The Connecticut courant, and the weekly intelligencer — Hartford [Conn.], 1782-01-15 00:00:00, page 1

NOW SEILING,
By NATHANIEL fatten,
Book-Binder and Stationer, a few Rods North
of the Court House, Hartford.
English bibles,
Testaments.
Spelling Books.
Pfalcers.
Primers.
Varta's Psalms and Hymns
bound in one Volume or
separate.
Lowch's English Grammar.
Cheftetiela s Letters.
Pupil of Pleasure.
Young Man's Companions
Pope's Rffay on Man.
Watts's Lyric Poems.
History of the Martyr&
Do. Prince Author.
Humphry Clinker.
Roderick Random#
4Tom Jones.
Ncoptolemus.
Rambler.
Safe of Authors
Paradise Loft and Regain'd.
Lord Kaim's Poetical Bffays.
Hanways Letters.
Thoughts on Liberty.
Do. on Adultry.
English Liberty's.
Eflay on Crimes and Pu
nishments.
Banker's Theocritus.
Handmaid co the Arts.
Crammer on Metals.
Albins Natural History of
Birds.
The Floreft.
Plays.
Cards.
Memorable Accidents#
Fofter'sDefence ofßeligions
Liberty.
Bucan's Family Physician.
Sharp's Surgery..
Diseases of the Army.
Latin Accidence.
Do. Nomenclatures.
A CeUeaien of Words and
Phrases.
Corderius's.
Brafmus's.
Grammars#
Teftamerits.
Clark's Justin.
Maps of Conneaicuu
Account Books.
Record Do.
Receipt Do.
English and Homemade
Writing Paper.
Pocket Books.
Great Allowance made to those who buy to fell again.
Cash, or any of the above Articles given for Cotton or
Linen Rags.
. —— SOL' W'
The Farm where Caleb Tur
ner formerly lived, about one mile Weft of the Court House
in Hartford, containing about sixty acres, with a good man
sion House and Barn thereon, a good Well of water, and
Orchard ; rhe foil is good, and very suitable for mowing,
plowing and pasturing, and the whole under goodimprove
ment. The filiation is very convenient for a Tradesman of
Farmer. For particulars enquire of thefubferiber, who will
give an indisputable title eg the premises.
PETER VANDERVOORT.
T 088 S O L~D;
By GEORGE BURN HAM,
At the middle Door under the Printing-Office, Hartford,
A SMALL Apartment of DRY GOODS andHARD
WARE. Aifo, Green and Bohea Tea, Brown and
best white pow&p'd Sugars, by the barrel or pound, Coffee
by the bag or pound, Pepper, Allfnict, Ginger,. Raifrs,
Powder and Shoe, Brandy by the Anchor, Bar Iron and Shear
Molds, choice Indigo, Spanish Brown and Yellow Oakcr,
Horn, crooked and bol Ivory Comb% &c# &^.'
WEEKLY INTELLIGENCER.
HART FO R D : Printed by H UDSON and GOODW 1 N, near the Great Bridge.
Slate Books.
State Pencils.
Black Lead Do.
English Ink Powder
ink Holders.
Sealing Wax.
Wafers.
Clothiers Press Paper#
Cartridge Do.
Bonnet Do.
Coperas.
Logwood.
Allum, And,
A variety of Small Books
for Children, viz.
The World turned upside
down.
The Riding Master.
History of Goody Two Shoes
Tomb Thumb.
Holy Jesus.
Fables.
Birds.
Song Books#
Copy Book#
TE A.
Coffee.
Chocolates
Pepper.
Sugar.
Nutmeg#
Indigo.
Crown Soa,.
Pins*.„
Darning and fraall Needles,
Wool Cards.
Small Fish Hooks.
Awl Blades.
Mens & Womens Thimbles
Fen Knives.
Jack Do
Bd. and rod. Nails#
Bar Iron.
Gimblets.
Crucibles,
Pipes.
Beautiful (mail Trunks and
Boxes.
Sm ill Rasps.
Black and White Gauze.
Can Wire.
Silt Handkerchiefs.
Cheap Linens,
Britannia's.
I Shirt Buttons.
Strip'd Holland.
Baize.
Ruflia Drab.
Gartering, &e. &e. %c.
TUESDAY January 15, 1782.
ST is an observation made by wifdbm, arid it is
also the declaration of experience, " that he
o encreafeth knowledge encreafeth sorrow ;"
and yet so far are mankind from paying any at
tention to it, that we find there are schools, aca
demies, colleges, universities (and a Dutcn di
vine in a neighboring State has lately added a
G,mnafum to the lilt) erected for the purpose
of enervating knowledge ; as if our sorrows could
not be fuffici&ntlv numerous without thq aflif
tance of art. -My intention is to destroy, if pof
iible, thefc pests of society, and to point out the
advantages which flow from ignorance Igno
rance I thou balm of life, and forrow-ioothing
power I parent of hope and enemy of care ! on
thee I call for infpirauon, and invoke thine aid
whilfl I celebrate thy praffe, display thy power,
and attempt to prove tnat all other sources of fe
licity are fleeting and fallacious.
Knowledge appears to have originated from
envy and that envy to have been seated in the
actors breast. “ Ye ffiall be as gods, know ing
good and evil" was his artful insinuation to de
prive our firft parents of their happiness. De
ceived by him they ate
" Of that forbidden tree whose mortal taste
Brought fin into the world and all our woes."
While Adam was ignorant, he was a gentle
man ; but knowledge reduced him to the neces
sity of labouring bard for a fubfiftance, and even,
paradise loft all its charms. The beauteous mo
ther of mankind, who, in ignorance, was happy
in the finiles of her huiband, and had no care but
to # regale herfelf with the fwects of Eden, as soon
as information entered her breast, became a dis
consolate sempstress in the midfl of the wilder
ness. She was ashamed of her knowledge—and
she blushed ; —die was mortified by its confer
quences, and her tongue learned the language of
insincerity, that it might deny the# feelings of
her heart.— This was the origin of knowledge,
and these were some of the firft attendants upon
improvement in science ! How much happier
had been our lot, bad our firft parents obeyed the
dictates of nature, and remained in ignorance.
I fay obeyed the dictates of nature ; for the clearly
teaches us to seek for happiness in ignorance a
lone. Need I produce a proof of this ? Observe
your children ; are they born scholars ? No, nor
do they with to be fuch# See, with what Spor
tive mirth they play around the parlour while
indulged in ignorance ; but the moment you at
tempt to teach them, their countenances change,
—their fwellitg bbfoms heave adreadful sign,—1
and the tears which trickle down their cneeks
tell you the sorrows of their hearts. How does
an hblyday enliven their fyirits, and what rap
tures do they difeover the inflant their peda
gogue difmifles them ! Never did town-meeting
resound with louder acclamations on paffidg re
solutions for the regulation of commerce, than
the street does upon the relyafe from the school
room. In these young minds there is no disguise%
these childrenact themselves ; ;#d the plain lan
guage of theircondua is, that learning is repug
nant to nature ; and we destroy their happmefs
by adding to their kno dodge.
Mamma too will help . 0 vindicate the truth
of our a£'cL@4;'fer, although ffie feels not the
An ORATION in praise of IGNORANCE.
Delivered at the Commencement in the Univer
sity of Pennfylvania,July 4th, 1781, being the
anniversary of the Declaration of Indepen
dence.
fort, while science is cultivated amongst us.
The history of the church will furnish another
proofithat knowledge is prejudicial. What sweet
tranquility did she enjoy in the days of igno
rance ! how lovingly did chriilians go to heaven
together I but no sooner had those incendiaries
Luther and Calvin inspired the vulgar with a
thirst for information, than fire, sword, and per
secution raged with relentless fury and swept off
millions of mankind Such bitterness of spirit
immediately took place as made each party fix
the fate of Its oppofers, and doom them to per
dition ; nor could the father of the church put
an end to the miseries of his beloved children,
though he was armed with all the terrors of art
inquisition. The transition of the scriptures in
to a known language baffled all his attempts tor
restore their former ignorance, and produced
filch an endless variety of fedls and opinions as
have ever since disturbed the peace of society.
Our feaffions furnish a striking hint in favour
ofignorance ; for why fliould they so strongly
impel us to affipaticn, if knowledge, to which it
is an avowed enemy, were of any use ? Is not
their language the fame with that of So^mon
(who knew a great deal for the day in which he
lived) “ in much wisdom is much grief, and he
that increafefh knowledge, increafetn sorrow."
And what, after all, is this mighty thing, cal#
fed knowledges to attain which we must throw;
aWay several of the bed years of our lives, and
endanger our conflftutions, by expofipg our
selves to the inclemency of every season ? Why,
forfooth, the aft of ^fing uncommon words, to
excite the admiration, and perplex the under
standings of common people, without conveying
One uncommon idea. -What advantage can be
derived from the pfryfician's using the words
mafticatiori and deglutition instead ofchewing;
and swallowing ; or the lawyer's covering, with
the terms replication, rejoinder, demurrer land
others equally infignihgant) the arts by which
he conjures your money into bis own pocket /
Indeed, I must confefs I hate heard of one in
stance, in which the rife of what the vulgar call
an hard word has been of service :---A divine
once mentioned metaphtfes in hrs sermon, and a
woman in the congregation was very happy up
on hearing it, for she foppofed him to mean th ft
tire gospel was good for both* meat and febyfic;
but for the confolJtion this afforded, me was
more indebted to her ignorance titan any thing;
elfe tf
Of all kinds of learning, Philosophy concepts
the heft fund of stupidity under a ihew of very
great knowledge. What does the profeffor of
this science mean by his Hydroflatics, Pneuma
tics, Optics, AftrorOmy, &cz Why, truly, to
inform you, that water will not run up-hill—
that the wind blows sometimes one way, and
sometimes another—and that there are flars in
the firmament,whole dillance and size he knows
nothing about.
It will he worth while to attend a little to the
pursuits of philosophers. See the great Sir Isaac
force of the impression, yet foe knows its operas
tion on the child. If mailer misbehaves, (he
threatens him with being sent to school ;—-if he
will not go to deep, Mr. )3ircb, the tutor, is to
be sent for : what ^ this but acknowledging that
both th^ institution and the inftru&or are ene
mies to our happiness..
Thus, most refpeclable ' audience, you fee that
nature speaks the fame language, both in young
and old ; and that in vain do we feck for com-
(N^ 886.)