The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1847-11-13
Vol. II, No, II. Whole No. 537.


sides that, his brains were trnmmeled by
rules &C., that there WINS little prospect oi'lIls
ever lettering his condition. Now, tho mnih
object of education should he, in my opinion,
10 teach men TO think, and not depend upon
hooks for every thing TO be known. Now,
here is the great book of nature open before
us, full of every kind acknowledge for those
who can think. Then, don't you sec the nd
vantage which man who can only read tho
hooks of men, which are so liable 10 contain
errors%
81 certainly agree with you in much you
have said, sir; but ifyou intend TO say that
book learning, as you would term II, IL use"
less, must wholly dissent, observed Locke.
81 don't say or think So" said Bunker
"No, it gives one great advantages in knowing
what Others in different parts Of the world
have found out, and mny be, if rightly used
aud understand, great help TO him in think
ing and making discoveries for himself No,
don't think so of learning; for ] am half
bothered to death for the want Of II myselfas
you have to-day seen. And all l want of you
is, TO find out whether you have II; and II
So whether it has made you good thinker,
aud one who can teach others to be so, as
well MS 10 teach them the books"
avery well, SIR" responded the other, 81 am
quite willing you should satisfy yourself, and
in your own way"
~ will" replied Bunker. "And first let us
see how you sand in arithmetic. What will
tweuty-seven multiplied by twcniy-three
produce? Don't look round for u slate or
paper, but work it out in your head, as l do
all my reckoning"
This sum as soon rs the answer was given
by the one and pronounced correct by the
other, was foilowcdby more questions i'll
each orIhe Fundamental rules ofthe science
under consideration. Then came questions
requiring, first, the aid of two of these rules,
then three, then al, Leach question being more
difficult and complex, till the whole ground
work ofcommon arithmetic was passed over
10y the questioner; in all of which be showed
himselfa proficient in mental arithmetic 10 a
degree that perfectly astonished our hero,
who, though he was. from his former habits
of working sums in his head while at work,
uuconmonly ready at this exercise was yet
often put to his best powers in furnishing an
swers as soon as they were obtained by the
proposcr .,
"WelI, well, young man." said Bunker,with
look ofapprobaiion, as he brought his ques-
tons in this branch 10 close, dit is not every
one that can do what you have done. But
we will now sec you can do rs well in 9th
or matters. We will take geography, which
rank next 10 arithmetic in usefulness. Boys,
will one ofyou step into the house and bring
us my mapsi'
The boy despatched soon returned with a
full and valuable set ofmaps, with which, 10
the surprise of Locke, the owner soon show
ed himself perfectly familiar; he it appeared,
having purchased them, some years before
for himselfaad children, with whom he had
studied them, always Keeping boy by his
side, when thus occupied, to read him tho
names of rivers, lakes, &c., as one by one, he
traced out each on the mp with his finger,
till he had mastered the whole.
A thorough and critical examination was
now commenced, and for some time, carried
on by Bunker, in series of novel and inge-
nious questions, well calculated TO detect any
deficiency in the examined.
every well, very well, sir" said the inter-
rogater, good humoredly, as he finished this
part of his examination, 81 don't see but what
you understand geography nearly ms well as
one who can neither read nor write. There
is one general question more, however, that l
will ask you--which is the largest river in
the world:"
"The Amazon is so accounted" replied tho
other
Eyes, know it is so laid down in tho
books; but do you think 1t so yourself?
81 had supposed that to be the case, sir"
| "Whyf"
"Bccause it discharges the most water in n
given time"
"You have got hold of the right manner of
testing 1t, lift was only capable of being re-
duced to practice; and what you assert ofthis
river may be fact; hut the question is, how
it can be ascertained."
| "Why, sir, il is the widest river, certainly"
"Wildest! There again is one of your
book rules and see where it will land you,
| sir. Don't these fools ofbook makers know,
that one river may he twice as deep, and run
twice as fast as another; and consequently,
that one river ola mile wide may discharge
as much winter as another double that width,
| in the same timer"
~ had concluded that all these circums
stances had been taken into account, when
| comparing the size of this river with that of
the Mississippi, or other large rivers, before
the fact in question was put down as estab"
| lished."
Some guess-work of the kind may have
hecn had on the subject, probably enough
But that is all; for do you suppose any body
has ever measured the depth or swiftuess of
the currents of these rivers? MOI Why, it
would take n board of engineers two years,
and at the cost of millions to do this with any
accuracy. They would have TO go, foot by
foot, through the constantly-varying currents
from one side to the other; and even then,
how would they ascertain whether the water
at the surface did not move twice as fast nv
at the bottom? No sir, this never was or will
DO done. We must depend on other meth
DDS for ascertaining facts of this kind"
"Vlat other method would you then pro;
poser" f'
"Why, I have been able TO think of no
method so good as to ascertain the number
of square miles which is drained by river
whose comparative size you wish to know;
and when the quantity ofsurface thus drain
ed is found, take another river find the sur
face that drains ALSO compare the results,and
vo,, have the relative size of the two. Now