Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1839-01-24
Nlr. Robbins Speech
on THE
SMITH MAN Ii r O II + T..
U. S. SENATE, JANUARY 10, 1889.

u. s. SENATE, JANUARY 10, 1889.
Mr.. ROBBINS submitted the following
resolutions:
RESOLVED, That committee be appointed,
consisting of five members of the Senate,
jointly with such committee as may be ap-
pointed on the part of the House OF Repre-
lsenta,ives, to consider the expediency OF
providing an institution OF learning, 10 De
Established in the city OF Washington, Tor
the application of the legacy bequeathed oy
Mr.. James Smi,hson, OF London, to the Uni
ted States, in trust for that purpose; also, to
consider the expediency OF charter Tor such
institution, together with the powers and
privileges which in their opinion the said
charter ought to confer; also, to consider
the expediency Of ways and means to be pro
yided oy Congress other than the said legacy
but in addition thereto, and IN aid of said be-
nevolent intention, and to report by bill or
bills in the premises.
The resolution having been read
| Mr.. RoBBiSs said that some days ago he
gave notice that he would take nm opportuni-
ty to ask leave to introduce joint resolution
on the subject Of the legacy beQueaihcd by
Mr.. Smi,hson, Of London, to the United
States in trust; and that he would take the
views upon that subject. rise now, said
/ hlr. r. TO ask that leave, and to submit these
views.
Il The motive to this noble legacy was, as
the Will expresses it, "The increase and dy
fusion of kaorieGge among mon" Noble, in
deed, it was IN every point OF view; noble as
coming from stranger, with whom tins
country had no personal relations; speaking
III Of nrIf
proclaimed his own; noble in amount, and
may be made effective to its benefccnt pur-
pose but, above all, noble for its destination
So the increase and diffusion of knoptedge
among men y leaving 1t to the wisdom OF
Congress to devise and provide the lns,ltu-
lion that should be most effective 10 this end
1t ought to be an Institution, whose effects
upon the country will make it living monu.
ment, 10 the honor of the institutions donor
in all time 10 come. Such an institution,
conceive, may be devised; Of which, however
at present there is no model either in this
country or in Europe; giving such course
| oi education and discipline as would give to
| the faculties of the human mind an improve
ment and power far beyond wha, they obtain
| by the ordinary system Of education; ano
Il far beyond what they afterwards attain IN any
Of the professional pursuits. Such an lnsli'
tuition. as 10 its principle, suggested itself to
the Sagacious and lar-seeing mind OF Bacon,
as one of the greatest Importance. hut
while his other suggestions have been FOL
lowcd out with such wonderful success IN
extending the boundaries Of physical science,
this has been overlooked and neglected.
One reason is, that the other suggestions
were more elaborately explained by him
there, too, he not only pointed out the path,
bat he led the way in it himself Besides,
those other suggestions could be carried out
by individual eXertion and enterprise, inde-
pendent Of the existing establishments o!
learning; or they could be grated on, and
made part of, those establishments. But
this required an original plan Of education
and new foundation for It's executions; where
the young mind would be trained by course
of education and discipline that would unfold
and perfect all his faculties where genius
would plume his young wings, and prepare
himself TO take the nobcst flights. The idea,
howcver,was not entirely original with Bacon;
for it would be in effect but the revival oi
that system os education and discipline which
4 produced such wonderful improvement ant
\ power of the human mind in Greece ant
4 Rome, and especially in Greece. Its effects
here, am persuaded, would be many ant
II glorious. OF these ! shall now Indicate ouly
one but that one whose importance all mus
admit. In its progress and ultimately il
would give TO our country, ! have no doubt
a national literature of high and immortal
character. However mortlfying to our ma
tional PRIDE 1t IS to say it, 1t must be contes-
SD that we have not national literature OF
that character; nor is it possible we ever
should have, as it appears to me, on our pre-
sent systems of education. Not that ouI
literature, such as it is, is inferior to that Of
other nations produced at the present day.
\ o; mediocrlty is the character Of all literary
works of the present day, go where you will.
1t is so in England, it is so in France, the
two most literary nations Of Europe. 1t il
true, learned men and great scholars are
every where to be found indeed, they may
be said TO abound more than ever; the whole
world too has become a reading world /; the
growth Of the Press is prodigious /; but it il
all ephemeral and evanesccnt--all destined
to the grave of oblivion Nor is it that ou
countrymen have not the gift Of genius fol
literary works of that high and immorta
character. Probably no people were ever
blessed with i! in a greater degree-of which
every where we see the indications and the
evidence bat what signifies genius for an
art without discipline, without knowledge OF
its principles and skill in that art2
"Vis consili expers. mole, ruit sua
Vim temperatam, Dii quoque proyehunt,
la majus."
Literature continued Mr.. R. is now every
where mediocre-because the arts Of litera.
ture are no where cultivated, but every where
neglected, and apparently despised. recol-
lect to have seen in n late and leading Pc
riodical Of Great Britain, an article in which
the writer congratulaies the age upon having
thrown of the shackles of composition and
says lin tone of triumph) that no one now
thinks Of writing like Jnnius, (as if it was an
easy matter, but beneath him, to write like
Junius,) except, he adds, some junior sophis.
ter in the country, corresponding with the
editor Of some village newspaper. The
whole tribe of present writer's seem, by their
silence, to receive this description os eulogy
as tribute Of praise properly paid to their
merit; while in truth it is the charac teristic
OF bnrbarous age, or Of one declining to
barbarism; 1t is the very description applied
TO make the decline and last glimmering OF
letters in Greece and Rome.
H The object of education fsail Mr. II \ is