Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1847-12-09
From ltright's Paper.
E D u C. A ITO N .

"S We uIuu ~ mink anu IHNeS ISde
for itself. There is much meaning in
this, more III m. an be spread on,on pc
per. 10 investigate! This is no, the
ability to read over the best books and
collect up the thoughts and sayings Of
other men, but il is clearing and bright
eiing the mind's.eyesigh: and strength
ening it, antsfhu< becoming able to
look into the misi.i!s of thing our
selve~.-it is 70 throw Probability,
Perhaps and Guess. work to the winds,
and knotc the things we s,uAy--;: is TO
lay right hold Of a thing with a giants
strength and embowelit and S ,,read is
hidden contents before the world. 10
think II is not to hold the mind o.
pen to the ten thousand floating visions
Of a fancy world, but it is to bring it
down into the very truth of the subject,
and gather up It's rich pearls and ar
range them, and weave them into a
wreath to encircle fhe soul's brow
To think There is subIimity and
grandeur in that word. It's ability
gives worth to a man that is greater
than the deep ocean. Discipline TO
think! The greatest Of all great la
bors, the wi~est; MODEST and best.
Education 1t is developing and
cnltiva:ing not a single faculty, but ev-
cry power and feeling of the mind, in
the most perfect degree. 1t is to push
out the mind, from its first budding,
with all Its numerous branches, and de.
velop and strengthen them fully. 1t is
to cultivate the mind-,o bring out Us
beauty, its greatness and strength
1t is to fit the mind for its own work.
to think, TO reason and to act. TO ed
ucate the mind is TO prepare it to ex-
plore the very depth of all things, to
know all things that are allowed NOR
,a!s. What conscious greatness, dig
nifty and independence there is in this
man; humble, too, wl:hal, for he is
conscious of an ocean of truth stretched
out before him, while he has yet gath
cred but few of its pebbles that were
washed ashore. s-
To be educated, then, is 10 bring
out the man until we feel it-un,il the
existence of our manhood becomes a
fixed fact in our life-until we feel that
we have live soul within us-a clear
sighted, far-reaching and eep-pene-
ting mind, with high and noble aspira-
tons. Sach men are the worlds true
noblemen.
But educating the intellectual, social
and moral man alone, will produce an
ill-propor,ioned, unbalanced mind,
which is incapable of great and noble
action. We need men educated, as al
ready described, so that they can stand
alone and walk erect, and stagger not,
though the weight Of the world were
pressing on them-men, that are built
up strong on every side, not towering
to the clouds In intellectual greatness,
while the moral and social feelings are
uneducated, Byron -like-neither rising
up to heaven in holy feeling, while the
intellect is as uncuItivated as that of a
Hottentot. In either case, it is like
building monumen: upon too narrow
foundation, and leaning so far that the
centre of gravity is without its base,
SC that in the one case the mind will
fall into blank in6delity, and in the 9th,
'er, into fanaticism but built upon the
broad foundation of the whole mind
rising up on every side strong, firm and
perpendicular, so that when the cap.
stone shall be fitted to its place, the
whole may present beautiful and sys.
tematic tower that will defy the wind.
and waves, and stand as a guide to CO.
ming generations. The world is fillee
with one-sided education, hence W.
everywhere find men hating, crippled
stumbling and fearing, like blind mer
on the blink of a precipice. There :.
a want of solidity and strength in mel
at the present day to fit them for gfea
deeds in any department Of life. Gu
education is too artificial and narrow
too much ofthe boarding school char
acteT-to be of much service in tn,
world. The external is sought to be
polished, while the inner man is neg
lected. There is, therefore, kind Of
sham greatness, and sham reality in al
most every department..
It is not necessary TO speak oflhe in
f1uence of editors, writers and book.
makers, in moulding and fashioning
the public taste, haracter and morals.
fol. it is evident to every observing
mind that they do stamp n l. own fee.
lings and character upon the minds o.
their readers. What, then, is the .du-
ty Of those who aid in forming the
knowledge, opinions and feelings Of
the people, whether they labor as edi-
tors, poets, book makers, teachers OF
preachers-sll that give direction and
S.w<rI <~ne - ~ l. I'll = -