be in the like danger,) against the 'opprobrium' which some of its enemies had endeavored to cast upon it, by unjustly charging it with neglecting this essential part of education.

In the first publication, which is at the head of this article, and which contains a particular account of the literary and scientific pursuits at that university, we find the following strong language:

'It has been often asserted, but has never been yet proved, that classical literature, so far from experiencing proper encouragement at Cambridge, is both despised and neglected; and it has been falsely imagined, that he who there aspires to academical distinction must relinquish the haunts of the Muses, and forever renounce the society of the poets, the orators, and the sages of Greece and Rome, who had been the companions of his earlier days, and were destined, he had hoped, to contribute to the comfort of his maturer years. We have ample reason, however, to congratulate ourselves upon possessing a system of education as comprehensive as it is strict and accurate, and which at once excludes a supposition not less erroneous than it is degrading.'

In proof of his statement the author mentions among other things, the examinations' of candidates for the several scholarships, or beneficiary foundations, attached to the colleges; 'in which, with few exceptions, a proficiency in Greek and Latin is considered as more essential than skill in mathematics;' and, that of the public prizes, which are open to the competition of the whole university, and which amount to nearly £900 sterling, annually, three-fourths are appropriated to the encouragement of classical literature and English composition;' to which may be added the prizes of particular colleges, about £300 annually, two-thirds of which are devoted to the same purpose.'

We have no intention of discussing in this place the old question of the utility of classical learning, which has so long been settled in Europe by the eminent statesmen and literati of the most distinguished nations; and, we may add, settled in our own country, so far as the prescribed course of instruction at our colleges, according to the letter of their regulations, would seem to indicate. But it is our wish to lay before the public some information of a more distinct and precise character than is generally attainable, in relation to the classical studies pursued at that celebrated English institution, from which our own revered university takes its name. May the result show, that ours is not unworthy of the proud name it bears!

One of the first reflections that has occurred to us, on considering this subject, is, that classical studies are pursued, in a greater or less degree, throughout the college course, and not, as with us, discontinued during almost the whole of the last two years—a period,

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

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. But 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.

"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, I 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.

2.

3.

.4.

Greek prose into English.

Greek poetry into English and Latin prose

and verse.

English into Greek and Latin prose and

verse.

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 recommended by Voelker himself, if he, (Mr. J.) would authorise me. I should remark, 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 bard 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 inen-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