Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1843-01-03

o. One of the most formidable obstacles to i'm
provement in the intellectual condition OF society,"
is the propensity in most men to allow their under
standings to be guided and governed by Others In
almost every community there are a few individuals
who, by common consent are regarded as pos
sessed of superior talent and holding the keys OF
knowledge; and as matter consequent upon this,
these few are suffered to fashion the public mind in
things of science, in religion, and in politics. The
great majority rather than engage in the mental la
Dor of Analysing and investigating the laws, whe
Their physical mora, or intellectual by'whch they are
governed, tamely submit these interests to the keep
ing of their acknowledged superors. The great
body of mankind have ever been mental and physl-
cal bondmen to the few, simply because they VIII
not take the trouble to reason and 'hink for them
selves. Hence it is not strange that great masses
are often influenced and controlled by few willy
potcians-politicalc reeds are passvely subscribed
to, without the pains of research or investigation
In the moral world the evils arising from want of
independence of mind, are every where apparent :;
men commit their religious faith into the hands of
the few, and are content to indulge in an affected
belief of that which they neither comprehend nor
understand So long the great body of man
kind to allow the few to think, investi
gate and manufacture opinions for them so long will
the true dignity and independence of our race re-
main in the night of obscurity. Unless men cul-
tivate their own understandings and establish sys-
tenn of mental investigation and discipline, they are
liable to be the dupes of bigots and imposters.
1t is great error TO suppose that the mere &C
QUESTION of knowledge, or what is generally termed
education, is sufficient to render a man wise or
useful in the community Educated men, in the
common acceptation of the term, are not unfre-
quenty the most useless and stupid droaes of soci-
ETY.; mere mechanical learning however great or
extensive, is OF little more service utility TO man
than the faculty of artculating certain words to
the parrot. One of the English poets has admira-
bly, described class of learned men who are met
with in every department oflfe:-
A booktul bocllhead-ignoran,lv read
With loads OF learned lumber in his head
He who is ever dependent upon the knowledge
OF others, and who ventures opinion or santi-
ment OF his own, is but mere automaton not
outstanding he may be deeply read in the classics
and have poured over the libraries OF the learned
A'o' 'd' icdlned requirements should De unQerVal
ued or improperly appreciated, but these depend not
so much upon their extent or variety, as upon the
manner or capacity wiihwhch they are applied Ed
ucaon associated with independence of thought
with mind that ventures out beyond the confines of
books, and examines, anazcs, and theorizes for
itself, cannot be too highly estimated. But with
out thought there can be no expansions of intellect
nor acquisition of science that will prove of utility to
society.