The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1811-12-24

appliCation.-Asto the exercise Of authority,
1t either resides III me ody where they arc
members, & SO ali are equally interested in
continuing abuses, by indulging one another ;
.r IN some eAtraneous persons who can in
deed prescribe the quantity, but not the
quality OF a eCtrrc-who are liable to eXer-
else their jurisdiction both ignorantly and
capriciously-and to render those subject to
1t ~obsequious and dependent. Let these
public teachers however be ever so ignor-
ant, lazy, and subservicnt, their pretended
lectures will still attract hearers. In the
institutions wheretothey belong, degrees arc
obtained, which, ii they do not, as they ge-
morally do, confer upon the graduates some
important privileges, attach TO them Il GER
tam reputation of superior learning, that of
itself is sufficient for that purpose. Nopri-
vatc institutions therefore, however admira-
bly, and skilfully conducted, can enter, upon
equal terms, into competition with public
ones, and thus the respectable character Of
the private teacher iScomparatively degrad-
ed, and the all-important business OF edu-
cation necessarily falls into the hands of men
who have no motive to conduct i; properly,
and very powerful ones, to neglect it alto
gcther.
3ut II the professors are di,igent and able,
YET the discipline and the regulations to
which every public establishment of this ma
ture must be subject, frequently tend to pro
long the reign of error, and obstruct the
progress of discovery. Its forms and sta
tutes are so many artificial impediments tc
the successful Investigation and ready adop-
uon OF truth-the min( is chaiued down 70
certain studies and to CERTAIN opinions, which
are so interviewer with The constitution of the
place, that their abandonment can seldom
be reconciled to it. TIE richer the univer-
sity too, and the more Extensive the estab-
'ishment, the greater difficulty has been ex-
per1enced In introducing Improvements
perhaps in analogy to tht physical law, that
heavy bodies move slovest. In England,
where their two universities were under re-
gulations as favourable 10 the progress of
knowledge as In most other countries, it is
notorious that doctrines were a long while
taught in them, after the, were exploded
from every other place ; thus the physics
OF Aristotle maintained their empire long
after Newton's works hadbecome familiar to
every Unfettered pretendcr to science, and
his logic and metaphysics nave hardly vet
gwen way to the Novum Organum of Bacon.
These facts fully justify the assertion, that
universities "have frequently chosen to re-
mann for a long time, the s~anctuaries in
which exploded systems and obsolete pre-
JUDGES found shelter and protection, after
they had been hunted out of every other
corner OF the world"
were there On the contrary no such insti-
buttons, it is hardly possible any science
would be long taught, for which there was
not some demand, nor taught longer. than
the demand existed. The private teacher
depending on public opinionfor support, would
Ind his account in rapidly following the light
OF science, and instantly adopting her disco
verles and improvements. He would admit
nothing useless or Anticipated into his system
of education, and what he pretended to
teach, he could teach we'll because the
number of his scholars would alwars ena-
bic him to inspect the studies and conduct of
each. Thus the essentia objects of educa-
ton would be obtained, and the mind and
the morals equallyimproved.
Accordingly we shall find that the most e.
ininent men in Europe, particularly in G..
Britain, have received their education neither
at public schools nor u~niversit .es and this
fact, together with the foregoing considera-
tlons being duly weighed, we shall per-
maps conclude with a celebrated foreign
journal that a society of twenty or thirty
boys under the guidance of a learned man,
and above all, Imam of sound sense, is, (next
to a domestic education under the inspection
OF vIgllant and affcctionate parents a semi
nary the best adapted for the instruction of
youth"
Until the utility of these establishments is
proved beyond question, you will agree with
me that government should rave nothing to
Go with their endowment. But admitting
this point, does it follow that they, like ma
ny other institutions of a public nature, may
not safely be left to individual e~nterprizel
In the progress of society funds for such pur-
poses will no doubt be accumulated, when
their benefits are evident, and a necessity
for them felt. They will in that case be
erected independent of the patronage or con-
trout OF government. Why then call upon
government to interfere in a matter not pro-
perry within its sphere, or extend its autno-
rity beyond what is absolutely necessary to
attain its legitimate ends, by placing under
Its direction Il most powerful engine for
moulding and insensibly Wrapping the opinions
of men p
But you tell me that the people must be
instructed, orthe age of Ignorance and Van
dalism will quickly return. / agree with
you in this sentiment. l acknowledge that
something must be done, and now | will pro-
coed TO state what ] think government may
and ought to do.
Government may, in the first place, be-
come the pionecro of literature. 1t may en-
ploy learned men to make voyages of discove-
ny Tor the objects OF science, and take exact
surveys OF our interior country and maps and
charts of our coasts and harbours. 1t NAV
offer premiums for discoveries-purchase
from proprictors such mechanical inventions
as are of general utility-print school books
and distribute them at an inconsidcrable