Jenks's Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland [Me.]) 1799-1802, 1801-02-09
MISCELLANY.
LITERARY.


portant branch of Education. 1t gives luare
TO talents correds the lawlefs wanderings of
genius, and points out to every excellence its
proper channel. But the juI formation Of tate,
is its principal obiea-By refining the pew
ers of conception and enjoyment, it extends and
enables US to fee through the CARDS Of ltyle,
and elevates the pleafures Of the mind, and
into the private character of an author.-Aded
by its influence, Judgment difdains the whims
of faihi0n, and by firm and impartial deciions
prelerves the purity Of tate. Nor are thefe ad-
vautages confined to the paths of fcience. They
extend to every department of lociety, and are
valuable at every period Of life.
A refined and accurate tate is only to be
acquired in youth. At feafon when the mind
IS juf expanding when imagination is yet IN
bridled by judgment and every Object is cloath-
ed with the charms Of novelty perception is
TOO frequently blinded by the impulfe of the
moment, and with all the ardour OF youth, we
grant unlmted perfection to whatever is fpark-
ling or beautiful.
Mental Precipitancy fhoud never attend the
deciions of tate and opinions which are
formed il 70 haay and impetuous a manner,
the dictates Of unqualified appreciation, will
certainly be incorrect. The errors of a youth
full mind, which are perhaps the offspring Of
tranGent prepodefion, and which habit has not
yet rendered veteran, may be eahy fubaued
but if fufFered to arrive at maturity, unProPita
ted BY this fufcep,ibjIity Of tender years they
defy the Power Of conviction, and tarhiih the
fplendors of meridian genius.
Youth, therefore, is the fealon for culrivating
the tate, and acquiring the arts Of competition.
1t is a cireumfance truly furPriling, that
the Bellies Lettres, a Gudy at once 70 polite and
uleful, is 70 little attended to, BY the youth Of
our Metropolis. They are furrounded by eve
~ advantage for the purPole, and have only to
attribute the want of excellence, to their own
inattention and negligence.
Bewildered BY the vfens OF Romance, fome
imagine that genuine and unadultered tate,
is the gift of nature and in attempting 20
duce it to It andard, we only render it for
NAL and Indifferent. If nature had indeed iu-
fpirsd US with flch genuine principle, they
would foon luxuriate and GePrave it, By their
devotion to fenGual pleafure, and thus defeat
her nobIeh purpofes. But this idea, is merely
the phantom of imagination. For it is well
known, that tate, although an innate principle,
requires the high=a cultivation, to bring it to
perfection.
Others feem too much engaged with exterior,
to attend to interior qualifications and iurreR-
der their perions to drefs and company, while
faculty Plumbers. 1t is certainly in the highet
degree ablurd, to f4cri6ce to the superficial
views of fashionable female, the noblef pow
ers Of the mind, The fociety Of the fenlible
and the virtuous, mutt be extremely Notifying
TO a modern Beau, and in declining life, when
the body has fhed its charms, and looks up to
the mind for enjoyment, Poltenefs will be found
but poor equivalent for fenie,
Societies among the young, have been found
mott conducive TO literary improvement. BY
attending profelionl lectures, we acquire a jult
acquaintance with theory of Bellies Lettres
but theory alone without practice, will never
conftute iudicious Critic, or an able com
poler,-Soceties are the Theatres, upon which
the young may pradice, the ledoAs OF the cloi-
et. They arc valuable alfo from the mutual
communication oc knowledge which they at
ford? from the reftraint which they imPoie
upon Volatility and from the qualification OF
juvenile ambition. The focal virtues are at
he fame time cultivated, and the young are in
dnlpedin the Gatisfaaion which theyderive from
the imitation Of their fuPeriors. From public
feminaries of education, fuch foeieties are OF Pc.
eularly advantage. They promote fPrit Of
induarv, emulation and enterPrIze, which are
the life fprings Of excellence, Under the lnHu
ence Of thele fentiments, focieties have formed
II almoR every public feminaTy in the union
and have been protected by the lIniles OF their
regents. Thole of The College Of New Jeriey
are the pillars of its literary importance and
their evidence IS almoA coeval with that OF the
;oRi,,+;on NJ I. Gem. Adv.