Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Mass.) 1828-1830, 1830-01-26

higher seminaries of learning, not only by
the opinions they publickly express, but al
so by the practical efficiency of the means
which they provide for carrying into effect
such avowed opinions. And this seems the
more necessary, at period OF society, when
strong disposition is, in many quarters,
manifested to change the ancient grounds
of publick education, and to place the sys-
TEN upon new foundations.
Actuated by this sense ofduty, the Presi-
dent deems it proper on this occasion to
state, that sound publick education was
placed, by our ancestors, in this seminary,
so far as respects its literary influence, up
on the basis of thorough instruction In
Greek, Latin, and Mathematics, and that,
in his view, nothing has occurred in the his
tory, experience, or discoveries OF the pres
ent age, rendering those three foundations
less solid and sure than they were formerly |;
or showing it to be wise to select other and
newly invented grounds, on which to lay
the foundation of firm elementary struct-
ure of intellectual character.
With respect to Mathematics, it is not
apprehended that there exists any where,
at present, a disposition to undervalue their
Importance, although it is. known that some
diversity Of opinion exists as to the degree
of advancement, in the higher branches,
which it NAV be advantageous to require in
such seminaries. But as to the Greek and
Latin, the case is different. Owing to the
increased facility and disposition for inter-
course among the nations of the earth, an
increased demand for an acquaintance with
the modern languages has naturally arisen;
and with this, concurrent disposition be-
gins to appear to substitute these, inpublick
Institutions, or to consider them as equva-
lent, in their course of studies, to the Ian
guages of Greece and Rome whereby it
has happened that those branches of educa-
tiop, which were in former times deemed so
essential to literary character, that they
obtained for themselves, exclusively, the
name of learning" have, in some institu-
tons been superseded, or deemed quite Sec
ondary to those branches, which in former
times were considered, and in all times,
from the nature of things, must be compare
lively nothing more than accomplish
ments."
Without intending to enter into the ex-
tent of the argument on this great subject,
vet considering some of the currents of
opinion, which have an influence in the
community, the President apprehends that
it will not be deemed improper or out of
place to remark, that, in every system Of
pu5lick education which aspires to the char
acter of soundness and comprehensiveness,
the study of language, its elements, combi-
nations, general relations, and particular af-
lection, is essential and unavoidable. This
arises, not out of any prejudice, or orbitra-
nv selection of it as an object of instruction,
but from the very nature of the human mind,
and the inseparable connexion and mutual
dependence existing between language and
the mind itself. For language being, in
fact, creation of the mind, growing out of
its necessities, originating with nations in
their infancy, and keeping an equal Paee
with their civilization, and being also, in all
its notifications, shaped by theirintellectual
exigencies and adapted to them,--it follows
necessarily, that the knowledge of language
is among the readiest, the most natural and
perfect ways of attaining to an acquaintance
with the nature, the powers, and the wants,
of the mind itself. Accordingly, by the
universal consent and concurrence of all
times and of every civilized people, the study
of one or more languages, other than their
own vernacular tongue, has been adopted,
not merely to give their youth key to the
literary treasures which the particular Ian
guage so studied contains, but for higher
and more general purpose,-that of intro
ducing them, by means of a gradual acquain-
lance with the elements and relations of
language. to knowledge of the relations
and exigencies of the human mind itself.
These are necessarily more or less develop
ed by the conformation ofevery language,bu
are most particularly and eminently discern
ible in those languages which have grown
out of the necessities, and been shaped by
the vicissitudes, the taste, and the energies
of highly cultivated and intellectual nations.
Now it is undeniable, that, by almost the
unanimous consent of all those who, in any
country of Europe, have attained the name
of " scholars, "the languages Of Greece and
Rome have been considered, beyond all
others, the best adapted for the purposes
above intimated. And this general assent
or opinion of well instructed men has been,
apparently, not founded on prejudice, arising
from education or habit, but from their real
izing, by means of an intimate acquaintance
with those languages and the intellectual
treasures they contain their Importance and
value; and, above all by their recognizing,
in the history, the relations, and the indi
vidual character of the nations, among whom
those languages originated, and by whom
they were perfected. concurrence of cir
cnmstances and Influences, tending to give
more perfect and polished structure to the
respective tongues, than any other nation,
before or since, has ever possessed; where
fore they have been justly deemed far bet
ter adapted than any other, to become the
medium of introducing youth to the knowl
edge of the nature of language in general,
and so, of consequence, to an acquaintance
with those intellectual powers and opera
tons of the mind, which are best learned, if
not alone to be learned. through the means
of that knowledge.
The preceding remarks have been deem
ed by the President not unsuitable, for the
reasons above suggested, as an introduction
to the statement of his opinion that the ex.