Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1853-08-30
!Fr"n Tie I.,rihurs eIess
THE NIl,I,INI
Gy REQUEST

The last two numbers Of the Frsina contain lengthy
letter from Professor Mahan Gi West 'ont 10 our co"
townslnnn, John g. Ncem, Ed ands the system OF co
ucaton pursued al the Virginia Mita Institute we d'
sire 10 submit bric reply this tier, rather 10 IN
claims sci up thai such institutions arprc cminGn'ly DUAL
flied 10 give thorough and practical tacaon 10 our you'll
We do this the more readily because think commit
nifty unreasonaby partial the Instlr and in order alst
10 submit, lew plain views The sJect of education
general which deem 10 bc CONSTANT with sound an
true educational philosophy.
Prof Mahan IJns in with all ohcadvocates of this p,
cuar system, in prnn"uncing il cadated above all nht
SYSTEMS, fiji its subjects Tor cvsryS, practical life Ihl
precnsion is well c0nrived 10 ticShhe ancy o this yer
practical age and u this eNcecdnglpracca community
But that this claim, in this insanccF prctcnson we IN
derlake demonstrate We lntend 60 farther tan FRO
NJ. has done in his letter, aud exaule this system Of edo
cation training 1r the mind. are willing 10 ADMIT
tina the exercise required OF cadets fes them an exceen
muscular development But this sot the prime object
education. If il wep, Then parent would accomplish
more thoroughly and nj less expens6y putting !hcir son
al the bacssmths tade or by send them 10 boxing an
dancing schools TIE snnls cvelopcnt and NOR
ais The chief end OF liberal cducon and any sys
tenn fails tbs in nigh dree, II is NOT worthy
practice Nor any system adapted train young men Tor
practical business liz which tails tecnre this end For
what Is practical education il bnot that which teachc
man The proper useOf those acuIs which the affairs
lille call into exercise And that stem Is most praGoca
which best secures his object MS dthnitlun VIII no
he questioned
The question arises: Is . system OF education
pursued the Institute calculated secure this great end
Look al lis currlcum-cxumnrle studies ana EXERCISES
mathematics, aud the rading rxcrcs mathematical INA
scpi.ce unlike any otter Is aughtn some oril III every
year Of the four years 1t made more important
Than any other in tixy tho sianda :" merit al graduation
student may stand st in ever other study oG u h'
does mol excel in mathematics WIN ms "ulrahkra ny
another. whn may siai below un everything besides 10
this chief study The, boast oi Procssrs, 49, that iht
Institute gives the bes pathrnaal education httanabe
The other sciences AM The studio OF language hhu c'cs
are made subordinate a. and lnsnilIcih H. COMPARISON
wiIh this The Greek inguagc - l taught al All anu oh'
att,rD nt
mates is The great slut ana pr"ehcy III II Is eid our
az The educational dcstratnn J.
The question next ares Can ~ system "l education,
which eivea such prominence o lis study ne In ic IA.
ture of things Il rGcHl.riy prdrlt system We kno"
that il is customary in his part one "o anu even VIZ"
literary men, 10 pron'Hra the stu 81 ="
cclent Trainings say n ne, WHO reasons CoscY
that che mas mathematical mind and 10 Ihlnk that man.
WHO succeeds in mathematical ''"''eS' Is P'epai'u :"
succeed in any prnlrA"n whh cans oI Cos Gus. az"
rivd intellectual cyrcits Rat We believe ths h"'i"h u"
he rrrnncnps Whether hUwrve II be- erroneous or cor
rect do not Ia n1ur we WISH 10 we" i''
study mathematics alnnui thc hihu iof me COM
mon pursuits of liic AM nowae as the Pt"os''n 10
be proved that this stHd far BIN being rfucca' III lis
tendencies, is directly u,oppnsit
The qua; faculty Of thu fni, which 10 III Isl iso'h'
IN common ln-that Itch distl,n-hcs the good business
man ah,y, his f.,,ws / uJuunt Discrimination, or the
capacity Tor weighing cnl.ciinnnh douo'hi cV''c''s
which from the cunu,Gma-s Cidc'' anu arguments o
fore It. tcucrS The cOnclsIus III are nearest ana uihrs
right lie is the best wycr. ai', IN a"hbtlui, uiicu
and cninpIrlcd case wrigh' The IA and facts, ami
from them dcucc The chfcst realms Tor o sIhe he Is me
best physrlnn who can rom llhr symptoms "l nl'caSr
make out the exact nd c"iIfrirnslve DIAGNOSIS anu
prescrbr the most suirao, cncI hc Is The best merchant
>lrculInr who most crurai" weighs all Inc evidence
uunv Ia show what willie HE ste ' The market al any
given time. In every trSs in evS pnlessi"h power 81
snunJ discrimination Is "a most selu Absolute certain.
" il whore expected uttainc tore every where there
are doubts and dirultt whiclncpex the cclre,t tore.
sight He, therefore, Is Ia mo'tfac''ca' n'hn no ia'f
VIVA, may br his calling Who wes The doubtful und con
ictln. cts OF the cast Ill wrlsrrinnars brtwrn HE
night aud The wrong lhtrue anthr false Moral or pro
babc evidence the milaI wkvrch practical men have
10 deal. Human life la been 'st appropriately rarl,
1.-The great hunting field "rrOonits
The study o lnltema:s |. Il study ." exact propos'-
tons pr,pnsitiUns whIt4 Gthniy uhr, anu WHOSE
truth established Ivy sirlcs GcVidence "ch ~ absn
lurcly correct There Is nv hrre00m fur doubt ii never
calls discrimination hero isn opposing Tact 81 hgu-
urnt ever 10 b., cn-i-rei Evn where we see certainty
AMI rcrrunrv alnnr II sinposhlc 10 80 wrong "u
. could M" dispute mar,marc proposition you wer'
Try The hc!nr, lia only one winch II i
possible take and wh,.c called upon To weigh
evidence. consider pauRr dots or ponder rs To what
wouid b. The best Nuws II possible Iht shri
Training this iii ilp mnd grappIr with the doubts
and cunrs ~ business lir! II possible that 5iniy,
which calls Tor discriminate, can ne the beet L" tram
the mind Tor sphere, ~lecn d:Iininht"n Is liz Chief
CHARACTERISTIC {" the =ucssslul ~ probable Is II reason
abb, that Il training, winch ihcllni has never d"nh'rl
shall IN. hest Tor WILDE cari upon 10 doubt al
every srpl Every srnsit i'll The true Answer Ia
lat4ons You bad Just n cil say, That Il man wi'
trained uIacs 81 stones. every nhr "l
|
The very 10 quarry the rtrrhl from "r Nus am
Ut The rough aggy nal sharr*s mass. |" erect n1h
Ing neatly framed lugrllr. In all Is certainly ana
there room for skill nd r"nicatI"n whilst HE "ttrf
calls Tor workmanship au Intended wi dirtyhi
Il every s.p Mathematics deals ith Si"H'i strn'"~ AMI
lines aGsc- curves cubd aud pniclopIpeuns "i naEiih
~ cxictnrss whilst a nltctals' be used N t'c practical
pursuits OF lite. rough III ioti and productive 81 con
tInuui lnsitics whchrqnirei b. carefully c"n.Irrri
and accurately discontinued.
10 lake a man whose lind IaconlracieL mathematical
l,.l,it MA al
life wund he wisc il won't h. t. take railway en-
CINE from groovI and graded Ithway I" he nsr N Ira
versng the hills and vaias "f n'"nn'ry road Inc w"
things anagunisilr, ah {" c:ni MAJ training 10 ''
lrculiary proper f. l!h the other II Ia r''hcii
that uppusircs frrnilyind dc.lcn
w h,yr not examined t other ares o the y'lrn ir-
sued The Institute but oni Eab: Ia s"" mat "itfr
they peculiar hat shoUl t:y violate HE Prdcsicd
stand Irt much a. the oc TO ~ch SO have called alien
lion We do not believe IA, trmn2 10Y to b: so"u
soldier in the best practices rducuhu Tor lic ne s"
in nine eases ui ten. unlitr cnlInnn lt: una 'r
generally males the very worst ciz:n. 'ut We iihvc MOI
time space 10 pursue IL subG ln:ihcr now We con
ruic by ing that the Sie o!!Irgnia has id tftoy
for this whistle, and that sc .oache SINE & mol IL, a's'n
when views the lhect rdncGtlIn VII lead oui
Government In liz ltrry iHn o better advantage Una"
I she ids done in times past
THE ALLEGED Observation-Disclosures
There WAS II very imDaabrsiury III circulation h"i
long since Of which hgIl,rc-surc journals .nlclv
usrd stir up eSelIr,cn, an alleged P"lrc'"a'r
guaranteed by Spain 10 hxic" aarst the Dnl''a 9a''H'
ccss"ns. We have rcccim iron abr''' from source ~
The "i whose nrma'nn wr have rnlrt conn
dcncc TINT nothing irr from the mna Of HE spanish
Government than lIrdr in hc ai!aT- ol lte ih'sn
American Sratrs AMI la however great s sympathy ana
regard regions ny bc. tie Spanish uoVe'heh' -
firmly resolved 10 nlcp acquisition n teir'oiY !"
America Is 10 prrsvlliat which II alr'hhy nous
EhAnai in.,Higeaccr Of yt'ttT"'y.
PARTICULARS Ut HE CAPru RE or ANDY.
WE have been iavn.cat the following extract from
letter rrrcvcd by The Ia overland mail from china, from
Rev J. V. n. Talmat American missionary al Annoy
herring date May 22l4N Journal " Commerce.
The insurgents Camciwn upon 'Am") IN nnmp"r pr"
badly twenty thound They were a n''Nr' :" .'''
rc.lun was awnken,by The first guns ''h'c' "1 !c'
about four O'clock IN morning. Inc great haVa' sn'
took place directly up;htc our house 50 thit VIZ hnu c
whole alr in lul vraanf may say, u ths oi,lse can
be called fair sI"CFn al Chinese "hi'fr, 'nch w
have ucCllC there are some rSCtlthC'eS VI
which ynn Western rOns know nothing. ne chlh'S'
vessel KEPT siik up aud du%n Inc iihhf, w rom
Of house, from lr clock i'll III: morning UNI d! Jul
two o'clock in the airbun firing continually on 'ir p'u
the insurgents, "h Exhibited The "eScriehcY "i WITH
snake VIZ rnOt rnI killed pr wounded either side
/ i,,ut Two u'cu,k e afternoon, the tide turned Il
mean thu tile OF whi in favor Oi The insurgents accom-
paGcG by fine x+hch enabled them ID some up "a
pdy Tie mprrahs remembering the Old ana Wis" .iiA
i'm that "pudcncc laD better part OF valor c,stu Hh"
and got ui harm NJ l,s az possible ms @'ra'
hattie heinz thrltUraentS rnmnencri landing ulcif
forces which acutiis!icd without dhlEhy Dn,iuS
The afternoon, they ms engaged IN piuhdcfinG 'e
,tt sllrSIi D