either among physicians or in schools, is very great. I believe myself that we should all be better off if the modern Greek pronunciation had early been adopted and had always been used among scholars. I do not believe for a moment that the modern Greek pronunciation represents the ancient practice, but the practical advantages of using it seem to me to be very great, although I have a less high view of the modern Greeks and their language than I had before my recent residence in Athens of eight months. There is absolutely no modern literature worthy of the name. I find in conversation with my colleagues and other professional friends, a very fierce objection to disturbing the established practice. I have no doubt that Blass' very extraordinary book, which has been translated into English by W. J. Purton, under the title, "Pronunciation of Ancient Greek," and is published by Macmillan & Co., New York, has done much to strengthen the faith of those who believe that we ought not to adopt in schools the modern Greek practice.
It would be most unfortunate to provoke a discussion which led to nothing other than a hot division of opinion. We Greeks must not set to quarrelling among ourselves. We have difficulty enough at the present time to maintain ourselves in a community, a large part of which does not know what is best for itself.
With renewed expression of regret that my
