Alexandria advertiser and commercial intelligencer. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1800-1803, 1802-11-20
From THE BALANCE.
ON EDUCATION.
No. XIX.

ihould beadopted, in our country, with
great caution. Generally they appear TO
have been deGgned for the families of the
nobility and gentry, rather than for the
poorer claaes Of people. They are adapt
ed to the condition of youth of fortune,
who have, in reverGon, their thoufands
year and who are entitled by their rank
and circumstances to appear at a royal
court, or to move in the brilliant circles
Of faihion. A mode of education, that
might be proper for youth of this defcrip
tion, would not merely become abiurd,
but pernicious, to thofe Of the inferior
grades. 1t is a refined fpecies Of cruelty
to excite & cherilh in young minds talte
for fplendor disappearance, iuch as is above
theiricircumfances and beyond their reach !:
for it renders them prey to the perpetual
corrodings Of diicontent and fruitlefs am
bition and places them in the fltuation
of Tantalus, who, as ancient fable fays,
was doomed to fufer the torments of eter-
nal Thrift, while the delicious waters,
which he was forbidden to drink, were
conaantly flowing before his eyes and al
mott within the reach of his parched lips.
The gifts OF fortune, however dazzling
and captivating they may appear, feldom
bring with them an uncommon portion OF
Happiness but they entitle their poaeaors
TO grandeur of appearance, which is both
unbecoaing and ru;nous in people of but
middling circumstances. Therefore any
manner Of education, that tends to infpire
young minds with an ambition for expence
and fhow, Incompatible with their condi-
tionin life, is tempting them with for
hidden fruit, ana IS l5wing in their minds
the feeds wretchednefs.
Thele sentiments apply with peculiar
propriety and force to the people of this
country. Locally feparated from the ma
tons Of Europe, by wide-ipreading
ocean, and diainsuiihed from all the reR
OF the world by the frn6ure of their 60
vernment, it behoves them TO form 0a-
tiondl cbavaaer: the foundation OF which
muf be laid in fuch general modes of edu-
cation, as are appropriate TO their pecu-
liar circumstances. While, in this coun-
try, there are no hereditary ranks, few
only of It's inhabitants are born TO the
pairimonial inheritance of fuch ample for
tunes, as lift them above the neceility ola
perfonal attention to fome kind ofbuGneis,
and to The rules and maxims Of economy.
The great body of the youth Of cur ma
tion.have very little other fource of depen-
dance for a livelihood and fortune, be-
iides their own indufry and PRUDENT ma
nagement. They fhould, therefore, be
early initiated into the neceGary principles
of economy, and TO be taught how to earn
and to lave property. They ihould be
made to know the value and the uie Of
money. For want of this knowledge, the
children of the rich frequently become
poor. Nurfed in the lap Of Incidence
and totally deltitute Of economy, their
{" riches make to themfelves wings and
fly away" and they are quickly engulph
ed in poverty that renders them peculiar
ly wretehed.-" Dig they cannot; and
TO beg they are afhamed." For want of
this necefary knowledge, the profoundcit
fadents, and the mott diainguifhed cha
raeters among the Literati are often Ceen
to be the mott unikilful and unfuccelsful If
worldly purlaits. - They read the elqNr
& relilh their beauties. They number and
meafure the fsrs, and call them by theft
names but while their attention ha.
been wholly occupied in theie fcientih,
purfuits, they remain ignorant of donef
tie concerns sad the neceGary arts of liy