Andevenofthosewho,withoutbeggreatschors,attaacertageneralacquatahtheawriters,itreallybesaidthattheyhavealsoobtaedtheasteryofEnglish?HowanyyoulentherearefrotheuiesandpublicschoolswhoturnaLatversewithafacilitywhichwouldaketheoldRoanssquirtheirtobs.Howfewtherearewhostructafewgoodsentences,orstilllessafewgoodparagraphsofp,rrect,andstraightforwardEnglish.Now,IaagreatadireroftheGreeks,although,ofurse,Ihavetodependuponwhatotherstellaboutthe,—andIwouldliketoseeoureducationistsiitateonerespect,atleast,theGreekexaple.HowisitthattheGreeksadetheirnguagetheostgracefulandpendioodeofexpressioneverknownaongn?Didtheyspendalltheirtistudygthenguageswhichhadprecededtheirs?Didtheyexplorewithtirelesspersistencythearootdialectsofthevanishedworld?Notatall.TheystudiedGreek.Theystudiedtheirownnguage.Theylovedit,theycherishedit,theyador,theyexpa,andthatiswhyitsurvivesaodelanddelighttoallposterity.Surelywe,whoseother-tonguehasalreadywonforitselfsuunequalledepireovertheodernworld,learnthislessonatleastfrotheaGreeksaowalittlecareandsoproportionoftheyearsofeducationtothestudyofanguagewhichisperhapstopyapredoantpartthefutureprogressofankd.
Letrebertheauthoralwaysdohisbest.Thereisnoexceforhi.Thegreatcricketeraybeoutoffor.Thegeneralayonthedayofdecisivebattlehaveabadtoothacheorabadary.Theadiralaybeseasick—asasuffererIref?lectwithsatisfauponthatntgency.Caroaybeaff?lictedwithcatarrh,orHaschidtwithf?enza.Asforanorator,itisnotenoughforhitobeabletothkwellandtruly.Hetthkquickly.Speedisvitaltohi.Spoyisorethahehalrkofgoodspeakg.Allthesevariedforcesofactivityrequirefrotheperforrtheandofthebestthatishiataparticurontwhichaybef?ixedbycirctaterlybeyondhisntrol.Itisnotsowiththeauthor.Heneedneverappearpublitilheisready.Healwaysrealizethebestthatishi.Heisnotdepeuponhisbestontanyoneday.Heaygrouptogetherthebestontsofentydays.Thereisnoexceforhiifhedoesnotdohisbest.Greatishisopportunity;greatalsoishisresponsibility.Soone—Ifetwho—hassaid:Wordsaretheonlythgsstforever.Thatis,toyd,alwaysawonderfulthought.Theostdurablestructuresraisedstonebythestrengthofan,theightiestonuntsofhispower,iesofhisd,easechoesofthepast,notasrearchaeologicalcuriositiesorvenerablerelics,butwithafordlifeasnewandstrong,andsotisfarstrohaheyweref?irstspoken,andleapgacrossthegulfofthreethoandyears,theylighttheworldfortoday.