estialatmosphereintoalllandstoprotectthemagainstthecorrosionoftime.Booksarethetreasuredwealthoftheworldandthefitinheritanceofgenerationsandnations.Books,theoldestandthebest,standnaturallyandrightfullyontheshelvesofeverycottage.Theyhavenocauseoftheirowntoplead,butwhiletheyenlightenandsustainthereaderhiscommonsensewillnotrefusethem.Theirauthorsareanaturalandirresistiblearistocracyineverysociety,and,morethankingsoremperors,exertaninfluenceonmankind.Whentheilliterateandperhapsscornfultraderhasearnedbyenterpriseandindustryhiscovetedleisureandindependence,andisadmittedtothecirclesofwealthandfashion,heturnsinevitablyatlasttothosestillhigherbutyetinaccessiblecirclesofintellectandgenius,andissensibleonlyoftheimperfectionofhiscultureandthevanityandinsufficiencyofallhisriches,andfurtherproveshisgoodsensebythepainswhichhetakestosecureforhischildrenthatintellectualculturewhosewanthesokeenlyfeelsandthusitisthathebecomesthefounderofafamily.
Thosewhohavenotlearnedtoreadtheancientclassicsinthelanguageinwhichtheywerewrittenmusthaveaveryimperfectknowledgeofthehistoryofthehumanraceforitisremarkablethatnotranscriptofthemhaseverbeenmadeintoanymoderntongue,unlessourcivilizationitselfmayberegardedassuchatranscript.HomerhasneveryetbeenprintedinEnglish,nor?schylus,norVirgileven—worksasrefined,assolidlydone,andasbeautifulalmostasthemorningitselfforlaterwriters,saywhatwewilloftheirgenius,haverarely,ifever,equalledtheelaboratebeautyandfinishandthelifelongandheroicliterarylaborsoftheancients.Theyonlytalkofforgettingthemwhoneverknewthem.Itwillbesoonenoughtoforgetthemwhenwehavethelearningandthegeniuswhichwillenableustoattendtoandappreciatethem.ThatagewillberichindeedwhenthoserelicswhichwecallClassics,andthestillolderandmorethanclassicbutevenlessknownScripturesofthenations,shallhavestillfurtheraccumulated,whentheVaticansshallbefilledwithVedasandZendavestasandBibles,withHomersandDantesandShakespeares,andallthecenturiestoc