The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1853-03-30
For the Spirit of Democracy
Annals of Education,

Annals Of Education.
Mr.. EDIToR:-ln the last No. of the
Spirit" noticed communication head
ed "Annals of Education" and signed "A
Teacher" which contains several errone-
Gus statements, which feel to be my du-
ty to point out.
The first statement to which object is
that Hieroglyphics were used by the Egypt
ians for "concealing knowledge from the
vulgar" This notion was exploded so
long ago as the time Of Warburton. and
The true exposition Of the whole matter
may be seen in his Divine Legation OF
Moses Demonstrated, vol. 9. The learn
ed Bishop there shows that they look their
origin from nature and necessity, and not
from choice and artifce, apd were contin.
ued for the same reason.
"A Teacher" next states that the Greeks
were indebted to the E Egyptians for their
first scientific impressions. If by this he
means the derivation Of the Alphabet, &c..
he is clearly in error, as can be seen by
reference to Thirlwall's Greece, vol. l..
page 238.
The Phenicians, were not among the
tirst civilized nations, but were the first of
whom we have any knowledge.
He also says that Greece was composed
Of two republics-Sparta and Athens. Ac.
cording 10 Fisk (Eschenb'g Man. Clas.
Lit. Page 667. Sec. 80 to 1897 Gr@cia
proper was composed of eigh. districts, to
wit: Acarnania, Etolia, Doris. Locris.
Phocis. Betia, Megaris. and Attica, whose
capital was Athens. Sparta was part OF
the Peloponnesus, and did not belong to
Hellas or Grecia proper at all. Sparta
was city the capital of the country of La
COMA.
A.ter very properly stating that Greece
was distinguished for her historians, he
enumerates Arrian and Plutarch. along
with Herodotus. Xenophon and Thucydi-
des. Now although Plutarch was native
Of Ch@ronia in Betia. yet he foprished
under the Emperor Claudius. long after
the republics Of Greece were overthrown
And as to Arrian who wrote in the time o.
Hadrian, in the second century. it would
puzzle any man to make history ofwha'
has come down TO us. He has sometimes
been ranked among the second rate Phi
losophers.
Another great error IS the con!oundine
of the Rhapsodists with the Sophists, who
were found to be most numerous abou
the time of Socrates about FIVE hundred
years after Homer.
As to his accoun, Of Philosophy and th'
different schools. it will be sufficient to re
ed about the same time,-B. c. 500-ane
were the two from which all the other
drew their descent; consequently they can
not be 1000 years apart as he erroneous
lly states. From the Ionic, the first tina
arose was the Socratic; from Socrates wv
sects arose, the Minor Socratic, and tn
Major Socratic Each of these was sub
divided again. The Minor Socra,ic int
three schools: The Cyrenaic. Megaric an
Eliac. The Major Socratic sects were fou
rizS' The Cynic, aud Stole, Academic, an
Peripatelic.
i From the Italic school arose four, name
ly: the Eleatic, the Heraclatean. the Ep
curean, and the Sceptc or Pyrrnomic.
, Il would extend the limits OF this CON
, munication too far to give the various opir
| ions of the different schools OF the Phio'
, ophers, but reference to Johnson's.
Stanly's History Of Philosophy, will give
clear and luminous exposition Of all the
views. and disputations.
!, "A Teachers" remarks in regard to It
3 Romans, though brief, are equally errol
eous; but as have already extended tn
5 notice beyond its intended limits, mu
bring it to close, hoping that your co
} respondent, the next time he attempts
enlighten the public, will be certain tn
/. he is himself enlightened.
/ A FRIEND TO EDUCATION.