3 SEPTEMBER 1948, Page 17

THE USE OF THE CLASSICS

Sta,—A young woman whom I taught a year ago for the second part of the Classical Tripos has since obtained a post in the Ministry of Civil Aviation which, to judge from a description of its duties, is one of con- siderable responsibility. I am told that her interviewer, on learning that her subject had been classics, remarked: "Good. It's essential for administration." By all means let us dons in our, ivory towers take the idyllic view of our subject which Mr. Harold Nicolson finds so beautiful. There is nothing which most of us would like more. But if the outside world continues to insist that what we teach is useful, we cannot well