New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1849-07-09
ET SARAH 2 LEvvs

FROOF or ITS CORRECTNESS
Er sARAH LEvis
Conscious of the vide aud exhsustless heid
embraced ia this subec' including the great
" Know thou thyss.i rather than attempt to cx
hsast the topic, shall throw cut few sugges-
tions. by way OF caution to my classmates snd
1nors, against the TOO hasty adoption Of opinions,
because the public hsve previously endorsed
them.
Ia the schools, opinion must necessarily rest 90
such degree Of evidence as will render rs truth
probable. In the crowd. opinion is belief or
sentiment found % exist in the mind, springug up
as it were spontaneously rs origin or proof OF
truth alike unknown TO ia posse.sor.
The scholar. whose mind has been trained 70
thinking to reasoning pror. will never adopt
an opinion without previous investigation and p
conviction OF IT'S truth founded on evidence or
demon,tration. Nothing short of this can elevate
svaeue impression made on hi. mind to the rsuk
# an opinion. And yet he scknowedg an i'm
portant difference between this aud mathematical
demonstration or the conviction which comes %
the mind directly through the senses The former
" teiisrr. the latter / KNOW.
Bat the unframed mind received impressions
which it adopts as opinions without being able to
tell where it found them, or why il believes them
nor does it ever distinguish between such im
pressions aud opinions resting on probable eyi-
ieuce 1t = true, because II s true rs found IN
THE book, or EVERYBODY says SO. such are
roo frequently popular opinions.
4 r.-- 4 81. q.
cult to uuse'tle when once they have taken root
a the mind iynorapce and prejudice lend them
sure hold. Planted there without reason, reason
cannot disturb them. sown. perhaps in the youth
rul mind, they have grown with its growth and
strengthened with its Strength until they have
come TO form an important part Of ,s identity.
some ofthese popular fell acies have passed into
proverb4 and are received genuine by the
weaker part of mankind. Few dare 10 dsuouuce
hem as unsour3, though they themselves are con-
vinced OF the iact--for the mass believe them
and indeed some OF these axions contain princi-
lies OF compensation which dispose Us 70 admit
their truth. such, for example, as that very com
mon saving. that Where there's a will there's 2
way Courage and perseverance, are certainly
very important instruments in the acquisition Of
any thing. particularly scholarship. How long
think you, would man survive in the rugged cliff.
IF mathematics without bis stock Of patience 70
.ub'st upon. iil he is able 70 reap richerharves
| Til that harvest appear. be must season eacn
problem with toll and care but THES Us hopes
are fully realized. How oiien have We accom-
5shed much more than We at first thought posi-.
Ole. by merely adding one equivalent more oi per.
severance Yet. there ARE times aud ciroum-
stances when Dot even perseverance, will prev AL
We seek Ia earnest but tni no,-the WILL i
there bat tue way We cannot discover
Agsln. We often hear It asserted that What
every body says must be- true great part 4
our most important knowledge Is received Ola the
evidence Of testimouy-tais source therefore IL
not T. be dsspised.-yet with oil due respect O.
tbs vefy popular parsonage, Mr. Every body
never could have tue ulbounded cretu.ty 70 take
Tor granted everything that he asserts should
require % Know something farther o. this inci-
vidual.-vhst claims he has upon olr faith to
scruiinize BIS character, II chameleon tnts are
there have cause for .kepucism.
Thinking requires edlrt and man IS usually too
indoleut 70 make an effort in the cause OF truth,
until By staiio1s habit his mind bss become csps-
be Of enjoying the exquisite sati'scton arising
from the investigation Of truth. Then indeed be
delights IN snslyz az the falac.3a' 'yl!osism' in
scrutinizing lis skiiiul'y woven texture and BE-
holding it vanish into vspor before ms Aristo-
tiesn test.
The csviler vel skilled 10 the at u reason
ng. and thoroughly colverssut with a. the WIND
iugs and back doors Of an argument, Is capable %
blending truth aad fslsshooi in sGch u amer az
% make psss current some Of the gro,sest al
.urdities and vet in hi. discourse none bat the
oglcisn shall discover It. To Use the language o.
an elegant writer The falsehood IS 10 the chem
! ca phrsssl held 10 solution enc drop Of sound
Logic IS tbat tesi which Immediately disu1ite'
them. makes the foreign Substance visible an
precipitates il TO the bottom
II men were more willing - depend rather upon
tie production OF their Own brains, than those ~
others ithey would cultivate TIER own isir zaf'
den asd rear iss fruits, rather Khan depend upon
what can be reached from neigh5ors TaI-in
short. II We coad imb5e little OF tie e@niz2s'eAn
pity for suffering humsnisy, the opinion OF The Pao
lie would be Of much higher stamp.
Bat POPULAR opinion. or the opinion Of the pee
rle. Is usually the resalt Of impulse or passion rain'
er thEa ressoa. and as instinct IN or species u
weak. inverse.yss or intellect IS strong we have
nor. OF We have in iess degree, that 1nerns guide
that ea5s he brute il Psrsai. OF hs inclination -
Nature designed; AMI being disiaclined % exert
that .aperio- fa-Qlt, rsgsou, when uncuuvated,
We are ike ship without a radder' driven and as''
tated by every wind, s1sh M PosF stsr-no port
ia view.
such s popular opinion. . highly revsfed .
sriently followed and cogrted b. the 1n~ary AID
the ds,isniuz sna Manufactured. dissecsed an
plsyed with By the popular writers And editors o.
the present day.
would 10. advise you, ny friends. 20 under
value popular opinion for, low a. I hold IE In ssa