Alabama state intelligencer., 1831-05-18

less fascinated with his doctrines, were de- nominated his disciples or scholars. -
 With the decline of literature, virtue and liberty in the once famous republics of Greece and Rome, the admirable custom of learned and eminent men teaching the community by public lectures also declined and eventually ceased. The moral and intellectual deluge which immediately succeeded the sunset of Grecian and Roman glory, swallowed up eve ry thing worth preserving, and spared only what would have been its filter victims, the vicious and savage inhabitants of the times
 As if sickened at the deNanerating inroads which luxury and vice had effected on the one hand, and alarmed at the ignorance and barbarism which poured forth in mighty tor rent from the north of Europe on the other, liberal thought and true philosophy
 "- for season bade the world farewen'
 and it was not until the latter end of the fif- teenth century, that the godess of wisdom condescended again to visit the abodes of men, And even then, so long had the human intel lect been enshrouded by the darkness visi- ble" of ignorance, and inhuenced alone by su
 persttions poisonous sway, that the rays of wisdom beamed with lurid and doubtful glare. and for period had no other effect than to produce sickly, ill shapen and many times absurd systems of science, and abortive efforts at art. By digrees, those systems have been snbverted, amended on suppanted, and those efforts successfully renewed, and others efectuated, by the various philosophers and artists who have successively made their an pearance down to the present day. But it is .confdently believed that much remains yet to be done towards expanding the mind of man and bringing within its scope an amount of Knowledge not as yet equalled by the most comprehensive requirements An opinion is entertained by some, that the intellectual DOW CTS of man are susceptible of almost infinite expansion; that law of progressive i'm prove ment belongs to them, which has never vet been tested to the utmost of it's bounds How ever, without pursuing this enchanting and dignityng doctrine any further at present, believe there are other considerations in favor ot the establishment of q Lyceum in Tusca- loosa' sufhclent to win the Judgement and as slstance of all ref1ecting persons in it's behalf. Within the last few years mankind gene rally, both in Europe and America, have be- come unusually alive to the importance of uniuerSat education. And being thus arous- ed, they have seconded their conviction. to a pleasing extent in many parts, (a.course very uncommon) by liberal and praiseworthy ex- ertion to afford every opportunity and facility to the dissemination of usefal. and virtuous knowledge. Among the various means for the attainment of this most laudable end, is the formation of associationsin cities, towns
 villages and dense neghborhoods, under the appellation of Lyceuns. Although the main oDlect IS the same in modern as in the an cient Lyceum, the communication of informa- tion, yet they differ in this, that the ancient was conhnedto the spread of sectarian views, whilst the modern is designed for free, li- beral and unrestraned inquiry into. and dis ,ub; b;rl,,, L..
 terestng to men of learning and improving to the community at large. There is this fur ther distinction: In the ancient Lyceum, little else was taught besides abstruse phiosophy The modern is accommodated to the state of mental improvement in the community where it may be organized. In the former too, set of established tenets were laid down by the head of the school, and all that was said by the lecturer condnced to support his tavorite doctrine; whereas in the latter, the very end of it's creation is tha attainme mt of truth by mutual contributioG and throwing together in common as it were, of the nfor- nation and sentiments possessed by the diff ferent members on any given topic.
 | A modern lyceum then is what? It may be emphatically termed, 8choolnfor aduLts.- | The usual plan upon which it is modelled and conducted, so far as l have been enabled to | ascertain it, is, to appoint president or an | executive committee, whose duty it shall be to designate the subjects for lectures, to ap- point the lecturer and the time and place of his performance, and to give proper notice | thereof. Any other scheme however, con- formable to the principal aim of such an in- stitution, which may seem preferable, can be adopted. l The subjects for investigation should be such as are considered popular. The institu- tion being designed for the benefit of the whole community, the subjects should therefore, be selected with an eye to general interest and general improvement The lecturers are to be chosen from the body of the society, and all who join should contemplate throwing in by turn, their several mites to the common cause
 As to the advantages which must inevitably flow to us individually and collectively, from such an undertaking, it seems unnecessary to enlarge. It's salutary effects in extending cur intelligence, ,liberalizing our views and increas- ing our neighborly love, are perhaps incalcu- Table. Nothing, am persuaded, has so hap py ansinfuence upon our social, and, as a ne- cessary consequence, our religious feelings, as the frequent communion of intellect and men tai improvement generally Then, as we va lue our temporal happiness, and hope for as near an assimilation to deity hereafter, as is allowed to the finite powers of man, let us uSc thC inCdiS pidCtu WitHltl OUT reaCn IOfaC- complishing our purposes.
 It is generally known that in pursuance of public notice, meeting of number of the citizens of our town and vicinity, was held last Saturday at the court-house, at which steps were taken introductory to the forma- tion of a Lyceum. An adjourned meeting i. to take place on next Saturday at early candle light, in Dr John Meek's tavern, when and where hope to see as many of my fellow citizens, of all ayocations and grades of intel. ligence, as can make it convenient to attend.