Elements of General Knowledge

CLASS II.

LANGUAGE.

CHAP. I.

LANGUAGE IN GENERAL.

Advantages resulting from a knowledge of various languages. The theories of lord Monboddo and Adam Smith relative to their origin examined. All languages derived from one original source. The most

rational system of the origin of speech accords with the scriptural account of Moses. Alphabetical characters are the most perfect_representation of ideas: their origin and progress: those of modern Europe may be traced to one source. The distinctions between ancient and modern languages. Origin of the Italian and French languages. The rise of the modern languages forms a curious part of the history of the dark ages. P. 46-57.

CHAP. II.

THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE.

Its origin and progress. The simplicity of its grammatical construction. Has been brought more nearly to a regular standard by the writings of Bishop Lowth, Dr. Johnson, and Mr. Horne Tooke. Is both copious and energetic, and well adapted to poetry. Its imperfections: inferior to Greek and Latin as to the arrangement of words in composition. Strictures on those writers who have unnecessarily introduced into their works many words of Latin derivation, particularly Sir Thomas Browne and Dr. Johnson. The practice of the latter, especially in his Rambler, seems inconsistent with his remarks in the preface to his Dictionary. The style of Gibbon considered. Several of the Scotch popular writers have deviated from the idiom of our language. P. 58-69.

CHAP. III.

THE SUBJECT CONTINUED.

Some of the purest writers of English recommended. Ascham, Raleigh, Speed, Taylor, Clarendon, Temple, Barrow, Locke, Dryden, Swift, Addison, Pope, Melmoth. The excellence of the English translation of the Bible. The practice of writing gives to conversation correctness and elegance. The standard of the English language. Disagreement between our orthography and pronunciation. How they ought to be. regulated. The excellence of our language, when considered as the vehicle of some of the most instructive and delightful productions of the human mind. The settlement of the English colonies in NorthAmerica and the East-Indies will probably contribute to its perpetuity. P. 69-75.

CHAP. IV.

THE LATIN LANGUAGE.

Its utility. It was formerly the general language of all persons of education for conversation as well as writing. Its origin: inferior to

Greek. Its beauties and discriminating features. The progress of its improvement. Sketch of the purest writers: Terence, Lucretius, Cicero, Nepos, Cæsar, Livy, Virgil, Horace, Ovid, Catullus, Tibullus, Phædrus. Points in which Latin are inferior to Greek writers. A degeneracy of style remarkable in Tacitus, Suetonius, Pliny, Lucan, Seneca. Many beauties of the classics are lost in translations. The wide extent of the Latin language before and after the fall of the Roman empire. Periods of its rise, progress, and decline. The best models of imitation for writers of Latin are Cicero and Virgil. Rules necessary to be observed in this elegant species of composition. P. 75-88..

CHAP. V.

THE GREEK LANGUAGE.

Its origin: dialects: the theory of its derivation as stated by lord Monboddo considered. Its characteristics: harmony and wonderful copiousness. Various examples of the Greek classics prove how admirably it was adapted to subjects of poetry, eloquence, history, and philosophy. The peculiar beauties of Greek composition. The causes of the extraordinary duration and wide extent of ancient Greek as a living language. Modern Greek. Comparative view of the Greek, Latin, and English languages. P. 88-100.

CHAP. VI.

ELOQUENCE.

Fine encomium on eloquence by Cicero. Four different heads under which the productions of eloquence may be considered. I. The sources of argument. II. The nature of style. III. The arrangement of the different parts of a discourse. IV. Proper action and delivery. The eloquence of ancient and modern times. What examples to be proposed for the imitation of a public speaker: Demosthenes, Cicero, lord Chatham, lord Mansfield, Burke, &c. P. 100-112.

CLASS III.

HISTORY.

СНАР. І.

HISTORY IN GENERAL.

Historical information is calculated to gratify that curiosity which is common to all periods of life. The methods adopted in the early ages of the world to transmit the knowledge of events to posterity. The defects of such methods completely remedied by history. The advantages of a knowledge of history. Its most important branches, I. The history of the Jews. II. Of Greece. III. Of Rome. IV. Of Modern Europe. V. Of England. Statistics, biography, and the letters of eminent persons, are highly useful and pleasing in an historical point of view. Chronology and geography are the lights of history. Coins, medals, and laws, furnish it with strong auxiliary evidences.

P. 112-129.

CHAP. II.

THE SUBJECT CONTINUED.

Comparison between ancient and modern historians. Sketch of a complete writer of history given as a standard whereby to ascertain the merits of historians.

CHAP. III

THE HISTORY OF THE JEWS.

P. 130-134.

The accomplishment of some remarkable prophecies, relating both to the affairs of the Jews, and to the Christian revelation, and the evident proofs, that the Jews were selected as the peculiar people of God, render their sacred books highly interesting. I. The remote antiquity of these books: the proofs of their authenticity: the sublime nature of their contents. II. The institutions, manners, and customs of the ancient Jews. The knowledge and worship of the one true God discriminated them from all other nations in the world. III. The effects of their opinions and institutions upon their literary compositions. The characters of Moses, David, Solomon, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel. The accuracy of the scripture chronology proved by Sir Isaac Newton. IV. Advantages to be derived from the study of the holy scriptures in general. Praise of the English translation. Sir William Jones's opinion of the holy P. 134-150.

bible.

CHAP. IV.

THE HISTORY OF GREECE.

Origin of the Greeks. The description of Homer corresponds with the most authentic accounts of their early manners and conditions. Athens and Sparta the most eminent of the Grecian states: their religion and government. The influence of their respective institutions upon manners and characters. The most splendid æra of Athenian greatness. Characters of some illustrious persons during that period: Miltiades, Pausanias, Cimo, Themistocles, Aristides, Socrates. The sufferings of patriots and philosophers under a democratical form of government. Degraded state of the fair sex. Hard condition of slaves. Digression on the treatment of slaves in ancient times, and of those conveyed by the moderns to the West-Indies. Contrast between the Greeks and Persians. P. 150-168.

CHAP. V.

THE SUBJECT CONTINUED,

The great influence of liberty and emulation upon the elegant arts and literature of Greece. The peculiar excellence of Grecian poets: Homer, Sappho, Pindar, schylus, Sophocles, Euripides, Aristophanes, Menander, Theocritus. Grecian orators: Pericles, Demades, Hyperides, Æschines, Demosthenes. Historians: Herodotus, Thucydides, Xenophon. Philosophers: Socrates, Plato, Aristotle. Artists: Zeuxis, Parrhasius, Phidias, Alcamanes. P. 168-175.

CHAP. VI.

THE SUBJECT CONTINUED.

The causes and consequences of the Peloponnesian war. Character of Pericles. The decline of the Athenian power and fame. Epami nondas and Pelopidas illustrious Thebans. Character of Alexander the Great. Apelles and Lysippus. The degeneracy of Athenian manners. Greece subdued by the Romans, and afterwards by the Turks. Degraded state of its present inhabitants, who retain some traces of the character of their ancestors. Advantages derived by modern Europe from ancient Greece. Concluding remarks suggested by some points of resemblance between Athens in the time of her glory, and the present state of Great-Britain. P. 175-185.

CHAP. VII.

THE HISTORY OF ROME.

The singular excellence of the Roman history. The magnificence of Rome, and the wide extent of the empire in the reign of Trajan, naturally excite our curiosity to investigate the leading causes of the greatness and fall of the Roman power. The causes of its greatness were, I. The peculiar constitution of government. II. The improvement of the arts of war. III. The attachment to the established religion. IV. The spirit of patriotism.

CHAP. VIII.

THE SUBJECT CONTINUED.

P. 185-202.

The Roman institution and laws, by forming the manners, and directing the conduct of an enterprising people, enabled them to establish their extensive empire. The Carthaginians were their most formidable rivals. Their naval power and extensive commerce. Characters of Hannibal and Scipio Africanus. The civil wars. The character of Augustus. The flourishing state of literature and the arts during the Augustan age. The degeneracy of manners from that period. Its causes; I. Luxury. II. Corruption. III. Neglect of Education. IV. The prevalence of the Epicurean philosophy. Good and bad emperors. Rome sacked by the Goths. Division of the empire. Reflections.

CHAP. IX.

THE HISTORY OF MODERN EUROPE.

P. 202-215.

The events and revolution in this part of history have given rise to our present establishments, manners and modes of thinking. A short review of the most remarkable events, with their respective causes and effects. I. The feudal system. II. The crusades. III. The institution of chivalry. P. 215-239.

THE SUBJECT CONTINUED.

The events in modern Europe continued. IV. The reformation of religion. V. The revival of classical learning. The most remarkable discoveries of modern times, and their beneficial effects. Concluding observations. P. 239--257.

VOL. II.

CLASS III. CONTINUED.

CHAP. I.

THE HISTORY OF ENGLAND.

Is interesting to mankind in general, and peculiarly so to Britons.

Excellent remark of Frederic king of Prussia upon this subject. The

sources of our information are numerous and authentic. A sketch of

those memorable reigns during which such characters were granted,

and laws were passed, as form our present constitution. William the

conqueror. Henry II. John. Magna Charta. Edward I. Edward III.

Henry VII. Henry VIII. Queen Elizabeth. Charles I. Charles II.

James II. William III. The revolution. Queen Anne. The House