the better. Why do we retain it ? Briefly, be cause ancient Greek is the finest development of all the Aryan languages—the highest development of all the possibilities of human speech and, what is inseparable from that, human thought ; the fin est language the world has ever seen. Whether it is the finest flower of speech that the world will ever see, we cannot venture to say. Certainly the marked analytic tendency of all modern languages leaves us little hope of a high grade of develop ment for them. The English student of Greek finds himself engaged with a finer language than his own. Beyond the masters of his own liter ature, he finds a higher standard set in the works of the classic Greek authors. With the aid to mental development thus afforded him, he gains breadth of view, depth of thought, subtlety of ex pression, refinement of definition and, as it were, a reliable background upon which to project and test all the creations of his own imagination. This is the first and great advantage. The student may forget all his Greek five years after leaving college, and yet have gained a priceless possession —a well-trained and well-ordered mind. The second advantage lies in the acquisition of a literature of such scope and such intrinsic value, that there is nothing to compare with it in the whole history of men. The vast, ill-regulated mass of Sanskrit literature is not to be compared in quality to the simple majesty of Homer’s epics or the graceful beauty of the Elegiac, Melic or lambic poets. The literature of Persia is in com parison limited and stilted. Latin did not begin to afford anything like a formal literature until it was inspired by Greek influence, and the victors in war were vanquished by the arts of peace. Much of the best work of Latin authors was either a con • scions imitation or due to the direct inspiration of the Greek. Gothic has given us only fragments of a translation of the Bible, out of Greek. The master pieces of Greek literature have trained and have delighted scholars in all succeeding centuries. They are still the standard of all that is best in hu man achievement. Not to undervalue the tremend- THE FREE LANCE. ous material advancement which we enjoy in our day and generation ; the time will come when hu manity will turn from the examination of matter back to the study of mind, and will find that we must first retrace all tlfe steps taken by the Greeks of old before we can advance their researches and supplement their wisdom. A literature of such a character is a priceless treasure, a mine of wealth. Surely the study of it is no waste of time. t. For six consecutive years an entry from the Galy stables had won the annual Sea Shore Handicap at the Cradlesend race tracks, and the track habitues were in such a state of mind that they would have backed Galy’s entry in this event had it been a cow. The stake was not a rich one although it had always been won in fast time, and the majority of owners entered their horses with eyes on the celebrity afforded the winner rather than on the value of the purse. The betting pools made up for the small stake and were accordingly well patronized. The fact of the winner’s invariable fast time acted as a sort of damper on various rumors of “jockeying” and "pulling” accredited to the RONDEAU A LA STATE COLLEGE. A politician. Ere I speak' The words, swcut maid, to tlngo tliy cliock With blushes of tlio cottage rose, Tlmt on thy breast In bounty blows, I prithee satisfy my freak. Cans’t thou Latin read and eke a lino return ? Dost thy cunning heart for honors pine and burn? Art tlion, In short, as I suppose A politician ? Some men require a maiden meek Enough to cat, at need the leek ; Some lovers crave a classic nose, A liquid oyo, a faultless pose; I none of these. X only seek A politician. A RACE AGAINST FATE.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers