LORD MILNER ON THE CLASSICS

Evening Star, Issue 17923, 20 March 1922, Page 7

LORD MILNER ON THE CLASSICS

"ESSENTIAL PILLAR" OF EDUCATION. In the course of his presidential address to the Classical Association Lord Milnor stated: The idea, at one time so prevalent, that there was somo necessary antagonism between , the study of the classics and what were known as "modern" subjects received its deathblow from the scientific side. Personally,, ho had always believed that this was bound to happen in the end', for to the really enlightened mind, whatever the source of its enlightenment, there could be no antagonism between tho two great branches of human All modern science had its roots in the classics., and, on the other band, no man imbued with the spirit of the great classical writers could' bo lacking in- respect for science or fail to recognise its supreme importance to the progress of mankind. His own education had been almost entirely classical in the old-fashioned sense; but 'lis would bo -unfaithful to the teaching of the great classical authors if he we're to accord a secondary place to the Btudv of the laws of Nature, or to regard the " curriculum of his own , youthful studies, orthodox as it appeared m those davs, as the framework of anything like a complete or liberal education or an ado(junto introduction to modem life. WHAT WOULD PLATO SAY? He wortdftiwJ what Plato and Aristotle, could they reappear among men to-day, would say to an education which was pure!'/ linguistic, ever; if the literature with "which it occupied itwsM wae the best ever known. Looking with _ wondering eyes on tho achievements of science which had transformed tho world since their day and given to man over physical forces nnch as they had never dreamed of, would thoy not bo seized with an intense desire to probe those marvels I to ';h<> bottom, to know all about tiieir causes, the method's and tho stops by I which such great results had been attorned? And what would they think of a man who, Jiving in tho midst of these achievements, took no interest in them except iu so far as they affected his personal oonremenco and well-being, enabling him to satisfy his wants cheaply, to travel with rapidity ami comfort, to communicate in a few minutes with the uttermost lends of the globe, to escape suffering,, ! avert, disease, and even postpone tire advent of death, and who never telt impelled to go more deeply into the matter and to learn something of tho inner nature of the mysterious forces the discovery of which" was so rapidly transforming the life of men upon this earth? Any Gteek philosopher revisiting the world to-day would condemn such a man as a misfit—a creature unsuited to its environment. Tho idea that tho classical spirit was in any sense opposed to the scientific spirit was a complete mistake. The old controversy between the humanities and physical science was, ho _ hoped, a thing of the past, Tho best minds on both sides had agreed to bury it, and, having buried it, they could unite to tackle the real problem presented by tho vast, the overwhelming, accumulation of modern knowledge. TRUE OBJECT OF EDUCATION. While recognising that education should embrace all human faculties, lie confined his remarks to the intellectual side. It had become hopeless, as it always had been undesirable, to try to equip young people with a smattering of universal knowledge. The true object was to cultivate tiieir receiving powers and their taste, so that they might recognise truth and beauty, and might think, and not be misled by fallacies or enslaved by catchwords or captivated by what was tawdry and meretricious. This could be achieved by many forms of study, and the manner in whbh a subject was taught wis in a sense more important than the subject itself. Yet a great deal depended upon the choice of subjects, and in that eh:iee they should be guided not only by the value of any study in itsolf, but by its value in relati3r> to the whole body of knowledge. Just as in the rphere of conomics there were certain basic industries upon which all the rest depended, so in education there were basic studies, and upon them the efforts of young scholars should be concentrated. As there were two halls in tho temple of knowledge, and they had separate entrances, at 'east two keys were required—one to admit to the treasure-house of the humanities, the other to open the door to tho secrets of tho physical universe. A truly liberal education must eupply both these keys. In that scheme of education tho study of tho language and literature of Creece and Rome was a basic study if ever there were one. 7t was incomparably the best, the shortest, and surest road of approach to all languago and all literature, to a knowledge of the mind and character of man, or at least of civilised European man. He ventured to postulate that there was such a thing as a distinctively European civilisation, a moral and intellectual capital, a stock of sentiments and ideas in which all these nations were in a greater or less degree sharers. This common heritage had not always existed, nor could we bo sure that it would continue,to exist. At present there seemed a tendency to disintegrate. So far from being drawn closely together by tho improvement of communications, tho growth of economic interdependence, the people of the European family appeared to be spiritually drifting further apart. Ho was no internationalist, and would be the last to decry the value of national patriotism. Rivalry between nations, as between individuals, was a factor in evolution making for vitality and growth; but if it were to be healthy and not pernicious it must be rivalry within bounds, not a mere bruta! struggle for mastery unrestrained by any moral principle. EXCESSES OP NATIONALISM. Among the factors which for many generations had made most powerfully for the maintenan 'e of some measure of moral unity among European nations, Christianity and QrtEco-Roman culture atood oat pre-eminent. Grreco-Roman culture as the basis of education in many European countries had provided the framework on which their common civilisation rested, and was still tho strongest spiritual bond between European nations. Could they, at this stage above all others in the world's history, allow that infiuonce to bo weakened with impunity? Classical and Greek literature'was full of enlightenment on many specially modern problems. The results of the march of scientific discovery during the last century and a-half were staggering. Where it woald all ,cnd--iu a paradise of wealth and comfort, or in the total overthrow of our civilisation by stupendous new engine's of destruction —no man could tell. Either result was possible. It was far more certain that our grandchildren and great-grandchildren would wield enormous powers over Nature than that they would use them wisely. For tho growth of natural knowledge had not been accompanied by any corresponding movement in tha mind and character of man. Intellectutl and spiritual progress had not kept pace with the advance of science. How often had ho asked himself: " Was there anything about human nature which the Greets did not know?" They had left a treasure of wisdom which was of peculiar value at the present day. For a restless and feverish ago, distracted by a flood of new discoveries and new ideas which it had no time to digest, prone to excess and eccentricity and hasty judgments insufficiently tempered by remembrance and reflection, there was balm in the sanity, the calmness, the balance, the self-possession, above all in the sense of proportion, which were the distinctive qualities of classic art and literature