Word: frenchmen
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Dates: during 1870-1879
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...University courses without other reason that that of their antiquity. Of what value are Latin verses? Of what utility Greek themes? Above all, of what earthly use are Latin orations? And why even orations, and always orations? Have n't we already enough fine speakers? Have not we Frenchmen already too strong an inclination to give ourselves up to the charm of sonorous words, even when beneath there lies no sense to sustain them...
...orator than Demosthenes. But in obliging every Frenchman who wishes an education to read Plato or Demosthenes lies the absurdity of the system. What I deprecate is, not that Latin and Greek are taught, but that this should be a national system, and one that is applied to all Frenchmen without distinction. In the first place I would have the ancient language pursued more seriously; that is to say, that instead of devoting eight years to the study of Greek and Latin grammar, and still failing to be able to read fluently a Greek or Latin author, half of this...