The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-06-04
knowledge within the Reach of All.
BY HON. EDWARD EVERETT.

|
The world has advanced to a hiGh point Of attain.
ment i'll science and art. Theprogress of inven-
| ton and improvement has been, especially Of late
years, prodigiousy rapid; and now, whether we
regard the scence of nature or Of art, of mind or
of morals, Of contemplation of practive, it must
be confessed thatwe live in wonderfully improved
| period.
| Where ia all this knowledge? Where does it
| dwelR In the minds OF the present generation of
men. 1t is, indeed, recorded irbooks, or embodied
| in the various works and structures of man. But
| these arc only manifestations Of knowledge. The
books are nothing till they are read and understood;
and then they only sort Of short hand, out
line which the mind fills up. The thing itself, the
science, the art, the skill, in the minds of liv-
| ing men-of that generation which is now upon
the stage. That generation will die and pass away.
In thirty years, all now living will be gone,
| tired from the scene, and new generation will
| have succeeded.
This mighty process does not take place at once,
either throughout the world or in any part of it;
but it 10 constantly going onsilenty, efectually,
inevitably and all the knowledge, art and refine
ment now in existence must be either acquired by
| those who are coming on the stage, or it pershes
with those who going off. and is lost forever.
| There is no way by which knowledge can be
| handed down but by being learned over again |;
and OF all the science, art and skill in the world,
| so much only will survive, when those who possess
it are gone, shall be acquired By the succeeding
generation. All the rest must peaish. The rising
| generation is now called uponleto take up this
mighty weight, to carry it along little way, and
then hand tover, in tuR, to their successors.
The minds which, in their maturity, are to be
repositories Of all this knowledge, are coming into
existence every day and every hour, in every rank
and station Of life, all endowed with faculties; all
at the commencement equally destitute of ideas;
all starting with the ignorance and helpessness of
nature; all invited to run the noble race of i'm
provement. In the cradle there is little disnc-
| tion OF person as in the grave.
| The great lesson which would teach you, u.s.
| that it depends mainly on each individual what
| part he will bear in the accomplishment of this
| great work II is to be done by somebody. In a
quiet order of things the stock of useful knowledge
is not only. preserved, but augmented; and each
| generation improves on that which went before
1t is true, there has been period in the history
| of tho world when discord at home invasion
from abroad has 30 blighted and blasted the condi
| ton of society; that ledge has persisted with
one generation faster than it could DO learned by
another; and whole nations have sunk from a con-
| diton OF improvement to one of ignorance and
| barbarity. sometimes in a few years. But no such
dreadful catastrophe Is now TO be feared.
| Those who como after US will not only equal but
surpass their predecessors. The existing arts will
! be improvcd science will be carried to new
heights, and the great heritage of useful know
| ledge will 20 down unimpaired and augmented.
But is all TO be shared out ans and it 10 for each
person to say what part he will gain in the glorious
| patrimony.
When the rich man is called from the possession
| of his treasures he divides them he will among
| his children and heirs. But On equal Providence
| deals not with the living treasures of the mind
| There are children just growing up in the bosom
| of obscurity, in town and country, who have in
heried nothing but poverty and health, who will
in few years be striving in stern contention with
| the great intellccts of the land.
Our system Of free schools has opened straight
| way from the threshold of every abode, however
humble, in the village or in the city, TO the high
places of usefulness influence, and honor. II ia
left for each by the cultivation of every talent; by
watching with eagles eye for every chance Of inn
| provcment; by bounding forward like a grey
hound at the most distant glimpse Of honorable OPP
pnrtuntyi by graphing, with hooks of steel, to
the prize when 1t Ia won; by redeeming time, de-
| flying temptation, and scorning sensual pleasure,
| to make himself useful, honorable, and happy.
! Our whole country is great and speaking illus
| tration of what may be done by native force of
mind without advantages, but starting up under
| strong excitement, into now and successful ac-
| ton. What man can start in life with 80 few op-
portunites as our country in the of independ-
encc? Over whose private prospects can there hang
a cloud MS dark as that which hung over the cause
OF America? Who can have less TO encourage and
more to appal and dshearten him than the sages
| and chicftians of the Revolution
Let us, then, endcavor to follow in their steps,
and each, according to his means and ability, try
to initiate their glorious example; dcspisng diff
culties, grasping at opportunities, and steadily
pursuing some honest and manly aim. We shall
soon find that the obstacles which oppose pro-
gress sink into the dust before n firm and rcsoute
step; and that the pleasures and benefits of knowledge
are tciftin the reach of all tcho SEEK it.
NAvAL.-The United States brig Bainbridge
Lieutenant Comm andng j. Manning, sailed from