Vandalia Whig and Illinois intelligencer. [volume] (Vandalia, Ill.) 1832-183?, 1833-10-16

ed with the material, on which he would
make an impression, with the mind he
would torture into confessions, and moi
knowing how to WELD his own faeultie:
to advantage, he was entirely untitled foI
the task imposed on him.
Ignorance greatly di!ninishes our use
fulness in society; it depriyes US Of the
power of forming correct opinions fol
ourselves, and often subjects us TO the i'm
positions of designing men. A man o.
shrewd common sense however. though
| he be ignorant, does not often suffer him.
self TO be led into errors, by the persua.
syc arts Of deccitful men: he becomes
distrusiful the moment any mystery OBJ
scurcs his path, he will not advance sin
gle step. Men who do not possess the IA
Guilty of discrimination, frequently per-
nit themselves to be influenced by preju-
dice, by IDEAS accidently connected with
things, which should be widely separated.
In England, the idea of sovereignty, at
one time, became so intimately connected
with the person of the king, that any Of
fence offered to him personally, was i'm
Imediately attached to his office, and aven-
ged through the medium of those laws,
viii h were designed 10 protect it alone.
The sacred character Of the station which
he filled, was attributed to the man him
self. 1t was for the want of discernment
between things, that the principles of lb.
erty, which form tie foundation Of our
happiness, found SO much opposition in
England; the d, tested peculiarties of the
Puritans, became so closely connected in
their minds, with the principles they sup
ported, that men could not think Of one,
without calling to mind the other. In
France the cause of fidelity acquired
strength, from the prcjudices Of the PEG
pie, who associated the idea OF the chris
tan religion, with the memory of the an.
Gent religious establishments of their
country. Well meaning men are often led
into the most foolish error, by this asso-
citation Of incongruous things. They
would never do evil, unless the objects
which led them to it, were so closely con
nected with an idea of something good,
that their errors escaped their notice.
Some phrases acquire very incorrect
meanings in the Same way; and this asso.
citation of ideas possesses such influence,
that it often becomes necessary to discard
certain words or sayings on account OF
the ideas called up at their mention; this
necessarily produces mischievous effects.
knowledge without discipline of the in
telloctu,l po,uorc ipcroocac tho Gull, ,ro
duccd by incorrect association of ideas,
and leads man into more foolish Excess
ses. we hear every one cry out sgive US
facts, and no theories, that we may Judge
for ourselves;' but when they have what
they asked laid before them, their decis-
ions are frequently erroneous, because
they have never been accustomed to dis
crlmnrte properly.
A mans intellectual power, is proper
tomato to his abilities to concentrate the
whole force of his mind, OH a single point,
and have it under his control. If he does
not possess this power, great stores of in
forma'l Ion are Of no advantage to him, but
rather increase his confusion; and thus
impede his motions. Oliver Cromwell
was by no means man of great genius,
or information, but such was the control
which he had over every faculty Of his
mind, that he could effect almost every
thing he desired. Had he been destitute
of this discipline of mind, he would new.
er have reached IA point of such power, as
he attained, but would have remained
man of ordinary fortunes, as well as abili-
ties, and dying, would have been forgot
ten. Our Washington too, was fitted for
the station he so nobly filed, more by his
tirmness of character, and discipline Of
mind, than by his talent; each Of his fla
culti 5 was as perfectly under his control,
as any soldier in his little army. From
the fact, that he always directed his mind
exactly TO the point, he never rose above,
nor fell below. what the occasion demand.
ed of him. The same thing might in
deed be said of almost every man, who
has made himself felt in his day.
If the object of education is to make "a
man of use and weight in society, his
mind should be strengthened at an early
age, and taught to discriminate properly.
If he is instructed in the use Of the power
given him, he will, then grow up, be fit
ted for almost any station in life, and for
any undertaking. 1t is "A common opinion
that IA youth should in his education, learn
many branches of science, merely for the
sake of knowing them; but this is not
reasonable His education should be
such, as to discipline his faculties, and thus
prepare him to act in after life, as emer-
gencies call for his exertions. We know
of nothing better adapted 10 this purpose,
than the study of Mathematics, and the
Languages. Mathematics gives precis,