LANGUAGES IN OUR SECONDARY SCHOOLS. 19% 
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the higher education itself has been violently disrupted into two rival, 
aot to say opposing, schools, in one of which the accent is laid upon the 
phenomena and laws of the natural world, and in the other on the nature, 
he phenomena, the history of mind. This opposition is happily passing 
AWAY. 
But neither in the diversity of the upper education, nor in the fact 
that so few pupils go up from the secondary school to the university, is 
there sufficient reason for abridging the time usually given to languages 
in the secondary schools. 
The historic regard in which the languages have been held for immortal 
senturies has been reinforced of late by the prevailing enthusiasm for 
modern languages, especially for French and German, and most especially 
oy the passion for our own noble but difficult tongue. There is no other 
expression of thought so comprehensive, so subtle and precise, so uni- 
versal, so enduring, as language. No other instrument answers so many 
ends ; no other is so fully employed in doing the work of the world. To 
study language, to master language, to use language, is to acquire a 
knowledge, to attain a discipline, to practice an art more effective, more 
vital, more human than have been reached by other agencies. We can- 
not displace or abridge our language study without a break with tradition, 
the sacrifice of experience to experiment, and the surrender of the true 
ohilosophy of education. 
Room has been made for the sciences by a surrender of time, and the 
languages have recovered the lost ground by an improved method. The 
demand of the sciences accomplished two things: it won its own cause, 
and it stimulated the teaching in all other subjects. It has been found 
possible to do in less time an equal amount of good work. Science teach- 
ing, and the spirit of the times which demanded time and recognition 
tor the sciences in the secondary school programme, have made the 
.anguage teaching more rational, intense, and progressive. The labora- 
sory has not excluded the lexicon ; on the other hand, the grammar and 
-he lexicon have demanded for themselves a laboratory, and the languages 
nave taken on methods as exact and scientific as botany, physics, and 
chemistry. It is now incumbent upon the sciences to make the most of 
the time already conceded, and to make a gain by an improved method 
equal to that which the languages have made. Language teaching 1s 
greatly indebted to the sciences for the scientific method, and it would be 
easy to show that the sciences, in turn, are greatly indebted to the 
languages, and to the methods of the language teachers. Opposition, 
accordingly, is developing itself into alliance. The classicists do not wish 
to deprive the scientists, nor do the sciences clamor for the whole field. 
[mprovements in the teaching of certain sciences have been almost revo- 
lutionary. It is possible to get still larger results without an increase of 
hours. A new adjustment will be required by and by, no doubt ; but it