Southern planter., 1832-10-27

Was, when learning was confined 10 thc closiufo5
when oven the great, The powerful, and the rich
were 10 unIciierrod Ignorance, when the mind was
tenanted with pFeiudlces, supersiitons and absurd
notions, The dolaiI OF which would draw down, 10
these bright days. alternately, the smile Of fdsdan,
OF the SIGH ofpity The only virtues of those times
were valor IN the great, submission in the lowly
and perfect confidence and reliance on the part
Of both IN iho infiibiliiy Of those who had their
conuciencos ln charge The only books were IN man.
uscnpi, executed with painful labor, aud at great
expense The only learned were the monksi FOR
oven the secular Popish priest was frequently but
little more informed than his flock The only learn
ing in tho then understood sense Of The ierm con
sisted in tho study Of ofaneuuse ie resnl,s Of which
nro oven yet exhibited 10 barbatbous latin, and the
lanquages themselves made rubscrvicnl 10 the pro-
poqation Of the wild eshypoihess thatlesufe could
conjecture up Yet the Monks 10 The solitude Of
their converts did great service 20 literature: they
pored over many massy roll, and many heavy
tome; and however much and truly they have been
deoSyed for Incidence, pride, and general inutly,
still Il must be remembered that 10 them only We
are indebted for the preservation and pespeuaIon of
thn wisdom which we 50 much admire a. this day,
IN the ancienls, and which, bul fnr them, mss,
have been totally lost, n The dark ages that follow
cd the DESTRUCTION Of the Roman Empire.
Loarnina beine IN those times so difficult ofal- |
tanmsni both lrom The scarcity Of books, and from
lh6peculiur habits Of society," Il il no wonder that
20 few possessed H. The soldier did not caro- for Il 1
@@fhe poor man could not reach IT, And what was
A., even when acquired beyond the study as we have
observed, &c the ancient tonguesf Il consisted Of
metaphysical questions Of the mnst absurd and rdi.
cnlous nature, and idle schemes Of asuriogy and
occul0 matters, such as have deservedyin these
days, teslen insc uwev contempt. One only, of all
th,ir chemical pursuits, have proved Of benefit to
mankind and thai too IN way neyeF intended BY
tha parties, for Il never entered into their concep-
lions This pursai, was Alehemy--,,e search
afer the Philosophers stone--lhe grand arcanum
by which they expected 70 oe able 10 iFansmute AL
the basef metals into RolS N The rou'se n this I
study, which Tor long lime Attracted m attenon
Of tho learned world 70 called -oary were ne ex
perimenls they tried, many ueve IN uodfeatons 4
Of matter ,hey slecled They isilrd. h,wevps. d
themselves in obtaining the object of,her rssearc
es The science Of Chemistry ar0sr out o the ashes
Of this wild pursuit Chemistry may almost b. sty-
Cd the cklld II arcideHi, and the knpwedrp of her
ways y the Feput of experiments onlv 81 exten
nive y her utility IN this busy world IN which we lve
30 imporanta part does she play IN the agriculture
y The mechonical, The scientific. The commerc Il n
engagements Of mankind, that We have cause 10 "a
bless the Wild hypothesis of Ike early adopts, and 81
se are compelled 10 admire tie wisdom az that 70
Divine Providence that cnn make even the bllies Of
levCien plan Of general good 10 his csoalnres. an
The invention ofprinting may b. consdered as sta
he grand haso'ngev and ntruducer uf new order clt
u things in society What do we not owe 10 the bri
invention Of pfinuneg instead Of pages we might ths
Iwell volumes, in tracing the progress Of science
iris and wisdom, fom their oFiaihal darkness, and
'bscuniy, to the splendid blare q hQbl IN which sor
hey stand developed, by the aid q this mighty VIII
agne. The arts and sciences ofreAl life began 10 ind
fho
md Hop also Il might be said began The ud.men.s die
Il good Education. No longer is the lrammes Of lfoI
peculaiise hypothesis, no lnoeu wasting the prc anc
lons moments. nor CONSUMING the midnight oil'' no,
J obscure questions on matters which human in sim
enuiiy could not bring nearer demonstration the
ban that of probability, and which even ifihey by
ould have been duly and truly solved, were Of n r
afpfulafu ueei bat ntplungnq boldly IN the dep,hs If
'etul science--of science that can be turned into
scoun' incur intercourse with The world ,earb. ena
9 % 20 know our relative duties 20 God and man. Of
I'd seeking out the most edeclual means Of DER. app
yming them. md
The present age then s epleai with Advantages and
have al the experience of the wisdom, f 1ss, an
les 70 guide us, in their good, and we have an qu,
2 reports Of past errors "a warn us II their evil, the
'scovenes and inventions have sprnnonn. ~ ,bhirh
% hihers never much "a conceived tl r.,,,, can
-hcilles IN lhe performance Of or ~ I,r,fe' cas-
ce ol our local interests which almost soroos. tes
: belief we entertained but few years back onl
eaca''9n Is now an sssfal, formerly !, was an is
nsmen,a' cultivation, and Il behooves us to turn ner
q talents to good account, when here y Sr ,ba the
md such an enlarged Geld ofaction. ~ Qos
ho,
Novel Writing Mr. D'Isuen lhns describes clio :,,,
. saP'di'y with which he WROTE sViv,an Grevs ~ 10
OK up ny pen. held in the light. / ,bongb, she
nyseN what will be doom, but said norhing We We
,.san w''nne some hours before noon, nor did ns
CT cease. My thoughts, my passion. the rnsl c pre-
invention were TOO quick for my pen Page ~. -.
Vowed paeei as sheet was finished / threw d ~ ~.
me door; was amazed al the prolific produc- sue
'n le' could not stop 20 wonder-in half ~. -.
zen houlsi sank back utterly exhausted, with m a''
aching frame. rang Tho bell, ordered some re- '"'
'shmen's and walked about tho room. The wine
'goFa'ed me and warned up my sinking fancy
'ich' however, required but little fuel. SCI 10 mo-
an and Il was midnight beiore retired to bed In ~,
IU next doN r1a .,l the