There is a strange idea abroad that in every subject the
ancient books should be read only by the professionals, and that the amateur
should content himself with the modern books. Thus I have found as a tutor in
English Literature that if the average student wants to find out something
about Platonism, the very last thing he thinks of doing is to take a
translation of Plato off the library shelf and read the Symposium. He would
rather read some dreary modern book ten times as long, all about “isms” and influences
and only once in twelve pages telling him what Plato actually said. The error
is rather an amiable one, for it springs from humility. The student is half
afraid to meet one of the great philosophers face to face. He feels himself
inadequate and thinks he will not understand him. But if he only knew, the
great man, just because of his greatness, is much more intelligible than his
modern commentator.
The simplest student will be able to understand, if not all,
yet a very great deal of what Plato said; but hardly anyone can understand some
modern books on Platonism. It has always therefore been one of my main
endeavours as a teacher to persuade the young that firsthand knowledge is not
only more worth acquiring than secondhand knowledge, but is usually much easier
and more delightful to acquire.
C.S. Lewis
No comments:
Post a Comment