Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1815-10-07

U1lnIS rrllf5t-
ed attendance, learn in tiIe short STAGE Of one
year, toread, write, and cypher; that, common.
eng blank. the child may IT the end Of one
year, SO 10 his parents with an excellent know.
ledge OF az. OF this there are many examples
IN the Lsc.suisn school ogthis town, and those
examples would be more numerous, were the
parents Of the children more careful of the at
tendance of the latter. Saturday, we were eve
witnesses OF the fiuits OF this great sys,en.-----
w e had the pleasure TO be among those who adj.
judged premiums to classes if.wrrtmg, where
ne performance OF each was Of so excellent a
description, and the shades of difference so
sight, that the examiners were obliged TO con-
Tess Their inability 10 make the award
The boys who con posed thIs class, were in
me bancastripn school but three years, where
,hey first learned Their alphabet; their ages
were IRON eight to ten years; and their perf3r-
mances We're equal to those of men who have
peen writing for thirty years. The same rapid
ny OF Proficiency was exhibited through the va
rious classes, composing upwards of 500 boys
itwouid bean act of great injustice, indeed, on
our part, to omitsin this place the mention OF
,iiat young gentleman, Mr. Maurice Cross, who
isas the sole and undivided management OF this
unmense body OF children. The singular snbor-
d'natlon which he commands the activity srd
sxactness of the movements; the solemn silence
he's SO able to enforce among those whom ma
t"re has made most difficult of restraint; the
Emulation Which circulaies, and the noble arub.-
ton which fills every bosom, to out.r,in his com.
lanion and AL this done at so trliling am ex-
Pense, as 10 be scarcely creditabe, constitutes
ele OIL which the corporal and intellectual eye
inay onemplats with feelings Of the most rap
tprous delight. What finer spectacle for the true
and benevolent character to behold, than to see
oee thousand young minds rendered capable by
system as economical as it is universal of re-
cs"ipg those grand prime pies ofreyelation Which
e l'arate The savage from The man. & which give
% the latter his proper station in society. What
more gratifying perspective to the reflection Of
the world, than that such a system as that which
Mr. Lancaster has discovered, and VIII ch others
nave not improved, should be the powerful ~
sunmen with which nines of intellect may
Undiscovered, of Vhich the proprietors were ir-
co sS'otls OF which mankind would hayepeen
aePfVeu' ard winch ~ thelrtu niay cultivate
ma eiire en- hiosenaiiDns whose destiny has been
oIoam through The world IN the darkness OF ,pr-
,or;aoe No wonder, that Mr.. Lancaster should
tesi Dmself so exalted above the things of tbs
re; no wonder tba', enthroned in tie bosoms
o. nose 500 boys, wllem he so patheticailv and
frequently addressed on Saturday he should look
drwn with philosophical indifference con the
~ ces, he sceptre and the ball % that crowns
should fsde before him, and the great ones of lie
world be cons deredby hun as the humble instru-
4
cied h the blessings of these pure and spot
ess hears, which throbbed with filial enotion
ms parental lessons, Mr.. Lancaster NAV envy
'ot The hattery which wealth and station can
purchase. To what country can he po yyhere he
will not find ar advocate Not Il, The forced
and rapid defamation of the hired pleader. hut
III the innocent and urbought gratitude ofthe
thousands he has instructed. The hospifslitv of
me CABIN will cheer hun with its smiles II will
(iF g., ri q a
hled II 20 procure. Mr.. Lancaster viii svmpa-
thise with the poor man in those manly f. el;T,rs
OF Independence which he imbibed under his
care. lie VIII look up TO his respected master
rs the author of ms intellectual existence. and
impiore happiness on the head which comm,,ni.
Gated such blessings TO mankind Pertains some
wise men VIII Whisper 10 a suspicious govern.
ment, suffer not the peasants mind to be e,Ilobt
eheu; su'ier them not to think; g We item no lie
power OF ELECTION if you do I'D GU To your E
vor'e monopoly What says Scotland. the noss
enlightened people ofthe British empire -
what says Scotland That nation. which I'm
The beautiful language of beloved orator Of FIR
mer times) us cast in the happy medium he.
tweenthe spritless acqiicscence of sottn;ss ve,
poyeriy, and the sturdy credulitv Of pannered
wealth cool and ardent7-adventrirous and eser
gene; wngihg her eagle fight against the besne
aieveiy sc ence, with an eve that never ,v,ni,
and wing thatnever tires crowned. as She i
with the sPols of every art, and deck ed with The
wreaihs OF every muse from the deep and sciI,.
iinlZn S researches of her Hume, to the s1ceef
and simple, but not less sublime and nstbat., -
morality ofher Burns . Yes, this highly cnl,;.
waited people, as # their thirst for knovIedsa.
rev with the Quantity, have universally y
dopted the SIS en- ofJoseph Lancaster, uncon-
eliminated 4 untouched by the IDLE exper;nents
of his successor hey lave embraced ts bsrsyo
fence IN principle, is mechanism in practice -
The eseence and not the forms of Chr;stisnitv e
preserved. The door is closed against the con.
iroverslalist. The parent (no matter WHIT h.
sect or religion be,) feels no apprehension to,.
the rel gous principles of his child in The school
on Joseph Lancasier his system teaches its fol.
lovers 60 READ; let the parent or his rel;a;o,,s
instructor, whoever he may be- point out the
book mich oRedt 10 be- ,ead Let notb;rs. he
done VIII oh may by possibility exclude single
child Lane lster therefore, embraces the
whole OF the human race his system alone can
pe use'Hi N ireland, because no preiudices arc
alarmed, no fears are excited, no string is touch
Wn'ch would not sound n unison with the
feelings OF The benevolent and sbie author TbsI
compass has discovered new worlds AMI oren.,I
to mankind lnexhaustible sources of weaItb and
lower. me press has preserved the discoye
res OF ine humsn n'nd, and c0mmmicaefiisI
l'g,' 70 me most distant and ignorant inhabitants
OF V'e el.he but the system OF Joseph Lancas
e. u'gpcks The universal intellect, and renders II
capable OF RECEIVING that seed of Instruction
W',ch lhe compass and the press have procured
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FOREIGN.