Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1839-10-17

IS vulgar. The young iadles must ."
mopiug in the parlonr for hours, hardly
daring 10 speak above their breath, or
walk more than yard Ill any one Time
No wonder ,ha, we hear of diseases OF The
spine, Of early deaths aud premature
graves, when muscular exercise is sacrificed
at The shrine of false fashion, empty C
compli>hments, and useless learning
Health destroyed aud the temper spoiled,
comprises, in great many Instances, the
beginning and the ending of modern
fashionable education.
The Greeks aud Romans spared no
pains to give health, vigor, and activity 10
the body, while they cultivated the mind.
They had their gymnasia and palesirc'
schools for bodily exercise. They were
thus prepared TO serve their country in
peace, in war, in the cabinet or the tented
field, with the hardy vigour of The veteran,
aud the wisdom of the sage. The motto
nssns sana In corpore sano =" soud MUD
in a sound body"-was with them SINE
qua mont was laid down as fundamen-
tai principle, that a healthy organization
is the ,;asis Of all enjoyment: and that The
regulation of the vegetative functions was
the first and most important point IN edu'
cation. The great Spartan lawgiver uni
ted in his system, hard bolily exercise wi'h
mental application; this gave The Spartan
youth their iron hardihood, their consancy
and resolution. The Persian system, TOO,
consisted of "plain and frugal diet. con-
slant muscular exercise, which laid loun-
darion of strong health as would enable
them T. undergo hardshps and fatigue to
good old age" Wei hear nothing about
sckly sensibiIi.y, low spirits, gloom, The
effects of diseased body upon an en-
feebled mind. How melancholy is the
reverse in these degenerate days. We
have dispensed with bodily training. Our
colleges are Dedicated TO the genius oi lux
ury, Incidence, and refinement. The mind
is cared for-bur the morals aud the health
are neglected 10 an alarming extent. We
are beconringa generation of efeIninate
book k-worrn. delicate dwarfs, utterly un-
bit fol manly employmenl.Are not these de
fects most obvious g. startling--so much So
as to admit OF no apology and no defence
The term ofeducatiou comprehends and
includes all that relates TO health, temper,
disposition, intellect and murals. What
ever is essential to either, will be found 10
contribute to The others. The people Of
this country require system Of education,
which will give to every member of this
vast community of freemen such an a.
mount of knowledge, as will enable him
to discharge his duty as a citizen aud a
nan--to maintain the public liberty al
home, aud the interest oflhe nation abroad
Education, in its bruadesl sense, has been
understood to mean the complete and har.
monious development OF all the inlellec-
tual and moral powers of our nature and
this education begins at the hour Of our
birth-it commences with the momeul we
FIRST see the light. Providence has conf
ded The beginning of the work to the moth
er's watchfulneSs, The mothers tailhluuess.
and uuweari-d love. Ii is her task to
mould the infaulile mnd-il is in her pow
er to say, 10 great extent, what shall be
its character in aferlife. Iii her exam.
pie, her countenance, her tones OF voice,
that give the character gloom or cheerful
uess, harshness or kindness. Ii is for her
10 say in this tender season of SUSCEPTIBLE.
ty, when, like the melted wax, the heart of
The child is ready to receive any impress
sion, whether vicious aud selfish propensi-
lies, peevish and violent temper, Shall
be contracted, aud suffered TO expand,
which, in after life, will lead to misery,
prohigacy, and crime. 1T is from i'm
pressions which the child receives while in
its motherss arms, and the direction which
is given TO his Thoughts, his disposition,
aud his feelings, while prattIer by her
side, more than from any thing else, thar
the future character derives its qualities
and its hues," How al.important then,
that she should be enlightened, educated,
welI-informed, to whom is committed The
priceless trust Of educating family If
freemen! And YET how few Of our sem.
inaries furnish such course oIinstrucli0n
as will render her compeientto discharge
these responsible duties How many
finish their education, as il is called, and
are vet utterly ignorant Of that knowledge
wich is 80 indispensable 10 the care of IA
household-how many enter upon he du-
ties ola married life, unprepared for its
cares, unqualified for its heavy RESPONSE
blilies. How few are prepared, while at
school, to become The adviser, counsellor,
companion, Of man; to enliven his hours of
care, 10 cheer him in prosperity, and to
comfort him in adversely. These are wo-
mans. duties-and these duties she dis
charges with unshriukins faiIhfuluess-
bu, they are moi taught her al any Aneri-
can school within The compass Of my
knowledge. She learns to perform them
by her native quickness Of apprehension.
and bv The example Of others. Are not,
then. our systems Of education deplorably
deficient in all that ennob'es. exalts, puri-
fes. and expands the human mind !? And
shall we still 20 on in the old bealen path of