The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1847-03-31
by the Sun I?

OF which would be as impossible to know as
to contradict. 1t would indeed require a pro-
phet to pronounce the reality. AS VIC do not
arrogatc to ourself prophetic inspiration, we
shall not attempt to lift up the veil which
conceals futurity, but will be content to tran
scribe, fer the special benefit of the "forty
thousand readers of the Bmner. few of
the characters which appear already written
in letters of living light, on the former half
of the aforementioned tombstone.
In the first place we remark, that a very
shining characteristic of modern civiliza-
ton is the general diffusion of hnowle
amongst all ranks Of the people In ancient
times the benefits of education were con-
fined to few, and those few the favored
ones of the State. The State, in those
times, claimed the individual service of all
her citizens, science, philosophy and history,
were encouraged, and only so far encoura-
gcd as the Statesman derived benefit from
their study. Indeed the gates of the tenn
pie of knowledge appear to have been shut
against the great body of the people; and
philosophers and statesmen never once sur.
missed that they had any right to explore its
treasures. History corroberatcs this singu-
lar fact, in the following most singular cor
rcspondcnce:
ALEXANDER wishing all happiness to AR
1sToTLE-" Y ou have not done right in pub.
fishing your select lectures. Wherein shall
we be distinguished above others if the inn
portant things we have been taught, be COM
muncated to the public2 would rather
surpass other men in the best kind Of know.
ledge than in power.
Farewell"
AR1sToTLE's reply You wrote to
me concerning my select Lectures
that they ought not to have been pub
lshed. Know that, in one sense, they
are still unpublished, as their meaning will
be fully apprehended by those only who
heard Them"
We perceive in this selfish cor:espon-
dence that AR1srorLE-the great philoso-
pher of Stagyra, who was sent into the
world to improve the condition of men
TO instruct and enlighten them-,hat he ad-
mlts that the people have nothing to do
with education, and that he never contem-
plated dispeIling any portion Of their igno-
rance by his publications. How broadly
contrasted with this picture Of ancient tyra-
ny, is the condition Of the human family in
this glorious nineteenth century. How
cheering to the true philosopher and the en-
lightened philanthropistl Since the in
ven'on of the art of printing, a flood of
light has poured in upon the world; but
more particularly since that most extraordi-
nary of all national catastrophes, the French
Revolution: "many have run to and fro,
and knowledge has been increased" The
sparks of liberty were struck from the COL
lision of hostile armies and opposing inte-
rests; and thus spirit of inquiry was set
on foot, which has resulted in the general
diffusion of popular intelligence. The
streams Of knowledge now flow in every
direction; they pass by the humble dwell
ing of the poor, as we'll as the splendid
mansion of the rich. Like the cooling wa
ter-brook, which is indiscriminately free for
all, all may partake of the refreshing beve-
rage-all may drink at the common foun-
tain of knowledge.
Having touched a little upon one feature
of our subjec, only, we will now do the rea-
der the kindness to pause, though not for
want of matter; and if, as Lord BYRON has
It, this meets with your due applause" we
may treat the subject IN future ct IN ezsenso.
The COLONEL.
- Z