The Family Library (Harper). (156)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1845. Excerpt: ... wont often to repeat its fundamental principle: the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. It is scarcely necessary to say that the consideration of the schools of the prophets would here be out of place, especially as their real character cannot be ascertained. The later schools of rabbinical learning, however interesting in many respects, we also omit, as. they are not exactly embraced by our present plan. SECTION VI. THE CLASSIC NATIONS: OR, THE GREEKS AND ROMANS. I. THE GREEKS. The important relation which the culture of the Greeks and Romans sustains to modern education; the mighty influence which their literature exerts upon that of Europe and our own country, and the intense interest with which every man of liberal education must regard those nations, with whose great minds he has been in delightful intercourse, and cultivated an ever-growing intimacy, from the early days of his academic studies, demand that we should consider, somewhat extensively, the influences which produced their peculiar culture, so long the admiration of the enlightened world; or, in other words, that we should give as extended a view of their education as our limits will permit. While, therefore, we begin with the Greeks, we request the reader to impress anew upon his mind their history from the earliest, times, as our limited space would, at best, admit only of a meager outline of a great historic picture, which ought to be viewed in all its fulness of detail, and freshness of colouring. The ante-Homeric era of the Greeks presents to our view their culture rather in masses, like the confluent light of the nebula?; and we discern less the education of youth, than certain influences which operated on the whole body of the people, and on a grand scale; and among these...