GREEK AT OXFORD.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11481, 14 January 1903, Page 6

GREEK AT OXFORD.

Our readers may remember that not long ago the University of Oxford was requested to alter the regulation which imflces Giesk compulsory fur all degrees. Tin's the University refused to do, but the discussion is still proceeding in the newspaper columns at Home. It stems probable that the suggestion was misunderstuod, aaid that it will iw brought up again 'before long in a different form. Many of those who voted against it appear to have thought that it was intended to eliminate Greek from the arts degree as well as from degrees in science, mathematics, etc. The promoters of the change, however, now say that this was not their meaning; they only wished that Greek should not be compulsory for other degrees tlion thosa in arts. It is thought not at all improbable that the resolution in this foion may be carried- The advocates of the modern languages, however, do not seem to ha content with this, and intoiid to move for a degree in modern languages, for whicJi Greek shall not be compukory. Wβ doubt whether this is wise. It appears to us that a degree in languages, whether ancient or modern, ought not to bs given without insisting upon a fair knowledge both of Greek and Latin. If the degree be given in modern languages, then the ancient languages should be what -are called at the new University of Birmingham, subsidiary subjects, and the modem languages principal subjects. We note, by the bye, that the University of Birmingham, which is supposed to attach less importance than any other to the study of the classics, will not j alk»w a student to enter for a degree in modern languages at all unless he has - previously passed in the firstclass in Latin in his intermediate examination, which corresponds roughly to ids first University examination here. Latin is not compulsory at Birmingham for matriculation in the case of students in the faculties of commerce, science, etc. Yet out of 115 candidates for matriculation, 100 took up this subject. And as candidates for degrees in English literature hava to read Aristotle's "Poetics," it appears that Greek will be practically compulsory for a degree in modem languages. This is no doubt part and paroel of the feeling which is fast growing, and nowhere faster than in America, the foremost in tie worship of commerce, that although it is possible to have a libsrai education without Greek, yet a liberal education with Greek is much the beet. It is quite possible that the area over which Greek is taught may be diminished (though tie contrary is the case in American at present), but even if this were so, we should very much deprecate any starving of the subject, or any diminution of its -endowments or prizes on tbe ground that it was cnly pursued by a minority of highly cultivated minds. There are, of course, many ether useful forms of mental development, but no country can afford to cheapen and starve the highest form of all, that which gives us our literature, that which clothes the uobkst thoughts ia the

noblest langaage, that which makes the voice of patriotisnr justice and mercy to be heard in burning words above the jingling of the money-bags and tihe jangling of tne electric bell. And to this end no country can afford to depreciate such important factors of literary development as those two literatures which are at the root of all modern thought.