Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1809-01-13
FOR THE VIRGINIA ARGUS.

mat train ut politics which has heer
'or some time, entered INTO by our ruiers
ENG wen understood tn be confirm n !. -
would perhaps, not be a,niss IN r.cr.,,.
the mental faculties, So hig;,Iy irrir rcd hu
acrimonious party opinions. with sl,or,
discussion of the present mode of educ tom
IN that state, which, for various reasons -
ienom mated, The main pillar OF the union
IL VIII only be attempted, in this curso-
~ examination, to shew VIII is thoueh, to
ne tnat system OF inform stion, which is. in
ne hiShest degree, concogd.pt To reason +.
and most productive IF real know edge. If
'nese desni DRY opinions be just, contrary
ones must be incorrect. A minute eoo,i.
ry into the existing manner of conmunica.
ing intelligence, W puid, 10 me, be siisaeree-
aoie anu p,intu'. But as these observati
ons are intended to apply genera ly {: do
no. expect togive um9rage 10 Individuals.
ihF Just exp insion of the juvenile mind.
has always been he'd, the great support Of
popular form ut government ard tue on
y mem. by which genuine liberty. can ne
well unders ODD and enjyed. But nothing
c n be more absurd thin uniform system
OF education. A consideration of situation
and fuure destination. rel t yrly anpl,ed.
should always re kent in view. What a
a correct mode of education for me, would
be qn'e prepost erouS for an ther unless
ma 'ure, as she sometimes dos, SHOULD bes-
low on mankind more III ortlin ~ ge-
oins; which certainly should not be restrai.
Hed. tut suffered 20 rove at pleasure. in the
extensive fields OF literature
And here J most sol, mnly protest against
the opinion, that all are born with equal
mental powers. d. ot de V, bu ina, in
infancy I'll appear so; but, > tne IN nd ex-
pands, what an astonishing difference DO
we observe, even in those possess np the
same advantages. Blu, we have 10 lament.
that 1t Is not always the sprisht;y prnetra.
ting genius, that terminates ia solid ~ and
Iprofundity. NJ 1T mt be, that ~ the vos
iaIiie progress of the 6ne genius, the road
to SCIENCE is not sufficiently suuve, ed or il
u IS, that, by the CELEBRITY of acauirement,
suihcient imprf ssions d no. always remain.
An elegant and learned m .tlern writer. af-
Ter giving Biographical sketch of a most
singular phenomenon in literature, who, ha-
wing ranged through the whole circle Of
science, and DESTROYED his constitution bv
continual assiduity, died at the age of nine
teen, concludes with the GLOWING metapho-
rical Contrast /: "The poplar, which soon
becomes lofty tree will soon decay /; the
strong and sturdy k, whose majestic trunk
stands unimpaired through Centuries, re-
CURES . Century To bring i, 10 maturity,
III TINS be true, upon ma ure considerable.
on, that mind, which, steady and unyield-
ing. possesses sufficient force, by long and
close examination, for the acquisition of the
desired Intelligence, may, perhaps, BIZ most
safely relied on for accomplishing, what
Ought to be the ultimate inten!ion of the stu
dent, real knowledge.
The necessity tor knowledge ofthe Lear
ned langu ges, is held by some to be indis..
pensabiy requisite; while 9th RS as 5ea-
lousy, assert their inuiilty. If any one
VIII, for moment, rehcci OH the imperfec.
ton OF our language, and its want of origi.
nality; that ALI the learned ard elegant
parts Of it, are Latin and Gree ~ masoue-
rade; that, till lately, almost all learning
bad been confined to those Two langu gcs
and, that even now, the phlvsoph ical opini.
ms OF their writer's, with SO ne exceptions,
constitute the base Of The modern fabric Of
science he must acknowledge his convlc-
ton OF their aii-impor ance. But those of
a different opinion, answer, that some, dcs.
ttute this sort OF learning, have figured
greatly in the literary world, and even en-
lighIened Their contemporaries by original
discoveries Admitting this, lear very
much, that these should be cons dered raye
aveS and that, before we instance Frank.
lin or a Heory as mo is for youth. we
should gu ranty to the a genus, which
will, ultimately, in def nee OF the detects
ut education, like the iuninary Of heavea in
the dispersion OF morning clouds, burst for n
with All innate splendor that IS truly as .on.
ishing.
The great principle of education should
he, tiat language and science go hand n
hand Whenever they are compelled 10
pursue their way separately what unfor.
tunate consequences ensue ! Every body
knows, that ali the classics IN the two lear
ned languages, are replete with traits If
science. How then can the pupil under-
stand his author, unless he have received.
previously, the necessary information. On
the other hand, If the true meaning of the
writer be lot fully comprehended, il is ut
terly impossible for the bewildered student
TO acquire a just knowledge of the genuine
force and grammatical properties Of LAM.
guage Notwithstanding the persp Guilty Of
this position, in the best Summaries, of
which have Known any thing, the uhhap.
by pspil, to whom science, AT first, is To-.
tally denied, is forced, IN the flower ofyoa,b,
n