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Article Literature. ← Page 2 of 2 Article NOTES ON LITERATURE, SCIENCE, AND ART. Page 1 of 3 →
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Literature.
j . iess—for a long time intervoven with legendary tradition- ^ and disfigured by intentional falsehoods , has only in modern times gained a solid and scientific basis by the careful researches of a few unprejudiced brethren . Now that the origin of the Order has been cleared up , and the publication of the history of separate lodges , as well as of countries , at different periods , has furnished the necessary information ,
one may look forward to a comprehensive history of Freemasonry . At present there is every encouragement to such an undertaking through the publication of several new sources of information , such as the works of Laurie 2 nd edition , W . Keller , Winzer , Fallon , AVilcke , Mitchell , Morris , c % c . Besides , tho meritorious works of Bro . Dr . George KIoss _ contain such a treasure of materials on the subject , that it might be considered no useless labour to render those treasures accessible to all .
The present work , whose preparation has occupied the author for several years , will be the first essay of a complete history of the fraternity in all countries and all times , and will for this very reason be welcomed by every one . The reason why the author now lays his work before the public , is tho conviction that a general knowledge of the Order is not only useful but even necessary . Through the
study of history alone the Masonic Institution will appear in its real light and integrity ; by the contemplation of its own history , showing what the Order has been in reality , and has performed in all times and under all circumstances ; and by the aid of wise and conscientious investigations the present state of Masonry may be properly judged and its future aim artisticall y attained . The work will be arranged as follows .-
—Contents : Introductory remarks—Freemasonry and the Masonic Societ y . The legend of the Craft . Masonic history . Vestiges of Masonic Institutions among the ancients . Early history of the Craft : I . —The Free-stonemasons in Germany ; the fraternity ; the ceremonies of initiation ; the constitution of the year 1459 . IL—England , the oldest Masonic record ; the Edwin legend . III . —The
examination ; the Augustan style ; Scotland and the Kilwinning legend , & c . History of Freemasonry : I . —( 1717—1783 . ) England , Ireland , Scotland , France , Germany , the South , the North , America , IL —( 1783—1813 . ) III . —( 1813—1860 ) .
Notes On Literature, Science, And Art.
NOTES ON LITERATURE , SCIENCE , AND ART .
Professor Blackie , of the Edinburgh University , has addressed the following ; letter , to the Editor of the Critic , on the English method of teaching Greek , and our contemporary mentions , in jproof of the Professors assertions , that " an eminent Greek scholar , " Mr . Gladstone , was " unable to converse with modern Hellenes during his recent visit to the Ionian Islands -. "—
SIR , —You have done wisely in mooting the question of modern Greek , for which accept my best thanks . You remark that " our English public schools , ever slow to change their routine , have not yet begun to recognise the Romaic . " I write this to inform yon that , whatever may be the case in England , I have during the eight years 1 have had the honour to hold the chair of Greek in this city , consistently taught Greek according to the historical tradition of the Byzantine elders , and thrown to the wind the miserable farrago of arbitrary figments according to which Greek is now pronounced in Oxford and Cambridge . I do not say that the
pronunciation now used by the living Greeks is m any respect the same as that used by Homer , by Pericles , by Plato , or even by the rhetorician of Halicarnassus , but I do say it is a historical reality , us ohrin most respects as the Christian Church , and of the utmost consequence towards a true appreciation of tho characteristic genius of the Greek tongue ; while , on the other hand , the pronunciation now used at Oxford and Cambridge , and the English schools genrally , is an arbitrary innovation , which must be altogether unlearned
before a man can have any just idea of how Pericles and Demosthenes actually thundered forth their world-famous periods . I say also that the English fashion of pronouncing Greek with Latin accents and English vocalisation , acts as a most pernicious bar in preventing- all living communication between the scholars of this country and the Greek people , who are not all such accomplished knaves as Englishmen generally represent thsA , but contain good elements , which may he understood by thosJRo approach them in a good spirit—as Brandes and Ross , mostSSmpetent authorities , have abl y reported . I say also that a knotiSfdge of modern , that
is , fundamentally Alexandfain and Byzantine , Greek is of the utmost consequence towards a finished knowledge of the language ; that it is absolutely necessary to the higher philology ; and that it is specially useful to students of theology and readers of the Greek Scriptures . With regard to the part which modern Greek ought to play in the actual teaching of Greek , I have always maintained that the old method of teaching languages by conversation , going hand in hand with grammatical scienceis the bestthat this
, ; method is peculiarly applicable to Greek , as being a living language , which Latin is not ; and that the best method of thoroughly familiarisng the ear and the tongue with the language ef Homeland Demosthenes is to spend six or eight months in the old capital of Theseus , diligently to attend the tutors in the university , and to move about as much as possible among the Greek people . This method was practised by Dr . Clyde , of Dollar Academy , a gentleman
of great talent and sagacity , who gave to this world the results of his Attic studies in a learned little volume on "Romaic and Modern Greek" ( Sutherland and Knox , Edinburgh , 1855 ) , which , if you have not read , I earnestly recommend to your attention . I have not time now to enter into all the pros and cons of this question , nor might your pages be the proper arena for a detailed philological argument ; but I state my cool conviction that , after the most
careful search , I have never found any argument in favour of the absurd method of pronouncing Greek now practised in England , other than that famous one of the old English barons—nolunms inutare leges Anglice— an argument very sound often in politics , hut in matters of science utterly contemptible . My own views on the subject you will find at large in a little work on " Greek Pronunciation , Accent , and Quantity " ( Edinburgh , 1852 ) , and in my " Plea for Greek Accents" in the Cambridge Philological Journal , No . IV . —I am , Sir , yours , & c . JOHN S . B LACKIE . A periodical is in contemplation for farm servants and others
engaged in the labours of agriculture . The Rev . A . Clerrehew thinks , that " to answer its end , it must be partly secular as well as religious '; that it must treat a little of matters in wnich they feel a real practical interest , and that it must he cheap . " AVe should think so , unless there be in the Volume of the Sacred Law a different religion , for farm servants to that required to be practised by everybody else .
The Rev . Henry AVard Beecher ( brother of the popular American authoress , Mrs . Harriet Beecher Stowe ) , instead of looking upon Phrenology as leading to materialism , thus speaks of the science : — " If a man wishes to know practically what he is made up of , if a man wishes a knowledge of human nature for definite practicai purposes , there is no system which will aid him in acquiring that
knowledge like the system of phrenology , ' not interpreted too narrowly or technically , but in its relations to physiology and the structure of the whole body . And I may say here , what I have never said before in the pulpit , that the views of the human mind , as they are viewed by phrenology , are those which have uriderlayed my whole ministry , and if I have had any success ^ in bringing the truths of the gospel to bear practically upon the minds of men , any success in the vigorous application of truths to the wants of the
human soul , where they are most needed , I owe it to the clearness which I have gained from this science . And I could not ask for the members of my family , nor of the church , any better preparation for religious indoctrination , than to put them in possession of such a practical knowledge of the human soul is as given by phrenology . " James Paul Cobbett , Esq ., barrister-at-hvw , has in the press a
" social , literary , and political" life of his father , the late AVilliam Cobbett , M . P . The Rev . J . C . Atkinson , B . A ., incumbent of Dauby in Cleveland , has a new work in the press , entitled Sketches in Natural History , with Observations , and Reasonings on Instinct . Mr . Henry Heavisides , in his new hook , The Minstrelsy of
Britain , says : — "Bad as the insipid compositions of the seventeenth century were , a great number of the songs now popular are still worse . It is really astonishing how such effusions , the very essence of vulgarity , could have become so popular . They are chiefly produced by the Cockney school of versifiers , at the head of which is Sam Cowell , who has obtained a world-wide popularity
for giving them . Though entirely devoid of originality , wit , or humour , yet these wretched ditties have been sung in most of the singing saloons and concert rooms in the kingdom ,
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Literature.
j . iess—for a long time intervoven with legendary tradition- ^ and disfigured by intentional falsehoods , has only in modern times gained a solid and scientific basis by the careful researches of a few unprejudiced brethren . Now that the origin of the Order has been cleared up , and the publication of the history of separate lodges , as well as of countries , at different periods , has furnished the necessary information ,
one may look forward to a comprehensive history of Freemasonry . At present there is every encouragement to such an undertaking through the publication of several new sources of information , such as the works of Laurie 2 nd edition , W . Keller , Winzer , Fallon , AVilcke , Mitchell , Morris , c % c . Besides , tho meritorious works of Bro . Dr . George KIoss _ contain such a treasure of materials on the subject , that it might be considered no useless labour to render those treasures accessible to all .
The present work , whose preparation has occupied the author for several years , will be the first essay of a complete history of the fraternity in all countries and all times , and will for this very reason be welcomed by every one . The reason why the author now lays his work before the public , is tho conviction that a general knowledge of the Order is not only useful but even necessary . Through the
study of history alone the Masonic Institution will appear in its real light and integrity ; by the contemplation of its own history , showing what the Order has been in reality , and has performed in all times and under all circumstances ; and by the aid of wise and conscientious investigations the present state of Masonry may be properly judged and its future aim artisticall y attained . The work will be arranged as follows .-
—Contents : Introductory remarks—Freemasonry and the Masonic Societ y . The legend of the Craft . Masonic history . Vestiges of Masonic Institutions among the ancients . Early history of the Craft : I . —The Free-stonemasons in Germany ; the fraternity ; the ceremonies of initiation ; the constitution of the year 1459 . IL—England , the oldest Masonic record ; the Edwin legend . III . —The
examination ; the Augustan style ; Scotland and the Kilwinning legend , & c . History of Freemasonry : I . —( 1717—1783 . ) England , Ireland , Scotland , France , Germany , the South , the North , America , IL —( 1783—1813 . ) III . —( 1813—1860 ) .
Notes On Literature, Science, And Art.
NOTES ON LITERATURE , SCIENCE , AND ART .
Professor Blackie , of the Edinburgh University , has addressed the following ; letter , to the Editor of the Critic , on the English method of teaching Greek , and our contemporary mentions , in jproof of the Professors assertions , that " an eminent Greek scholar , " Mr . Gladstone , was " unable to converse with modern Hellenes during his recent visit to the Ionian Islands -. "—
SIR , —You have done wisely in mooting the question of modern Greek , for which accept my best thanks . You remark that " our English public schools , ever slow to change their routine , have not yet begun to recognise the Romaic . " I write this to inform yon that , whatever may be the case in England , I have during the eight years 1 have had the honour to hold the chair of Greek in this city , consistently taught Greek according to the historical tradition of the Byzantine elders , and thrown to the wind the miserable farrago of arbitrary figments according to which Greek is now pronounced in Oxford and Cambridge . I do not say that the
pronunciation now used by the living Greeks is m any respect the same as that used by Homer , by Pericles , by Plato , or even by the rhetorician of Halicarnassus , but I do say it is a historical reality , us ohrin most respects as the Christian Church , and of the utmost consequence towards a true appreciation of tho characteristic genius of the Greek tongue ; while , on the other hand , the pronunciation now used at Oxford and Cambridge , and the English schools genrally , is an arbitrary innovation , which must be altogether unlearned
before a man can have any just idea of how Pericles and Demosthenes actually thundered forth their world-famous periods . I say also that the English fashion of pronouncing Greek with Latin accents and English vocalisation , acts as a most pernicious bar in preventing- all living communication between the scholars of this country and the Greek people , who are not all such accomplished knaves as Englishmen generally represent thsA , but contain good elements , which may he understood by thosJRo approach them in a good spirit—as Brandes and Ross , mostSSmpetent authorities , have abl y reported . I say also that a knotiSfdge of modern , that
is , fundamentally Alexandfain and Byzantine , Greek is of the utmost consequence towards a finished knowledge of the language ; that it is absolutely necessary to the higher philology ; and that it is specially useful to students of theology and readers of the Greek Scriptures . With regard to the part which modern Greek ought to play in the actual teaching of Greek , I have always maintained that the old method of teaching languages by conversation , going hand in hand with grammatical scienceis the bestthat this
, ; method is peculiarly applicable to Greek , as being a living language , which Latin is not ; and that the best method of thoroughly familiarisng the ear and the tongue with the language ef Homeland Demosthenes is to spend six or eight months in the old capital of Theseus , diligently to attend the tutors in the university , and to move about as much as possible among the Greek people . This method was practised by Dr . Clyde , of Dollar Academy , a gentleman
of great talent and sagacity , who gave to this world the results of his Attic studies in a learned little volume on "Romaic and Modern Greek" ( Sutherland and Knox , Edinburgh , 1855 ) , which , if you have not read , I earnestly recommend to your attention . I have not time now to enter into all the pros and cons of this question , nor might your pages be the proper arena for a detailed philological argument ; but I state my cool conviction that , after the most
careful search , I have never found any argument in favour of the absurd method of pronouncing Greek now practised in England , other than that famous one of the old English barons—nolunms inutare leges Anglice— an argument very sound often in politics , hut in matters of science utterly contemptible . My own views on the subject you will find at large in a little work on " Greek Pronunciation , Accent , and Quantity " ( Edinburgh , 1852 ) , and in my " Plea for Greek Accents" in the Cambridge Philological Journal , No . IV . —I am , Sir , yours , & c . JOHN S . B LACKIE . A periodical is in contemplation for farm servants and others
engaged in the labours of agriculture . The Rev . A . Clerrehew thinks , that " to answer its end , it must be partly secular as well as religious '; that it must treat a little of matters in wnich they feel a real practical interest , and that it must he cheap . " AVe should think so , unless there be in the Volume of the Sacred Law a different religion , for farm servants to that required to be practised by everybody else .
The Rev . Henry AVard Beecher ( brother of the popular American authoress , Mrs . Harriet Beecher Stowe ) , instead of looking upon Phrenology as leading to materialism , thus speaks of the science : — " If a man wishes to know practically what he is made up of , if a man wishes a knowledge of human nature for definite practicai purposes , there is no system which will aid him in acquiring that
knowledge like the system of phrenology , ' not interpreted too narrowly or technically , but in its relations to physiology and the structure of the whole body . And I may say here , what I have never said before in the pulpit , that the views of the human mind , as they are viewed by phrenology , are those which have uriderlayed my whole ministry , and if I have had any success ^ in bringing the truths of the gospel to bear practically upon the minds of men , any success in the vigorous application of truths to the wants of the
human soul , where they are most needed , I owe it to the clearness which I have gained from this science . And I could not ask for the members of my family , nor of the church , any better preparation for religious indoctrination , than to put them in possession of such a practical knowledge of the human soul is as given by phrenology . " James Paul Cobbett , Esq ., barrister-at-hvw , has in the press a
" social , literary , and political" life of his father , the late AVilliam Cobbett , M . P . The Rev . J . C . Atkinson , B . A ., incumbent of Dauby in Cleveland , has a new work in the press , entitled Sketches in Natural History , with Observations , and Reasonings on Instinct . Mr . Henry Heavisides , in his new hook , The Minstrelsy of
Britain , says : — "Bad as the insipid compositions of the seventeenth century were , a great number of the songs now popular are still worse . It is really astonishing how such effusions , the very essence of vulgarity , could have become so popular . They are chiefly produced by the Cockney school of versifiers , at the head of which is Sam Cowell , who has obtained a world-wide popularity
for giving them . Though entirely devoid of originality , wit , or humour , yet these wretched ditties have been sung in most of the singing saloons and concert rooms in the kingdom ,