The New York herald., 1846-06-27

governments. Who can say but the teegraphic
wires may yet extend from The heights Of Queens
town to the halls ofthe Montezumasl
With these telegraphic wires running from Ca
NADIA to Mexico, and from the Atlantic 70 he Pa.
cic. the social relations of the people become so
closely interviewer, that it viii be impossible to
interrupt the peace and harmony of the Union.
The SUPPOSED DIFFERENCE or A EUROPEAN
AND AN AMERICAN EpUcArIos.-l,i is not an un-
usual thing TO hear the remark, that suoh one
Is rpe scholar-he has had the advantage OF
an EuropeaA education" II is also very common
to read, IN our journals, the advertisements of
teacher setting forth as prominent recommen-
dation, that the advertiser has taken his dplo-
ma from an European college,"
A few remarks on this subject may not be
amiss, and doubtless may save some one the ex.
pense OF journey across the Atlantic
We look upon the opinion, that nm European
education is superior to one obtained at home, rs
complete hallucnaton-a popular error We
could prove it so, would space permit; as il is.
we only offer few suggestions. In an European
college your education is theoretcal-we mean in
science-the student is taught geometry in theory
alone, and after taking out his diploma, in nine
cases out of ten, he will be found incapable of
measuring an angle with the simple protractor-
and what is worse still, he will be unable TO tell
you the object ofits measurement. lie will also
study friSsnometry, and after having, passed
through his course, he can handle neither quad
rant. theodolite, nor compass! So with mecha-
MICS, bydrostatics, hydraulics, SC. He cannot
apply single theory he has learnt in any OF these
sciences 10 the practical uses of life. Sc far as
his time has been employed, he might Just as
Wei have spent IT in playing domnoes, or solving
Chinese puzzles.
Let it be understood that we speak of the mass
there are exceptions. of course. There
are many individuals in Oxford, Cambridge,
&c. who spend seven years in the study
OF mathematical science, and whose know
ledge has become so profound, that the
practical application is easy; but who among
us Is likely to waste so much time upon
single science?
Now, in connection with all this theory, in an
American school or college practical rules are in
culcated; and many ofour students come forth on
the world, good surveyors architects, and by their
own industry, may soon acquire complete
knowledge of engineering.
There can be no better Illustration Of what we
have brought forward, than to compare the geo.
metrical text books of an English and American
college. In the former find Euclid, in the lat
ter Davies translation of Legendre. The demon
strations OF the Greek geometrician, would con-
fuse the clearest intellect that ever existed and
from the beginning to end you will not find one
hint as to the object for which you are cralnmng
your brains with so much theory, nor will your
English professor enlighten you Oh this SUBJ
lec,.
The demonstrations of Lcgendre, on the other
hand, are clear and concise, andon almost every
page you are reminded of a practical application.
Again, in an English college you are instructed
in ancient logic, modern logic, and metaphysics.
The absolute inutity OF the last mentioned branch
of study IS becoming every day more apparent;
but the man who could listen to course of lec-
lures upon the two logics without imagining him
self back in the dark ages, must be possessed of
very dark intellect; and yet these branches of edu-
cation form prominent course of studies in an
English college.
Again, in an English university you study clas-
sics-nay,it isyour own fault ifyou do not become
thorough classical scholar. In an American
school you gain but superficial knowledge of
this branch of education. Now, here again we
say the advantage is in favor Of the American
student What great minds have been lured
away from the path of science-what energies
have been misdrected, and intellect wasted, by
this tedious, and to the human race, absolutely
inutile study. Mankind has received little bene-
mt, but much hindrance, from this cxcrescence of
the dark ages 1t has been the great barrier to all
modern progression-but for it, we would now,
IN all probability, travel in mid-air-steam would
have been superseded by some still greater and
less expensive source of power, and science prac-
teal and theoretical, would now occupy posi-
ton which it will yet require centuries to attain
We might draw many other comparisons be-
tween European and American systems of edu-
cation, which would result in favor Of the latter
There is no progression in an English college, no
eye to the utility of any branch Of study-it is
taught simply because it has been the fashion,
not that man may make Of II afterwards in
obtaining his "bread and butter" Euclid is used
as text book. because it has been always used
as such; classics are taught because a man is not
considered an educated man without them.-
These are the ridiculous dogmas that have kept
up, and will continue to keep up, the old 'sdog
trot" systems Of European colleges.
On the other hand our home education is more
practically useful-ftting the man for the every
day business of life. 1t is more scientific than
classcal-and to this are we indebted for the
thousand Improvements in the mechanic arts that
are witnessed over our land-and although as yet
in our aeias jursniies, we are enabled TO cope in
invention and improvement with the oldest ma
tons Of Europe, whose vast wealth empowers
them to call into their service the ablest nellects
of the age
And yet we are classic enough to cope with
some of the best classical scholars of Europe.
TRAVEL TO BosToN.-There are now no less than
five routes open between this city and Boston.
All but one old thoroughiares. We therefore
speak of the Hartford, New Haven and SPRING
field, as a new route. 1t is very pleasant one,
and for change, well as for other reasons, will
be much travelled over. These who tntend to