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corrections we owe； I suppose； the texts of the Greek poets as they now
stand。 They seem to have set to work at their task methodically enough；
under the direction of their most literary monarch； Ptolemy Philadelphus。
Alexander the AEtolian collected and revised the tragedies； Lycophron the
comedies； Zenodotus the poems of Homer； and the other poets of the Epic
cycle； now lost to us。 Whether Homer prospered under all his
expungings； alterations； and transpositionswhether； in fact； he did not
treat Homer very much as Bentley wanted to treat Milton； is a suspicion
which one has a right to entertain； though it is long past the possibility of
proof。 Let that be as it may； the critical business grew and prospered。
Aristophanes of Byzantium wrote glossaries and grammars； collected
editions of Plato and Aristotle； aesthetic disquisitions on Homerone
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wishes they were preserved； for the sake of the jest； that one might have
seen an Alexandrian cockney's views of Achilles and Ulysses！ Moreover；
in a hapless moment； at least for us moderns； he invented Greek accents；
thereby； I fear； so complicating and confusing our notions of Greek rhythm；
that we shall never； to the end of time； be able to guess what any Greek
verse； saving the old Homeric Hexameter； sounded like。 After a while；
too； the pedants； according to their wont； began quarrelling about their
accents and their recessions。 Moreover； there was a rival school at
Pergamus where the fame of Crates all but equalled the Egyptian fame of
Aristarchus。 Insolent！ What right had an Asiatic to know anything？
So Aristarchus flew furiously on Crates； being a man of plain common
sense； who felt a correct reading a far more important thing than any of
Crates's illustrations； aesthetic； historical； or mythological； a preference
not yet quite extinct； in one； at least； of our Universities。 〃Sir；〃 said a
clever Cambridge Tutor to a philosophically inclined freshman；
〃remember； that our business is to translate Plato correctly； not to discover
his meaning。〃 And； paradoxical as it may seem； he was right。 Let us
first have accuracy； the merest mechanical accuracy； in every branch of
knowledge。 Let us know what the thing is which we are looking at。 Let
us know the exact words an author uses。 Let us get at the exact value of
each word by that severe induction of which Buttmann and the great
Germans have set such noble examples； and then； and not till then； we
may begin to talk about philosophy； and aesthetics； and the rest。 Very
Probably Aristarchus was right in his dislike of Crates's preference of what
he called criticism； to grammar。 Very probably he connected it with the
other object of his especial hatred； that fashion of interpreting Homer
allegorically； which was springing up in his time； and which afterwards
under the Neoplatonists rose to a frantic height； and helped to destroy in
them； not only their power of sound judgment； and of asking each thing
patiently what it was； but also any real reverence for； or understanding of；
the very authors over whom they declaimed and sentimentalised。
Yesthe Cambridge Tutor was right。 Before you can tell what a man
means； you must have patience to find out what he says。 So far from
wishing our grammatical and philological education to be less severe than
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it is； I think it is not severe enough。 In an age like thisan age of lectures；
and of popular literature； and of self…culture； too often random and
capricious； however earnest； we cannot be too careful in asking ourselves；
in compelling others to ask themselves； the meaning of every word which
they use； of every word which they read； in assuring them； whether they
will believe us or not； that the moral； as well as the intellectual culture；
acquired by translating accurately one dialogue of Plato； by making out
thoroughly the sense of one chapter of a standard author； is greater than
they will get from skimming whole folios of Schlegelian aesthetics；
resumes； histories of philosophy； and the like second…hand information； or
attending seven lectures a…week till their lives' end。 It is better to know
one thing； than to know about ten thousand things。 I cannot help feeling
painfully； after reading those most interesting Memoirs of Margaret Fuller
Ossoli； that the especial danger of this time is intellectual sciolism；
vagueness； sentimental eclecticismand feeling； too； as Socrates of old
believed； that intellectual vagueness and shallowness； however glib； and
grand； and eloquent it may seem； is inevitably the parent of a moral
vagueness and shallowness； which may leave our age as it left the later
Greeks； without an absolute standard of right or of truth； till it tries to
escape from its own scepticism； as the later Neoplatonists did； by plunging
desperately into any fetish…worshipping superstition which holds out to its
wearied and yet impatient intellect； the bait of decisions already made for
it； of objects of admiration already formed and systematised。
Therefore let us honour the grammarian in his place； and； among
others； these old grammarians of Alexandria； only being sure that as soon
as any man begins； as they did； displaying himself peacock…fashion；
boasting of his science as the great pursuit of humanity； and insulting his
fellow… craftsmen； he becomes； ipso facto； unable to discover any more
truth for us； having put on a habit of mind to which induction is
impossible； and is thenceforth to be passed by with a kindly but a pitying
smile。 And so； indeed； it happened with these quarrelsome Alexandrian
grammarians； as it did with the Casaubons and Scaligers and Daciers of
the last two centuries。 As soon as they began quarrelling they lost the
power of discovering。 The want of the inductive faculty in their attempts
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at philology is utterly ludicrous。 Most of their derivations of words are
about on a par with Jacob Bohmen's etymology of sulphur； wherein he
makes sul； if I recollect right； signify some active principle of combustion；
and phur the passive one。 It was left for more patient and less noisy men；
like Grimm； Bopp； and Buttmann； to found a science of philology； to
discover for us those great laws which connect modern philology with
history； ethnology； physiology； and with the very deepest questions of
theology itself。 And in the meanwhile； these Alexandrians' worthless
criticism has been utterly swept away； while their real work； their accurate
editions of the classics； remain to us as a precious heritage。 So it is
throughout history： nothing dies which is worthy to live。 The wheat is
surely gathered into the garner； the chaff is burnt up by that eternal fire
which； happily for this universe； cannot be quenched by any art of man；
but goes on forever； devouring without indulgence all the folly and the
falsehood of the world。
As yet you have heard nothing of the metaphysical schools of
Alexandria； for as yet none have existed； in the modern acceptation of that
word。 Indeed； I am not sure that I must not tell you frankly； that none ever
existed at all in Alexandria； in that same modern acceptation。 Ritter； I
think； it is who complains naively enough； that the Alexandrian
Neoplatonists had a bad habit； which grew on them more and more as the