STUDY OF THE CLASSICS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18545, 4 May 1922, Page 10

STUDY OF THE CLASSICS

NEW ASSOCIATION FORCED.,-: - The first general meeting' of the Otigo Classical Association. . was. > held _in • the, Musanrn building last night. ; The chairman (Mr W. J. Morrell), in opening the meeting, made it clear that the foundation of such an association meanf.no want of harmony between science and modern languages and the humanities.-.but the securing of a due place for classical, study in national. education . and- _ national culture. In the course or a brilliant and scholarly additess, .Hr Morrell illustrated the thesis that everything which' moves_ in tlie modern world is Greek,,and everything which stands still Ronqan. '.While stressing; our kinship in spirit on many sides with the Roman, he showed,; how the. Greek imphlse. was felt in the history of Western'JEurope, and notably in th£ ; English poets. of the nineteenth century. _ Ine rapidly growing interest in classical literature shown among the working men of England -Was mentioned to illustrate the point that-the literature of 1 Greece and Rome is still Vital for human life, Greek literature, in- particular, having a spirit of'free inquiry .and .testing' that was still needed in facing, the problems jjf the day. - Mr Morrell also drew attention to the growing opportunity for the study of the ancient-classics in the excellent translations now available. , _ Several other speakers, representing Various walks in life, spoke fronj fresh find interesting viewpoints of the advantage and interest'of classical -study and supporting the formation of an 'association that would foster a wider interest in Greek and Roman literature and in classical study generally. A constitution was, adopted making the local association a centre of the New Zealand branch of the English Classical Association. Meetings wil be -held on the first Thursday of each: month/ C .* 1 The following, office-bearers werey-'ap-pointed:— President. Mr .W. J. Morrell; vice-president, Mr W. Fels; secretary find treasurer. Prof. Adams; committee —Misse* ■F. M. Allan, M. H. M‘G. King. M. L Turnbull, Dr Marshall Macdonald, Prof. Ramsay. Mr R. E. Sevan Brown, and Bra O’Dougherty. , -• MR LLOYD GEORGE AT GENOA. I , TO THE EDDOB. ■ Siß,—Amid the Sensation produced by Mr Lloyd George’s speech at Genoa has come to light some curious effects. The Prime Minister of Great Britain is, one of the very fqw. statesmen have . never feared .to speak in the name of the Christian religion when occasion' demanded it. His latest political' utterances are, therefore, not startling, because they are clothed with the mantle of Christianity. They are . startling in this instance because of the expression they have evoked, froth the Getv man people, who are said to be delighted arid have declared that, “it; is the . best exposition of the European ' situation yet made.” The strange part of the story, however, lies in thb fact that Mr Lloyd George has not said anything - that is in the least degree new, nor has -he propounded'a plan that has found-universal acceptance. He has merely, proclaimed and emphasised the urgent necessity for the practice of the Christian virtues by the victorious leaders of the. Allied -nations,' findthese sentiments the German people now applaud. The effect of the speech upon Mr Lloyd George’s own countrymen does no* appear to have been quite so happy. It has not evoked, from the'British press a united endorsement that ‘lit is the best exposition of the European situation yet made.”’ Tlie British press is deeply conscious of the failing strength of Mr Lloyd George as a leader of the. Coalition Government. and while it is impossible to deny the truth of his statements, there- appears to be ’great readiness to endorse them except on the part of our late enemy and perhaps a section of the Labour Party. Superficial appearances are apt to convey false impressions. Here we have, for themoment, a united Germany endorsing the principles- of Christianity, the British disunited and weak-kneed ■■ as a- Christian people, and Mr Lloyd George figuring a* a real Christian hero; but beneath; lies a foundation completely hidden from view. The German conception of Christianity fundamentally differs from the British—as Widely as the North and South Poles are asunder.' If it is possible at all with justice to describe the dominant German oon.ception of Christianity by reference to the expositions of one mar., then perhaps Nietzsche nqjre closely d.efines it. Thera are. according to Nietzsche, “two fundamental ethical types; on the one hand, tha morality of the slaves or the weak among mankind, who favour all the virtues that suit their weakness, and whp would fain depreciate the virtues of the strong; or the masters who stand above the common herd #nd have no need of their base utilitarian virtues. Christian morality belongs to the former type. It is only by the morality of the strong that men—that-is ;to say, the few. the masters—can rise to a ' higher stage.” -“In this statement we find a fairly clear explanation that accounts for .the military preparations of • the Germans necessary--to enforce their superior morality upon their' neighbours; The weakness, not to say sophistry, embodied 111 Nietzsche s explanation, is seen in the avl ( dity, with Which the Germans now hail the slave. morality of the weak among mankind, furnishing a clear illustration of - the uni--versal servility displayed by human nature- when' dispossessed. °I. mundane power.. The dominant conception running through the English school; of theology proclaims that the strength which -sways, the world for good lies |jot in .brut© fore© but in spiritual poVer acquired by the practice of the Christian virtues. It ir hardly necessary to fidd that the strength associated with morality lies in the judgment to discetn the results 'that accrue from human actions,' while the- virtue lies in doing the right thing. Ob this plane of thought Mr Lloyd George is sure to score even when his own countrymen. fair to support. him, ‘ —I am, etc., • • ’ , r - / . - W- SrtESTUN. '