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are alone able to guide him in the great occasions in active life, when eloquence and reason exert a controlling influence."*

But not to detain you too long, I will only quote a few excellent remarks, bearing upon this subject, made by the late Archdeacon Hare, on an occasion somewhat similar to the present, and then draw to a conclusion:-nor do I feel it at all necessary, thus

* Earl Stanhope, in a debate in the House of Lords, May 27, 1864, in London, speaking of "the Public Schools Commission," said: "The commissioners observed with great truth that there should be some principal branch of study to which the greatest share of attention should be awarded. He apprehended there could be no difference of opinion on that point. He came next to the classical foundation of the schools, and here the commissioners made some excellent remarks, with a few of which he would trouble their lordships. They said, 'We are convinced that the best materials available to Englishmen for these studies are furnished by the languages and literature of Greece and Rome. From the regular structure of these languages, from their logical accuracy and expression, from the comparative ease with which their etymology is traced and reduced to general laws, from their severe canons of taste and style, from the very fact that they are dead and have been handed down to us directly from the periods of their highest perfection, comparatively untouched by the inevitable processes of degeneration and decay, they are beyond all doubt the finest and most serviceable models we have for the study of language.' Then they added-' Besides this, it is at least a reasonable opinion that this literature has had a powerful effect in moulding and animating the statesmanship and political life of Englishmen.' To the same effect was the letter of Mr. Gladstone. In those opinions he entirely concurred. He was persuaded that classical foundation was essential to the proper course of study at public schools, and that any departure from that foundation would be attended with loss of character and loss of utility to those great public establishments. He trusted the time would never come when, either in that house or in the other house, there would be any departure from this foundation of classical study. Then as to mathematics. The importance of mathematics was no doubt very great. It was a saying of the illustrious Locke that he would have studied mathematics, even if at the close of his career the hard condition had been imposed that he should afterwards forget it all; because the habit of close reasoning and exact thought would still have remained. Concurring in this view, he thought their lordships would be prepared to assent to the desire which the commissioners had expressed, that the study of mathematics should still be maintained."

unexpectedly called upon to address you in the absence of others, whom we hoped to have heard this day, to make any apology for using so largely the well expressed thoughts of abler men.

Many of the young might think, 'What was the use of those old musty languages, the Greek and the Latin, which nobody spoke? Why not learn German, and French, and Italian, so that if they went to Germany, to France, and to Italy, they might be able to converse with the inhabitants of those countries?' But what was the purpose of education? Was it that people should be able to chatter and gossip a little more with the casual strangers whom they might meet? Was it not rather that the mind should be supplied with the principles of knowledge, with the principles of grammar, with the principles of history, with the principles of poetry, with the principles of philosophy? And for this purpose the ancient languages had been found, by universal experience, to be more fitted than the modern. The modern might be cultivated in subordination to the ancient; but true education could only be grounded on familiar acquaintance with the earlier languages of mankind,-the languages of those nations which had been appointed to act the most important part in the history of the human race. There were three nations chosen by God for this purpose, the Hebrews for the diffusion of religion; the Greeks for the diffusion of intellectual eminence of every thing highest on earth, in poetry and history; the Romans for the political instruction of mankind,-the Romans whose political institutions were the main ground-work of all the institutions of modern society. As in botany a man who observed only one plant, and therefore had not the means of forming a judgment by comparison, would never understand the nature of the vegetable kingdom, so, in order to understand the principles of language, more than one must be studied and compared; and the early languages were selected for the purpose of comparison, because the grammatical forms were more clearly developed, the syntax was clearer, and the laws of language were brought before us in a more intelligent form than in the modern."

It may be many years before we, in this University, shall see realized, in any extensive or advanced degree, the fulness of that system of education, which nevertheless it must be our object to

attain. But, in all our progress, let us never forget that, as an institution of the Church, we are engaged in training up men to be good Christians; and, if we would educate them on the most approved principle, it is that their highest powers and faculties may, when fully developed, be applied to the highest and noblest ends. It is a consideration full of the mightiest impulses, that intellectual growth and amelioration, like moral, are achieved for eternal duration. The mind does not die; and he, who, anxious to put out his talent to good use, that he may have more to consecrate to God's service, is sending his mind onward upon its sublime career, enlarged and trained by wholesome discipline, and richly furnished with the knowledge of imperishable truths, "lays up treasure where neither moth nor rust corrupt." Thrilling thoughts for all: but most so for those whose aim it is to serve in the special work of the ministry, who, above all, are bound, while seeking their illumination from above, to consecrate all their gifts and talents "to Him who hath loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood." And to Him, as the Great Head of the Church, I commend you, and all connected with this University; and may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with you now, and ever. Amen.

SPEECH

DELIVERED AT THE ANNUAL

MEETING OF THE CHURCH SOCIETY

OF THE

DIOCESE OF MONTREAL,

15TH JAN., 1861.

It has pleased Almighty God, my good friends, to allow us once more to meet together at one of the annual gatherings of the Church Society of this diocese. And when I look around and see by whom I am supported on the platform, and what a large and influential assemblage fill this hall, I cannot but hope that the result of this day's meeting will be fraught with good for the work in which we are engaged. Every year is opening up more and more the important field of labour which it is our duty to occupy; and while these public meetings furnish fitting opportunities for reviewing the past, they are also, I trust, capable of being made useful in stirring us up to renewed and increasing exertions for time to come. As to the general constitution of this Society, it has been so often brought before you on these occasions, and in the published Annual Reports, that I need not enlarge upon that now, except to say that it is intended for the future to confine our efforts to direct missionary work, the wants of the diocese loudly demanding increased assistance for the support of the clergy, required for new and distant missions. But as you will hear some extracts read by the Secretary from the Report prepared by him for the past year, which will give some information as to what has been done, I will not take up your time by entering into these details, and will merely state generally that you will find that some progress has

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