【You’veprobablyheardsuchreports.Thenumberofcollegestudentsmajoringinthehumanities(人文学科)isdecreasingquickly.Thenewshascausedafloodofhigh-mindedessayscriticizingthedevelopmentasasymbolofAmericandecline.】

　　You’veprobablyheardsuchreports.Thenumberofcollegestudentsmajoringinthehumanities(人文学科)isdecreasingquickly.Thenewshascausedafloodofhigh-mindedessayscriticizingthedevelopmentasasymbolofAmericandecline.

　　Thebrightsideisthis:Thedestructionofthehumanitiesbythehumanitiesisfinallycomingtoanend.Nomorewillliteratureaspartofanacademiccurriculumputoutthelightofliterature.Nolongerwillthereadingofsay“KingLear”orD.H.Lawrence’s“WomeninLove”resultintheannoyingstuffofmultiple-choicequizzesexamessaysandhomeworkassignments.

　　ThediscouragingfactisthatforeverycollegeprofessorwhomadeShakespeareorLawrencecomealivefortheluckyfewtherewerecountlessotherswhomadethereadingofliterarymasterpiecesseemliketwohoursinthedentist’schair.

　　Theremarkablyinsignificantfactthatahalf-centuryago14%oftheundergraduatepopulationmajoredinthehumanities(mostlyinliteraturebutalsoinartphilosophyhistoryclassicsandreligion)asopposedto7%todayhasgivenrisetoseriousreflectionsonthenatureandpurposeofaneducationintheliberalarts.

　　Suchreflectionsalwayscometothesameconclusion:Wearetoldthatthelackofaformaleducationmostlyinliteratureleadstonumerousharmfulpersonalconditionssuchastheinabilitytothinkcriticallytowriteclearlytobecuriousaboutotherpeopleandplacestoengagewithgreatliteratureaftergraduationtorecognizetruthbeautyandgoodness.

　　Theseseriousanxietiesaregrandadmirablyvirtuousandvirtuouslyadmirable.Theyarealsoamerefantasy.

　　Thecollegeteachingofliteratureisarelativelyrecentphenomenon.Literaturedidnotevenbecomepartoftheuniversitycurriculumuntiltheendofthe19thcentury.BeforethatwhatcametobecalledthehumanitiesconsistedoflearningGreekandLatinwhiletheBiblewasstudiedinchurchasthenecessaryotherhalfofafulleducation.Nooneeverthoughtofteachingnovelsstoriespoemsorplaysinaformalcourseofstudy.Theywerepartoftheleisureofeverydaylife.

　　ItwasonlyafterWorldWarIIthatthestudyofliteratureasatypeofwisdomrelevanttoactualcontemporarylifeputdownwidespreadinstitutionalroots.Soldiersreturninghom