Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1845-08-14
EDUCATION AND LIT
EKkTIr RE

IA the columns OF the New Worie, a shor1
time before il was discontinued. While
under the editorial control Of Mr.. Eames
i was conducted with singular ability, and
every paper from his pen bears the i'm
press Of the ripe scholar and the finished
gentleman. The subject of mercantile
education is attracting considerable atten-
ton at this time. The establishment Of a
commercial college was preached some
time since, by former President Of the
N. Y. Mercantile Library Association,
Edmund Coffin, Esq, and we earnestly
hope that the plan may meet with the
couniensnce and support of cur rich and
liberal merchants. There is perhaps, no
profession, not even the legal, clerical or
medical, that requires greater amount
or variety of knowledge successfully 20
enter into the practice of commerce in all
It's bearings. TIE truly accomplished
merchant who engages in trsde on lib
eral scale, should understand, and be bic
to speak auenty and write readily, the
languages Of the various countries with
which he may have commercial inter.
course, should be acquainted with toe
geography, laws, customs and commercial
regulations of those countries. He should
moreover, possess some knowledge Of the
principles of commercial law, of insur.
ance, partnership, &c. Chemistry, too
is all important, in some branches OF
trade, to enable him to detect the pure
from the aduHerated article of merchan-
/ Of hnar h1mouo. ka Il
of Mr.. Eames on this subject:--N. Y.
Mirror.
MERCHANTS, as class, have good
cause OF complaint against the Popular
Education Of the day. They have GER.
tainly contributed largely, often munfi.
Gently, to the leading literary and scien.
tifc Institutions among US, and even in
the best of these Institutions, the claims
and the wants Of the Mercantile Profess
sion have been quietly and wholly over.
looked. There is not at this moment, SO
far as we know, in any American College
or University, single Prolesso rship, de.
voted to the mastery aud exposition OF
those branches of study, which are to the
Merchant professional and which, there
fore, it especially concerns him to master.
Education in laying out her work, does
not seem to see Commerce.
Now Education is, of course, Litera.
ture and Science in embryo. And so pop.
ular Letters and Science, it would appear,
have, for the most, let the Merchant and
his profession alone. The fact is really
remarkable. Here is form Of Industry
which spreads itself all over the business
Of the world-which wields vast pro-
portion OF the floating capital of all civil
lied communlties--which concerns itself
in the daily routine of its action, with an
infinite variety OF knowedge-which en-
braces the whole social statistics of every
considerable nation in the ken of its CAL
culations-which has its very life as a
profession, in the prompt intercommuni-
cation Of the most practical forms Of In
telligence-which aims at nothing less
than TO know the wants of all men, that
t may get gain by supplying them
which thus snatches up every new fact
as something which It's touch may turn
into gold-and yet this is the one Profess
sion, which Education, and Science, and
Literature, have seen fit mainly TO neg
ect. Commerce has been three-quarters
of the international History of the world,
from the day of Methusaeh, to the day
McAdan, yet The first complete and cred
liable History of Commerce, as practi-
cal Profession known among men, an
elaborate preliminary training, and yet
the first Text. book-tne first Manual
specially designed to teach the young man
who Intends TO be merchant, all that he
should chiefly seek, as Merchant, TO
kGow; is yet to be introduced into any
course OF study in any College. or Acade.
my, or School! Our leading Summaries
of Learning should look to this fact, and
TO many another fact but too near kin TO
it, or they may well find themselves re.
ceding in importance and public estml.
ton every year.
This train Of thought has occurred to
US in look ng over the volumes of publ.
cation now in successful progress among
US, which, in view Of the novelty, COM
prehensvoness, aud g5eGt utility Of its
plan, we cannot but regard as a most hon
orabe example of American enterprise
and sagaclty. We refer 10 the Merchants
Magazine, We believe, in its sixth year,
ana edited and published by Mr.. Free
mon Hunt, Of this city. The idea Of pub
fishing q magazine devoted mainly, # not
exclusively, TO the interests and the use
Of the Mercantile class, is we believe, en-
trely original with Mr., Hunt. 1t is so at
least in this country. And certainly the
whole History Of Periodical Publication,
on this side of tho Atlantic, presents no
single instance Of SO good purpose car
ried so ably and SO fully into effect. In
the Magazine, and in the Library of
Commerce, recently commenced as a sup
plement TO it, the editor has undertaken
to present a complete Ency clopedia Of
Commercial knowledge, which shall diff.
Ter from all other Encyclopedias in keep
ing fully up ,eitb The times.
We believe we speak the unanimous
opinion Of those who have been led 10 ex-
anime the work critically, when we say
that in this endaayour Mr.. Hunt has sue
ceeded admirably. His Magszna is quo.
ted and referred to, here and in Europe,
as work OF almost official authority.
Tho French Ministry Of Conmgrcc and