Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1830-08-12
COMMUNICATIONS.
IA chiell's smang you taxing notes,
And, faith, he'll p,,"t


we haveaways ranked the MI admira'i of Ho.
race among our favorlte mottoes. 80 great and
various have been the innovations upon long es-
tablished usages, and customs, sterling III them
selves. and from their nature, incapable of i'm
xroyement; 50 MANY have been the schemes, dI-
lectly tending to overthrow what their friends
have always considered the most permanent in-
situations of life, having for their immediate
sheet the reversal of the soundest and best tried
principles Of society; SO numerous have been
jhe plans for mproyement-Ctopian IN their
very nature-in the ramihcatiOns OF customs and
b ,b,t in every day life; that are perforce led
20 wonder at nothing which the present or future
NAV bring forth. when we have for moment
contemplated the "actinss and doings" OF the
EAST. We are not enemies to innovatior--iar
from it; we wish to be understood as arrayIng
ourselves solely against those systems, the re-
ou'sd objects of which cannot be effected, be-
cause impractIcable o that amor sceieraiuS ha-
bsadi',!--What will it not urge men to attempt.
We will not make our introduction longer;
firstly because we eschew all long windcd and
pressing harangue., aud secondly because We
deem il cit to enter at Ouce upon our subject,
rscollecting the classical maxi. dimi'i,tm fac
II q,ti cspit hatef." Perhaps sno one OF the da-
esifI nav call it, of life has been SO much COM
mented on, enlisted more commanding attention,
aud EMPLOYED the exercise of more eminent ia
lent for its Improvement than the subject OF edu-
cation. And perhaps, too, no subject has been
oftener so unsScessfully treated Of, 50 little ben
Gifted BY the attempts made III Its favor (gener-
ally speaking) and less Thoroughly understood,
than this system after system has been invent
ed succeeding each to each like the waves Of the
cen and happily lost in the great ocean of world
L.. Nna a fnr
year, aye after age, has been rife with schemes
for facilitating the requirement of an education.
Since the time of the philosophers of ''old."
down to that of the sage invention Of Infant
Schools and the numerous schemes for SYMBOL
ica instruction. We will not enter into q de-
.aiI of them because the benefit which our read
ers will derive from perusal of it will be as
small As the qualification we shall experience IN
making it; and because we would not willingly
aid in rescuing them from an oblivion. which
we hope soon to see melted out to the chimeras Of
such Missionaries as Lancaster aud Hamilton.
The second article in No. Xxx. of the West
minister Review, gives full and elaborate &C
count Of the principles Of the Hamitonian Sys-
ten Of instruction. The Reviewer advocates
the system with zeal which surprises us. as ii
is only equaled BY the ability with which he has
conducted his task. Our surprise Is abated, how
ever, when we think of Pope's coupet
Ills with orr Judgments watches; more
CT Just alike. yc, each believes I'M own
In the course Of our remarks we shall have
frequent ausion to this paper as 1t is one OF the
most lucid expeditions Of Mr.. Hamllton's system
we have seen. And here let it be rec0llected.
that we wish to wage war with no one, throw the
gauntlet at the feet of no individual who holds
different opinion from ourself, but will temper
ately and fairly state our objections to the sys
TEN; and, vet, if they are as temporarily can
vassed, will we not be backward in a rejonder.
Ii must be obvious to any rejecting man, that
In proportion as the mental faculties are exer-
cised, in a manner and on a subject commensu-
rate in importance with the stage of their devel-
opement, in such ratio must those faculties be
aHckened aud strengthened. and prepared for
undertaking the consideration of subjects in
scale Immediately higher. 1t must be also equal
" PLAN, that unless the mind is disciplined bya
wholesome and well regulated eXertion OF its rea-
soning and rejecting attributes, that its torpor
and aversion to action will be proportionate re-
suit from the degree of Inactivity and dornancy
an which it was permitted TO remain. This is
self evident. The first fundamental principle
Of the system Is, that it is the Office of the IN
structor TO teach, and not permit the pupil to
obtain any knowledge through the agency of his
own faculties. At first view of the subject,
this appears the simplest and most natural me-
thod of obtaining infOrmation; certainly, in rea-
tioi to the affairs of life, aud possibly, in effect
ing an acquaintance with many of the sciences. it
Is the true one; but that it is the surest. speed
est and best plan for the acquisition of funda-
mental and pathological knowledge Of foreign
language, we are disposed TO doubt. Fact, narra-
tive, a recital of occurrences or events, can be
communicated in no other manner.s " hen.
however, we come to apply this principle and
use this plan in acquiring knowledge Of for
reign language, we find that it will not hold good
And we will briefly state our reasons WHY we
have not found it all sufficient.
Firstly. The plan pursued by the Hsmiltonians
Is to have interlinear tranSlatlons. These trans
lations are altogether u sraE i. e. the word in
English is placed under the word of correspond
ing Specification, in Latin, Tor French, as the case
Here we, of. course. make oral relation, and