Shall we be pronounced traitors to the cause of learning? Is it the object of learning to be learned? Is it not rather to make man a being of higher resources, and nobler action? We confess we are giving utterance to thoughts which have forced themselves upon us, when called to take a survey of the field of learning, to examine its divisions, to become acquainted with its laborers, and to labor ourselves upon its margin. If these thoughts should be derided as proceeding from an indolent or even an ignorant view of the case, we would reply, by asking two questions: _First_, Is there a limit to study, of the members pursuing it, and the extent of its pursuit? and, _second_, Where is that limit? Let it not be replied: 'We should fix no limit to the cultivation of the mind.' We are speaking of _study_, in its common acceptation, and in this acceptation we offer these questions. If this be a strange course of inquiry, is it an unreasonable one?
But let us not be too serious. The mistakes of men may sometimes be laughed at; and if any are found to spend their lives in seeking unprofitable knowledge--if any one delves all his days over learned trifles,
'And prizes Bentley's, Brunck's or Porson's note, More than the verse on which the critic wrote, This much at least we may presume to say, The premium can't exceed the price they pay.'
Such men might certainly be worse employed, and if time is _wasted_, it is not mischievously abused.
A young friend came lately, in great dejection and discouragement, to ask some advice respecting the obstacles which he had encountered in reading the Iliad. 'I am now studying,' said he, 'the catalogue of the Grecian fleet; and I am exceedingly puzzled to find out the exact situation of all the places which Homer mentions, and to trace all the nations and tribes to which the Grecian army is referred. I have studied carefully all the notes of Heyne and Clarke, but these are not full enough.'
The young student was mute with surprise: 'This is a strange question,' muttered he to himself, 'to come from a teacher, and an admirer of Homer!' 'What, Sir, must I not _study out_ all the proper names? I supposed I could not be a good scholar without it.'
'_Why should you?_ If you will think of this question, and give me a satisfactory answer, I will set myself at once to helping you.'