102 THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE MIND. our prayers in Latin, from being bound to read the word of God in a tongueunknown to the people, and from living in an ever- lasting subjection to the clergy in matters of this life and the life to come. But to return. There are still so many forms of proceed- ings in judicature, and things called by Latin names in the pro- fession of the law, and so many barbarous words with Latin ter- minations, that it isnecessary lawyers should understand this lan- guage. Some acquaintance also with the old French tongue is needful for the same persons and profession, since the tenures of Lyttleton, which are a sort of bible to the gentlemen of the long robe, were written in that language : and this tongue has been interwoven in some forms of the English law, from the days of William the conqueror, who came fromNormandy in France. XXVIII. Physicians should be skilled in the Greek as well as in the Latin, because their great master 13ypocrates wrote in that tongue, and his writings are still of good value and use. A multitude of the names, both of the parts of the body, of dis- eases, and of medicines, are derived from the Greek language ; and there are many excellent books of physic both in the theo- retical and practical parts of it, which are delivered to the world in the Roman tongue, and of which that profession should not be ignorant. XXIX. Such as intend the study of theology, should be well acquainted also with the Latin, because it has been for many hundred years the language of the schools of learning : their disputations are generally limited to that language, and many excellent books of divinity must be entirely concealed from the students, unless they are acquainted withLatin authors. But those that design the sacred profession of theology, . should make it their labour of chief importance to be very con- versant with their bibles, both in the Old and New Testament ; and this requires some knowledge of those original languages, . Greek and Hebrew, in which the scriptures were written. All . that will pursue these studies with honour, should be able to read the Old Testament tolerably in the Hebrew tongue : at least they should be so far acquainted with it, as to find out the sense of a text by the help of a dictionary. But scarce any man should be thought worthy of the name of a solid divine or a skilful teacher of the gospel in these days of light and liberty, unless he has pretty good knowledge of the Greek, since all the important points of the christian religion are derived from the New 'Testa- ment, which was first written in that language. XXX. As for the Syriac and Arabic tongues, if one divine in thirty or in three hundred, travel far into these regions, it is enough. ,A few learned men skilled in these languages, will mae sufficient remarks upon them for the service of the whole
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