The Litchfield County post., 1828-10-23
CONCERT.

CONCERT.
In our advertising department will be found No
tee of Concert, to be given the Court House.
Friday evening next, by Miss GilI'ngham, Of Hart
ford. We have never heard this lady sing but as we
are willing believe many things from report, we
are willing to believe that Miss G. deservedy stands
pre-eminenty high as an accomplished and finished
singer. The musical amateurs of Hartford would not
long tolerate and literally patronze singer who IS
not TINS: and the appreciation which is universally
bestowed upon her there abundanty proves that they
view her of the first in her profession in this
country. We gratihed that she has consented,
after much solicitation, to come TO Litchhetd; and we
do confidently trust that the good taste and liberal
feelings OF our citizens will not permit her to waste
her sweet voice upon bare walls and empty seats.
Infant schools, properly conductedare literally nwr-
series of piety, knowledge, and virtue. As yet their
real and intrinsic value is but little known this
try; and but little known simply because the public
mind IN the pursuit of certain great objects, has al
most entirely overlooked them. In England the in
sttuton has for many years been patronsed, as an
invaluable auxiliary in forming the character ofhe RI
sing generation: and within few years the attention
ofChrstian philanthropy in several large towns and
cities on this side the Atlantic has been turned to the
object The time must come, If it he not area-
dy fast approaching, when the 'hears of the fathers
shall be turned their children - not simply in the
feelings Of natural affection, for since the world was
created, such has always been the case but for the
purpose Of making ready people for the service of
the Lord" Heretofore, to an almost unlimited ex-
tent the infant mind for the first three Or four years
gifts existence has either been allowed to lay like
barren waste or to be filled with ideas and
impressions, which must afterwards be unearned and
corrected, be permitted to give wrong bias to all
the future thu lights and actions Of life. Infant schools
intended to correctt this prevalent evil They pro-
pose instruct the mind is capable OF re-
ceving instruction,of turning all its wishes feelings,
and motions, into proper channel of closing up ev-
cry avenue through which the selfish and perverse
habits of our nature too much inclined to fow,-
of instlIing nothe mind the principles ofbenevolence
instead Of seshness, oflove instead of hatred oftruth
instead of error Of honesty and desire to do right
instead of dishonesty and willingness to do wrong.
Such course is yng the at the root of the tree
it is beginning to work upon the most productive soil
il is introducing culture mind yet infested
with weeds; rs preparing generation, not only for
the service othe Lord but for the enjoyment of that
felicity which he has promised to those who love and
him.
And all this is practicable-it is not simple theory.
The infant mind will learn somethingit is CO nsant-
ly on the stretch TO learn new thing and such
is often the perncious example which majority OF
the youth, and those with whom it is obliged
ctae, set before 1t, that it learns vices when virtues
could easily have been taught; it learns errors,
when truth would have been much more congenial
to the soil lit darkness put for light in thou
sand nstances,and often hears evil called good and
marvel that It's first voitions should be strongly
marked by the instruction it has received In saying
this, we need only appeal to parents who won d be
highly greved, were they told that their infant chill
dren between the ages of Is months and 3years,were
incapable of learning any new thing-hat their chill
dren, who are too often neglected, and learn no good
thing, are incapable by that neglect of learning any
thing that is evil. The child that does not learn is an
IDIOT if il takes notice of the various alterations,
equlvocaons, and errors of those with whom ID al
lowed to associate, it can never learn to advantage, in
future years,-something is there wanting which ed
ucatIon can ne yer supply.
That Infant Schools practicable can be proved,
not only from the of the but also from
actual and successful experiment. If children be
Taught any thing, they be taught that which will
be valuable TO them in more mature years and they
can be thus taught by any one, they can surely be
taught great advantage by competent marons, whose
whole time devoted to their service IL they can learn
evil practices by assocatIng with improper company,
they can learn to practice virtue by vrtuouS assocIa-
tons If the errors and petty vices which they are
too often allowed to learn must afterwards be eradi-
Gated, suffered to poison their whole course OF life,
every principle of humanity, philanthropy, patriotism,
and Christianity, imperiousy calls upon their parents
and guardians to save them from perncious early in
structon, and place before them such only shall
tend to make them better citizens better Christians.
We shall probably say this subject hereaf-
ter, at least enough to make people think upon
the matter, if they do not act upon it.
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