magnitude, that the Northern power will be totally eclipsed. Frank Pierce, in his message to the house of representatives, declared that involuntary labour was highly needful to the prosperity of the States. Although the present President has not put forth similar sentiments, yet we believe his measures have a similar tendency. We conceive that Mr. Lincoln contemplates that, by riveting the manacles of taxation upon the light-complexioned portion of the Southern population, he contributes to the prosperity and wealth of the Northern States. This is slavery in the first degree. And all attempts made by the South to relieve themselves from these oppressive burdenswhich relief they claim as an equitable right-have been met by the Federals with a determined opposition. Were the Confederates to be allowed to monopolize sundry commercial privileges, they would at once take from the Northern resources to so large an extent, that its exchequer would soon be exhausted. The capabilities of the North are far inferior to those of the South. The ports of the South afford in every respect better accommodation for the issue of their own productions, and the receipt of imports, than the Northern ports do, and on the strictest principles of justice the South ought to be allowed to make such use of their advantages as they may require; and all prohibitory restrictions are nothing short of an artificial slavery the enslavement of States.

We do not feel ourselves justified in commending the proclamation of Mr. Lincoln respecting the compensation offered to every slaveholding State for the abolition of slavery. We are of opinion that nothing but mischief was intended by Mr. Lincoln's issue of it. Regarding the extradition treaty mentioned by some of the sympathizers with the North, we think the terms are much exaggerated, in order to strengthen the position assumed. We cannot conceive that an immediate and unconditional liberation of the slaves would be either just or humane. They are in a state of grossest ignorance, deplorable to contemplate; this none deny. Then, if such a mass of ignorant, and perhaps ferocious, beings were flung upon civilized society as an independent and integral part of the community, it is not difficult to conjecture the result. We strenuously maintain that the African is capable of receiving that cultivation required to constitute him a respectable citizen; yea, we have witnessed instances in which have been produced some of the noblest ornaments of civilization. The few specimens of intelligence manifested in the offspring of the African race must convince every species of civil society, that they are worthy of other stations than to be chained or confined to the ordinary employments of the slave. If they possess no capabilities of mental cultivation, why release them? for they must still receive the same treatment, bond or free. The blaze of displeasure ignited by the publication of "Uncle Tom's Cabin" impregnated the minds of most European communities with an inordinate degree of hatred against the slave. holder, and in some instances misguided the votaries of freedom. But we should be very circumspect whilst we are traversing the

regions of fiction; for in our opinion, Mrs. Beecher Stowe's publication was ex parte, and deeply imbued with romance. The investigation of truth requires both sides of the question to be heard, then impartiality will appear and decide. Cruelties are inflicted to an enormous extent, undoubtedly, but every slaveholder is not a Simon Legree.

Had slavery been the cause of the American war, and had the Northerns sincerely desired its abolition, why did they not-following the example of Great Britain-agree to buy up the slaves? They have caused an expense of life, treasure, prosperity, and human feeling, tenfold more than would have been requisite to redeem all the black population of the South, if proper and intelligent measures had been taken.

We fully believe that in case of Southern independence, the Federals will cease to uphold for any length of time the ordinary tenor of political dignity; and of this they are so fully convinced, that they, at every cost, are prepared to risk a national bankruptcy-which, in our humble opinion, is staring them in the face; but this not for freedom to the slave, but safety to themselves. With the prospect of another year's struggle, at the cost of nearly two hundred millions, they may well exhibit herculean efforts; but the very cost is proof that it is self, and not slaves, that interests them. And in order to engross the attention of the world, the Washington administration have raised, as a pretext, that the only views held by Mr. Lincoln's government are the final destruction and prohibitions of the institutions of slavery.

Although we have freely commented upon the events now passing in the New World, and that the designs of the North are more or less tinctured with cruelty, yet for humanity's sake we must refrain from bringing into our account the acts of baseness and inhumanity that have characterized many of the Northern chieftains; yet we beg to reiterate, that our sympathies are excited on the behalf of the slave, and we will ever maintain and defend, both with tongue and pen, their just claims upon all States for a restoration to Heaven's choicest endowment. Freedom is the legacy bequeathed to the offspring of man, that being animated by the "vital spark of heavenly flame," and any attempt to rob him thereof constitutes one of the basest sins extant. We hope to see, at no distant period, a revision in the constitutional codes of all communities, and the insertion of some provision for the betterment of the condition of this muchdegraded portion of society. Although the condition of the slave is not so degrading as it was in the time of ancient Rome, when they were ordained to shed each other's blood for the savage pastime of the upper classes, yet they have to submit, in sundry cases, to as much degrading treatment as had the gladiators of Rome.

We opine that Mr. Lincoln's policy and tenderness of heart are not so much interested in the condition of the slave as to cause him to expend the blood and treasure of his citizens solely for the unconditional liberation of the slave. S. F. T.

The Essayist.

CLASSICAL STUDIES.

In these utilitarian times the classical languages, and their utility in educating the mind, have given rise to much controversy. On the one hand, we hear of men like Sir Richard Philips counting the hours, days, and years, which, as they assert, the veriest tyro in these languages must necessarily have squandered; on the other hand, our public schools and universities countenance and require these studies, and the pens of profound scholars, such as Arnold and Clarke, have been employed in enumerating and describing the advantages which result from the study of the dead languages.

In this essay we do not purpose to bring prominently forward the advantages which have been ascribed to the study of language; nor to consider the objections that have been urged against Latin and Greek in particular, and the extensive part they form in most of our public educational institutions. It is to be hoped our object is a more beneficial one than that of merely comparing the pros and cons. of a controverted question. More beneficial, because more practicable. Let it not be supposed that we ignore or think little of the object for which this excellent Magazine is mainly intended. Argument is the very soul of intellectual culture.

We are already convinced of the great influence classics exercise upon the mind; how they widen its narrowness, open it for the reception of much that is pleasurable, and enable it to grasp thoughts and subjects that would otherwise be beyond the power of most intellects. With this opinion we start, and expect all or most of our readers will agree in sentiment with us; for this essay is chiefly intended to exhibit some of the advantages which a classical education gives, and at the same time to inform those who have been neglected in youth, or who wish to prosecute studies which, for some reason or other, they have been unable before to pursue. Of all others the study of language is the best mental gymnastic. We may compare the mind of man to a complicated piece of machinery, all the parts of which are brought into active simultaneous exercise by the study of a language. Mathematics cannot claim this power. Their influence is almost solely over the reasoning faculties, and this often to the neglect of all the others. Hence it not unfrequently happens that the profoundest mathematicians are non-literary men; men who have no appreciation of poetry or imaginative works of any kind; while, on the other hand, classical men must necessarily be literary men. But we do not purpose drawing a comparison between these means of education.

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It may be sufficient for the present to say that we claim for classics the very power that mathematics possess, and without egotism we are fully persuaded that we are able to prove the assumption. Classics tend materially to the improvement of memory. memory is being continually stored with either new words or new ideas, as well as being exercised in recalling and depending on what the student has already acquired; in fact, the memory is being continually exercised, and we might say continually stored, either with words, phrases, ideas, or facts; for who is there amongst us that does not find something new in the hundredth revision even of such authors as Horace and Thucydides? Besides, the selection of words and idioms which a translator is constantly making in his own language is no inconsiderable-in fact, it is one of the best-means of exercising the memory. It draws more especially, if we may so speak, on one's intuitive knowledge and exercise of this nature is the more advantageous, in that it improves the memory, and at the same time gives greater facility in one's own mother tongue. This brings us to what of itself is sufficient to induce all who desire a correct and extensive knowledge of their own language to study those of the ancients. Many modern languages are based on the dead, and not a few are found with roots and words taken from these languages. Our own has been greatly enlarged and enriched in this way. We need mention only a few roots to show how important it is for one who wishes to understand English, to acquire some knowledge of the classies. From pono and positum we have two hundred and fifty words; from plico, two hundred; from fero and latum, one hundred and ninety-eight; from specio, one hundred and seventy-seven; from mitto and missum, one hundred and seventy-four; from teneo and tentum, one hundred and sixty-eight; from capio and captum, one hundred and ninety-seven; from tendo and tensum, one hundred and sixty-two; from duco and ductum, one hundred and fifty-six. Again, the Greek term logos (λoyoç) gives us one hundred and fiftysix; and graphein (ypaper) one hundred and fifty-two. These twelve words, therefore, enter into the composition of nearly 2,500 English words. One hundred and fifty-four Greek and Latin primitives yield nearly 13,000 words. If, then, as we have shown, Latin and Greek enter so extensively into our own language, surely a knowledge of them must necessarily enlarge our vocabulary, and at the same time enable us to comprehend many words and terms that would otherwise be obscure and unknown. But more especially is a knowledge of these languages useful now, when so many technical words are daily and hourly occurring, both in books and newspapers, and even in ordinary conversation. Nearly all scientific terms are derived from Latin and Greek. New inventions are generally designated by some compound from the classics; often, we must acknowledge, wretched compounds, but nevertheless they obtain currency in papers, and often in leading magazines and books. Take, for instance, the long, loud sounding word,

Pyrotechnist. Many, ignorant of its derivation, would stare and puzzle themselves over it, and assign it in their imagination a meaning equal to its size. And great, we expect, would be their astonishment on finding it to signify nothing more than a firework maker (from Tup and réxvn). We could, were it necessary, quote hundreds of similar instances. But, no doubt, not a few of our readers can multiply instances for themselves. Besides these advantages which attend an acquaintance with the classics, it possesses a tendency, to a greater extent than any other study, to perfect our knowledge of words and phrases, by obliging us to consider and weigh in our minds the niceties and exact significations of the words and idioms we render into English. Few can imagine the power classics possess to produce this (of course we are now, and have been, speaking of people ignorant of these languages), and fewer still can imagine the niceties and differences which a classical scholar will discern in words apparently synonymous. How invaluable is this power! It enables us to express our thoughts distinctly, and to give exact definitions of our ideas of terms and propositions that may need explanation. In fact, without this power no one can be said to possess in the least degree an accurate knowledge of language as an exponent of possible thought. To this power we must ascribe much of the excellence of many of our great writers and orators. The poetry and eloquence of Greece and Rome were the delight of Raleigh and Falkland. And in a later age the leisure of Pitt and Fox, of Windham and Grenville, was given to the thoughts of the ancients. Indeed, we may say, all our leading political men of later years have been great admirers and constant readers of the classics. To this practice not a few ascribe much of their eminence. To the habit of translating the dead language into their own, expressing the thoughts of the ancients in the most correct and forcible way in their power, Fox owed his copiousness in never wanting a word, and Pitt owed his facility and accuracy in always having the word. Burke, too, that man of all the most comprehensive and forcible in his language, was in no small degree indebted to the command a study of Latin and Greek gives over the words and phrases of a language into which it is rendered. We will mention only one other instance. Our greatest historian, and the very model of all that is correct and energetic in composition, Macaulay, won golden laurels during his academical career at Cambridge by his superior knowledge of the classics. While we say that an acquaintance with these languages affords great advantages to an English reader and writer, let it not be understood that we think that to become a good English scholar it is necessary to learn and study the language of the ancients. By no means. We know full well the copiousness and sufficiency of our own, will adequately express all the thoughts man is capable of ever conceiving. Besides, have we not brilliant examples of the copiousness of the English tongue in the immortal works of those minds that owe little or nothing to the classics? The most illustrious of all authors, even