In the first place, it _is_ necessary to prepare text-books of the classics for our schools. For, surely, we cannot trust to the scholar’s hand Horace, or Ovid, or even Virgil, as they came from their authors; and this on the score of morality. Secondly, we have no hesitation in saying that we do not possess as yet a single Latin classic (to speak of Latin alone) so prepared to meet all the requirements of the youthful student. We may almost challenge contradiction when we assert that, in all such editions as are prepared for American schools, the passages really difficult are skipped over. True, it is many years since we had an opportunity of examining such works thoroughly; but from what we knew then, and have looked into lately, we find no reason for a change of opinion. The work of such editions is perfunctorily done. The commentators, annotators, or whatsoever other name they may go by, seem to have only aimed at doing a certain amount of work somewhat _à la_ penny-a-liner; but nothing seems to be done _con amore_, and much less according to thorough knowledge. Let our readers point to one annotator or editor of any poet adopted in American schools who is truly æsthetic in his labors. Classics must, then, be prepared. Dr. Engbers avers that we can safely use what we have, no matter by whom they have been prepared; and in this we must willingly yield to his judgment, because it would be temerity in us, who are not a professor and have so far led a life of quite the reverse of classical application, to make an issue with him. But we must be allowed to differ from him in that “we have not the means to provide for all, and our educators are unable to satisfy the wants for the whole college course.” Let us bear in mind that we limit our disquisition to the Latin classics for the present. What we say about them will be equally applicable to the Greek, as well as to the authors of all nations. It seems to us abundantly easy to prepare books for this department. Let a certain number of colleges, schools, and seminaries join together, and through their faculties make choice of a competent scholar. Set him apart for one year for the purpose of preparing a neat, cheap _school_ edition of the Latin classics _for our Catholic schools_. He must limit himself to the _Ætas aurea_, giving some of those authors in their entirety, such as Nepos; some with a little pruning, such as the _Æneid_; others, again, _summo libandi calamo_; while of Cicero and Livy we would advise only selections for a beginning. Of Cicero, _e.g._, give us a few letters _Ad Familiares_, his _De Oratore_, six Orations, _Somnium Scipionis_, _De Officiis_, and _De Senectute_. From what we are going to say it will be evident that no more will be necessary at first. Teach the above well, _et satis superque satis_!