14 JANUARY 1928, Page 3

The annual Presidential address to the Classical Association is becoming

one of our great intellectual occasions. The addresses by Mr. Baldwin the year before last and Lord Hewart last year are well remembered. On Tuesday, Professpr Conway spoke technically as a scholar without being much less of a man oraffairs. Modern scholarship—though it is perhaps occasionally almost too ingenious—shows us how Virgil concealed in allegory, just as Shakespeare did sometimes, a political com- mentary on his times. Professor Conway's theme was the influence which Virgil thus exerted. The Higher Criticism of Virgil is entrancing in itself, but not so important as Professor Conway's ultimate lesson that the study of the huntanities, being progressive, never is and never can be out of date.