Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1856-09-17
From Bishop Pierce's I
Female Education.


From Bishop Pierce's I
Female Education Z
Much has been said of the IN =
tual equality y.of the sexes, and this ~ = !.
ca question still arrays its corah2ts !
On either side. In this tournament ~
break the lance. The party which wins,
the victory grasps barren sceptre. If
there be inequality-the difference is
not greater than among individuals of
the same sex; and, in my Judgment,
the whole theory of accommodating edu-
cation to what is peculiar and distinc-
tive in either boys or girls, to the ex-
eluslon of every thing, for which there
IS supposed inaptitude, is impolitic if
it were practicable, and impracticable
Iif it were polite. Minds-all minds
differ IN many respects. Some are tar
dy-some are precocious in their devel-
opment. Some reach their maximum
OF attainment and strength almost at
bound-others toll on, step by step, and
are accumulating for lifetime. These
peculiarities manifest themselves only
in the progress of life and education.
They can not be determined by the sa-
gacity of the teacher, nor foretold by the
science of the phrenologists. Besides,
1t is the business of education to aid
nature-to remedy her defects-direct-
ing what is strong, and strengthening
what is weak. The truth is. that vol
untary, earnest, persevering, protracted
mental action is the chief secret Of be-
coming wise and great. By feeble
mind may be trained to energy and dis
tlnction. Without it, mighty intel
lect will degenerate into imbecility. =
The differences of aptitudes and exhi
bitlon among men and women, are not
strictly constitutional; but referable
mainly to their-mental habits. Allow
ing, as | think is just and proper, di-
versity of mental organization vet I
insist that all the clements of mind are
common to both. The original combi-
nations OF these elements are endlessly
diversified; but the characteristic re-
! suits. are nat sgaoEs masked as between
men. The dissimilarity, which CO
cede, if not created by education,-tl
education Of the fre5ide, the schoc
$ house, and the world of social life
essentially modified by woman's soci
relations, and the passions and affe
: tions, incident to those relations. T.
+ human mind is expanded or contract
i corrupted or refned-waxes into vi
) or or wanes into feebleness, accordil
g to the subjects of thought, with viii
! it is most familiar; and if women a
If not capable Of strong thought of de
st analysis-of prolonging research, it
'e rather from mental desuetude, tn
original incapacity. Compelled by t
necessities of her allotment to thi
- - much of little things; meeting all t
h expectations of society, as now cons
y tuted, without effort; and perhaps
le qualified by defective education
d. high and sustained mental action; il
at not marvellous, that so few women
Ks distinguished for great acumen and '
ht or of intellect. Even among men, tn
I'D are most distinguished for power
1g thought and facility of expressi
~ whose professions and pursuits m
Or constantly tax the thinking faculty,
~ ~ the high themes of craftsmanship. D
at osophy and religion. The deep thoug
re- the mature judgment-the cont
n, GUS reasonings, for which the grea
N mong men are celebrated, are not
he tural or spontaneous facile,
in trained working Of original powers
ee- They are acquisitions-habits, the
ne suits of hard study and long practi
III III and, after all our boasted pre-eminer
~ very few reach high distinction in
of departments where we claim to ex
ira Profound thinkers are rare-the
cir digies Of their generation. The
lad sent age is wofully degenerate
ion race of great men is nearly extinc
ave England has now no Pitts, or Peels
bod Wellingtons; France, no Mirabe
Talleyrands, or Napoleons-or at +
az at but one, and he is only "the nephe
'ao e'o his uncle America has no more
n39 houns, Clays and Websters. Eve
inc the world of literature, the chief ao
ler, have acquired notoriety rather /
fame,-like Dickens, by the GU;
rm- outlandish titles Of his books;
;en- Thackeray-the strolling retailer o
hat court scandal-or like Carlyle and
ent erson, by the most affected, arbit
@ yea and unnatural use of their me
,ead ta, tongue, beguiling the world into tn
lief that they are deep, when the,
npa- only dark-profound, because the,
will unintelligible. In my humble OPT
there is more mind--more sound
lcd; dom-more wise, practical idea
as to Hannah More's Works, than in al
ID be ponderous tones of the boasted
re- man philosophy. The truth is,
mi nam great minds are rare in either sex
aHe : n, the inference that all the rest of
oG- oct; kind are constitutionally incapal
snfs- great improvement, would not be
ed a fair conclusion. Various solu
said natural, obvious, easy, can be fou
such explain the fact, without chargi
lched the rest of us with mental impot