Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1846-10-29
PROF. DAvtEs's ADDRESS

three classes Tho material world, the brute crea-
ton and man.
The material world is governed by fixed and i'm
muable laws which seem to have been co-existent
with its creation, and which are indispensable to
its harmony and order. The general law of gray
| ltullon does not change. The earth pursues her
onward course through the heavens in the same
path first pointed ont by the finger of the Olnnipo-
tent. The cycles of the seasons fulfil, from year
to year. their appointed offices. The spring returns
at its appointed time TO repair the ravages of win
Ter, and TO colbe the earth IN beauty an verdure.
seed time and harvest succeed each other with
wonted regularity; and amidst endless variety,
there Is no variabeness Eor the least shadow of
change"
The brute creation is also governed BY the equal.
" certain aud unerting laws of appetite and in.
stinct The horse obeys the rein of his rider, and
the OK browses the grass and drags the pow, with
The same docllity and patient endurance as when
| first subjected to the control and dominion of man
Inc Glrds, from year to year, build their nests
after the Same fashion; the beasts of the forest IN
habit the same or thickets, and pursue their
prey with the same instructive feroclly; the fish of
the rivers and the ocean make their annual round
to fulfil the end for which they were made; and
lime, IN his onward course, marks no Improvement
or progression On man alone there have been inn
posed no adamantine chains Of an inexorable me-
cessy He has been formed in The image of his
Maker, and endowed with the high attributes of an
| intellectual and moral nature Although. at his
birth, weaker and foebler than the brues which per-
lsh being dependant for his very existence on the
care OF Others and having only the instincts neces-
sary TO preserve life, he yet contains within him
the germ Of that intellect, which when properly
cultivated can grasp all knowledge. and of that
moral nature, which in its full development drinks
at the fountains OF life and lays hold on immortal.
~. In the inscrutable wisdom o. Providence his
| dostlnles have been confled to his own hands. His
body even, depends for its growth and strength on
his own will and energies. He may enervate 1t by
sloh, impair II by disease, and impanl within it
the seeds OF premature and early decay; or by
strict observance OF the laws OF health, he may
give to all It's functions full and perfect develop
ment. His intellectual like his physical nature,
manliest5 itself at first only by faint signs of lie
| We are endowed with the capacity to acquire
knowledge, and not with knowledA e itself. So
with our moral nature. The ability to distinguish
between right and wrong is perhaps the only alri-
butte OF II, not dependant on ourseIves-lhe choice
OF the one or the other being in all cases. entirely
voluntary The intellect cannot perform its apDro.
pirate functions unless Strengthened and expanded
by varied knowledge neither can our moral nature
exert It's higher energies and discern its renoler
duties, until culture develops and brings out the
vlvifying principle.
Education is that system of training which de-
velops IN their proper proportions, and in their
right direction, our physical, intellectual and moral
natures.
BY The term physical, would express all that
relates to our bndles-to their health and vigor,
their symmetry of proportion, their strength g. man
.lness of f rm, and in short, whatever nparts to
them the ability of oueying that controlling power
known TO us Oy the name of the mind.
BY our intellectual nature, would designate all
the attributes of the mind which enable us to &C
qure and combine ideas. The memory, the per-
ceptlon the power of correct and accurate reason
my. all of them intellectual faculties
fl,,r, tI,ror fhn gl,,In OIL, 90
affections 1t is this attribute of our spiritual
| ganlzlion which distinguishes the child of an ami
able and lovely disposition, which makes him aft
feCtcnate to his parents, doce 70 his teachers and
agreeable to his companions. 1t is this attribute
which moves within us to the love Of virtue which
binds us to others by all the tender charities of
life, and which Is The connecting link between us
and the great Source of all good.
| 1t may be well to inquire whether the present
generation are not especially called upon 10 pro-
vide for the education of the young.
The century in which live is distinguished
by great and rapid developments A fearful rapid
ity marks the progress of events The intellectual
efforts of our age have been successfully exerted
in pressing the laws Of nature into channels of hui
man improvement The ocean no longer separates
distant continents. The power of steam has ami
hlated space and brought the family of man into
close and intimate relations. Time and space have
yielded 10 the researches of scencG-the brass wire
has been made the vehicle of thought, and cities
widely separated from each other interchange
intelligence now with the rapidly Of electric
ity itself. These and similar trlumphs of mind
over matter-of the power Of man to discover and
| apply the hidden laws of nature, have Inspired
| presumptuous confidence. This confidence has
been further strengthened by the intercourse and
connection which this new stale of things has esab-
| shed between all parts of the world. Formerly
one State had little communication with another-
but now strip of sterile land in the distant Pacific
threatens the peace Of the whole word--and not
a gun is fired on The banks of the Danube whose
reverberaon is not heurd through the whole val
| ley Of the Mississippi
In our day, we have come to speak largely of
things, without measuring their eXtent-we talk
confidently OF immense projects without consider
| ing the difficulties which lie IN the way of their
execution we read OF our union when it contain.
ed but thirteen States, and was bounded on the
west By the Ohowe now have twenty eight sis
tiers in the household and cast eyes with tri-
umphal eXultauon over map extending from the IN
land seas Of the north TO the peninsulas of Florida
and Texas on the southland from the ruckand
coast of Nova Scotia to the distant Pacic-und
we yet covet the sparkllng mines of Santa Fe and
the lands and harbors of California.
Similar changes to those which have been pro-
duced in the mechanic arts and in the extent and
boundaries of our territory, have also taken place
| in social organ Zaton. New theories of Gov
eminent are daily promulgated, and new constIIu-
tons are formed by combination of political ma
chirery, which, if rapidty of production 5e alone
considered, is as perfect any that marks the pro-
gress of The mechanic arts.
In such an age, is there not danger that we shall
become dizzy by the rapdty Of our own progress,
that we shall advance with too much confidence
and too little caution; that we shall lose our res
pect for the past and all interest in the present, and
reach forward with an ardent longing after the I'M
known future Is there not danger that our systems
Iutlupnrp
of this rapid profession, may become mere hot
Leds where MUD is forced forward to sickly ana
premature development? Is there not danger that
superficial requirement will usurp the place of
sound owedgo-m mere facts and rules assume the
dignity of science, aud that which can be turn