cambridge, says Mr. Wainewright,

'Classical lectures take place in every college, throughout that part of each term which requires residence; and uniform attendance is enforced with a proper degree of strictness. Those authors are selected which afford most scope for critical remark, and which at the same time are distinguished by a display of the higher beauties of sentiment and composition. The finest plays of the Greek Tragedians, Plato's Dialogues, the Histories of Herodotus and Thucydides, Aristotle's Poetics, Cicero's Philosophical works, and the two treatises of Tacitus, might be enumerated as some of the more usual of the writings of antiquity chosen for this purpose.'

The manner, too, in which these works are studied and explained to the pupils, well derves the attention of all among us, who are concerned in the buisness of instructing youth:

The advantages on these occasions do not consist merely in calling upon the student to explain the text of the author then in use, but principally in the opportunity afforded of hearing the criticisms of a learned and judicious preceptor, who, in addition to the result of his own researches, can frequently avail himself of manuscript observations not generally accessible. By this means it happens, that scarcely any striking beauties of expression, peculiarities of structure or niceties of prosody, are suffered to escape the attention of his hearers.'

Such is, in a general view, the intellectual discipline prescibed by the wise and practical men, who direct the education of youth at this celebrated university; and the wholesome effect of it has long been visible to attentive observers, in the illustrious men who have had the benefit of such an education. But, as it is by no means satisfactory in cases of this kind to see mere general statements, we shall ask the attention of the public to some details of the University exercises; from which every intelligent reader will be able to form his own opinion of the inestimable value of such a solid and liberal course of education as is there adopted.

For the details, to which we here allude, we are indebted to the

373

second work at the head of this article, published by Professor Monk, who has so long been known to every scholar by his valuable editions of several Greek works, and by other important services in literature.

The present work of his contains a particular account of the various tasks required at the examinations of those students, who were candidates for different university honors; and, from the details furnished by the learned professor, our readers will see, with as much surprise as we have ourselves felt, the very high acquisitions which must be made by the young men who are fortunate enough to have the benefit of such a solid and thorough education. in order to have a just understanding of the particulars which we shall extract from the work, it is necessary that the reader should first attend to the preliminary remarks in the learned author's preface.

But

"The following publication consists of extracts from Greek, Latin and English authors, given as subjects for translation, and of miscellaneous questions proposed to the candidates for different classical honors in the university of Cambridge, during the period that I held the office of Regius Professor of Greek. The purport and the occasion of the several exercises will be explained by the notices attached to each.

The idea of such a publication was suggested by the anxious wish frequently expressed by students, to obtain copies of examinations which had been proposed on previous occasions. By thus allowing them an opportunity of perusing and considering such documents, hope not only to gratify a reasonable curiosity, but to guide their studies, in the course best calculated to prepare them for a similar ordeal. And, independently of any academical objects, a collection of this nature, consisting of choice passages from the best authors of antiquity, can hardly fail to be in itself both interesting and useful to the classical student. Such considerations have induced the Syndics of the Press to order that this little volume should he printed under the sanction and patronage of our university.

As this collection may fall into the hands of persons unacquainted with the practice of examinations at Cambridge, it is not superfluous to mention, that the performance of the several exercises was enjoined to the candidates, assembled in a room, and allowed only pen, ink and paper, within the limited period of two or three hours, or more, according to the length and difficulty of the task. As there will be observed a considerable diversity in the nature of the subjects proposed for similar prizes in different years, it is necessary to explain, that other departments of each examination belonged to other examiners. The papers here printed were all set by myself. But as at one time or other all the different departments have been allotted to me, this collection will exhibit a fair specimen of a Cambridge classical examina

tion, as it has been conducted since the year 1810 [to 1824] with the addition, however, of a Latin Theme and Latin Verses written upon some proposed subject.'

Keeping in mind the fact here stated, that, in performing the tasks in question, the student is only allowed 'pen, ink, and paper,' the reader will now be prepared to form a proper estimate of the severe ordeal' to which the candidate for university honors is subjected. Most justly is a student entitled to all the honorable distinctions of scholarship, who is able to pass such an ordeal!

The exercises may be arranged under the following classes: 1. Translations from Latin prose and poetry into English.

5. Exercises of turning different dialects into each other.

6. Miscellaneous Questions; embracing every subject on which a well educated man would consider it necessary to inform himself in the most full and accurate manner from original sources; as

History, general and particular, including a knowlege of the Constitutions, Laws and Politics of ancient States; their Military and Naval power, their manners and customs &c. Biography, Geography, Chronology, Literary History, Criticism.

Composition, in poetry as well as prose; and in the former, the principles of heroic, lyric, and dramatic writing.

Grammar; comprehending the philosophy of language, the particular knowledge of Greek and Latin, and the different dialects of the former.

Rhetoric and Oratory, Moral Philosophy, Intellectual Philosophy, &c. &c.

In our next we shall lay before the reader a few instances of the particular tasks under some of these heads, selected from different parts of the work.

INTELLIGENCE.

GYMNASTIC EXERCISES IN LONDON.

Extracts from a letter, lately received from an American residing there.

You may judge a little of our zeal here. I walk nearly three miles-nearly six miles, I should say, every morning, when not prevented by very late hours the night before, to the Gymnastic School, where, as I did this very morning, I am quite sure to find-whether it rain or shine-whether it be cold or warm, a class of five young men, mixed up with a few lads, and not a few middle aged men, prepared for exercise. We continued our school throughout the whole winter : in the open air, of course, and mostly without cover; and this very evening, as you will see by the papers enclosed, we are to meet publicly for the purpose of establishing a national gymnasium here.

Press the subject upon my countrymen, I beseech you. I know of nothing so important as good education-hardly any thing so important as good physical education; for my belief is, that a good physical education is per se a good moral education. I wrote a great while ago to Mr. Jefferson on the subject, and offered to secure him a capital German professor,-one who would be recommendI should remark, ed by Voelker himself, if he, (Mr. J.) would authorise me. here, that, when the season gets a little further advanced, we are to have-a multitude of beginners-literary men-physicians-artists, etc.-and even hard working mechanics, (or operatives,) as it is the fashion to call them now-at our new schools. You would hardly believe it; but I know from actual experience that after a few weeks drilling, the pupil, though he be a hard worker, is better able to endure the fatigue of a daily occupation, after having been at the Gymnasium, than he would have been before he took to it, by lying two or three hours longer in bed, and going fresh to his workshop, as they call it.

It is vain to say that no accidents ever occur at such a place, or at such a school, as we are speaking of; because, in spite of the teacher, young men-grown men-will be doing what they please; but, at the same time, I can say that no serious accident is ever likely to happen, though the exercises would appear to a stranger very dangerous-very; and I know, of my own knowledge, as the lawyers would say, that since Mr. Voelker has been here, nothing of the sort has occurred in his school-except to myself and one or two other inconsiderate adventurers ;and we were only put aside for a week or two.

[The gentleman from whose letter the preceding extracts are made has obligingly sent us a couple of pamphlets containing, an account of Prof. Voelker's Gymnasium, and the Prospectus of the London Gymnastic Society, which we hope to find room for in our next.]

MEXICO.

A letter has been recently received at the missionary rooms from Mr Brigham, who has been travelling extensively in South America for the purpose chiefly of ascertaining the moral and religious condition of the country. The letter referred

to contains a brief account of the city of Mexico, by which it appears that the colleges are large, some of them well endowed, and have many students. Their books and their method of instruction are still of the scholastic character.

A Lancasterian school is now in operation; and a Mr. Jones, son in law of Lancaster, has hopes of establishing soon a school for teaching.

PRIZE FUND FOR THE LATIN SCHOOL OF BOSTON.

About three years since, a citizen of Boston, distinguished for his intelligence and liberality, proposed to the School Committee to furnish, by way of experiment, funds to procure two gold medals, of the value of fifty dollars each; to be assigned one to the best scholar in the Public Latin School, who should have evinced diligence in his studies, respect to his teachers, and urbanity towards his school-fellows; and the other to the best scholar in the English High School, on like conditions. These medals were to be made under the direction of the School committee and the Principals of the schools, respectively; and to be awarded by them. They were to be presented by the Mayor of the city in Faneuil Hall, on the day of the annual examination of the public schools. These medals were thus presented for two years. But it was found that the circle of their influence was small; that, very soon, competition was confined to two or three in each school. The donor therefore, very judiciously resolved to vary the form of his liberality, and to extend its influence more generally through the school. He accordingly gave at once, a sum towards a permanent fund for prizes; the interest of which is annually to be applied to the same uses with the annual subscription, which ceased a year ago-subsequent subscriptions have made the sum amount to seven hundred dollars. Three hundred and fifty dollars were originally given in 1819 towards a permanent fund-This sum together with the recent subscription amounts to $1050.

It is hoped that this sum may be increased to about two thousand dollars, which would furnish the means of supplying inducements to diligence, and rewards for solitary study to all the classes of the school.

FRANKLIN INSTITUTE.

Philadelphia, April 20, 1826. The ninth quarterly meeting of the Franklin Institute, was held at the new Hall --the President in the chair, and S. V. Merrick was appointed Secretary. The following Report was received from the Board of Managers, adopted, and ordered to be printed. S. V. MERRICK, Secretary.

To the Franklin Institute, of the State of Pensylvania, the board of managers respectfully present the following report of their proceedings during the quarter which has just expired.

The first meeting of the board, after the annual election, was held on the 21st of January, when the board was organised, and Thomas Fletcher was chosen chairman, and John R. Warder, Clerk, for the current year.

The building of the hall has advanced with rapidity, and is expected to be completed in two months. The District Court of the United States have taken possession of their apartments; and the board have held their meetings in one of the rooms, since the beginning of March.

The lectures of the season, have been brought to a close. Three regular courses were given--one on Chemistry, by Mr. Keating, one on Mechanics, by Dr. Jones, and one on Natural History, by Dr. Godman. Besides these, however, many lectures were delivered by different members of the Institute. Before the arrival of Dr. Jones, Dr. Patterson volunteered to supply his place, and gave lectures on the strength and stress of timbers. Mr. P. A. Browne gave lectures on the law of apprentice and master; Dr.Griffith on the diseases incident to me