Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1857-02-13

itF l.Nlt C'.>ll "
Til. l,ls!. in:Iiu un-iLc Iihr ond "'i'nii'''' v
III. Suuih- il Ia u h,-a 4:.;r "i pr'sr"iny' s'"'" -.
nu,rin:t t.! III. cni rent scssIou III ''i"','f '''' .,""
six hu',Ir,l sIrt,r. have irai'ic"i.'. u Ill '"e "a,
pnt -clicvis at sGjrncr, l!i"rHinrs: anc pro' and
stndy witch are a.. r.rriscd within tho unlvtr:i,s' u
,n.rr ~ n far pro.nrrt that III. number WAL Ie"."
s.y., hundred. situated in oie Of the mot or"",.
fuI and highly cultivated parts u! i;n va 'ln'"
and easilv ACCESSIBLE by ln:es o! ra'!rond iF'u
,a,t uf The country. II promises 10 become one u 'r
largest seats .: ih"rr ugh education nihe w"'u. -
The lius'rioua founder, whose mortni, remains I'D
At HE beloved Monticello, in the nei:hoorh'oa' 1T
b. permitted 10 lGuk from his state y! tSh''tu -.
ana wisdom on The SCENE Of has former eNe,.vI"H. s
how III would rejoice in this glorious res"' VI ."
enlightened aud patriotic labors. :h o,bsr
Not intending all imvldious comparison WIN o,"r
institutions We may yet say that the 'ul'lo""'. ,nnbio
of this unworthy embraces some iea'uies y, cd u,,h
and inspiring L.. .u:u-ss viii h might be an"P.eI Nv
advantage III the Oldest aud most reno" e -
of the North. Tie faculty is composed Oh 'aooitoas
teachers, profoundly verscd in the various euoJeo.'
assigned to their respective chhirs, hhu y " IT,.
peci,liY with tho talent and tact ndispehsi'i ~ IT, IT,.
whose business i. to communicate Khu"Nuee' ine
msi,ri,y of the professors and assistants are naiui
working mel. more sO probably Than are W oe 'ou"u
elsewhere. The requisites fnr graduation are CORES
pondimgiy high 60 that the degree OF 'm'as'eI VI a,s
Of the University OF Virginia may VIZ oo "a .;
IA d reliable q. surance al eminent a,teihim, nus III vs.
ence and scholarship. There is nothing IKE .srsou'
atinr class" usual IN other seminarles, edcn VI "uess
members receives a diploma, az a ma,'er icuuIse,a
the end Of the regular curriculum. no nisn 7co"e
mir hopors of this university are never conferred I'm
course, Int only after q srries OF rigorous examina-
,i,ns. fitted to test the ability, the diligence, ana the
snccsss of tho candidate in the studies Of the different
schools.
Among the improvements recrr'y inIrooucto IL
N. establishment uf C professorship OF History and
General Literature. with The view Of applying L
I Kind and degree Of irfor,na;ion on he subjects III
dic.:ed by ms title sucl' 80 a!e not fr'quehiiy pre-
.,u',,l 10 III. student, III thl- Country, CURING ms col
!roi.,e ca.:se. Many Years ago that trenchHnt
.h;irjst. the lev. SiG,.y Smith. put forth in the
Edinburgh, R.vjcw an article upon The system oi the
| two great En.iish Universities at Oxford mud Gam
| bridge, significantly headed Too much Latin aud
Grrtk." wherein he charged those distinguished
s.a,. of learning VIII d neglect OF other s.uiIes quite
! ~ IMPORTANT, At least, as IGn;iers Of ~iuiorTnat,on' anu
| infinitely more closely related io The busIuess al men
in every rank, prof ssion or occupation. Weques
! ,,nn whether our innumernhie colleges give ZOO
nuch Lain aud Greek" There II reason In arpre-
h,,d. u-:l. np-, that IL some the knowledge OF these
au.par.s il rather loose aud superficial among pom
professor, and students; bur We believe II il hdmaIeu
that, wriic :uuGg men may einanate from them some
what acquainted with Albanian AID Roman s,ory'
aud etlvwed with store OF ci4.sicaI LEGENDS, ir"u'
! ions, ;.na nl!usiulI5. very few masters or oacaeio9so
sf;s leave their ucad, nic reiroais possessing "ny Ca
act know ledge Of those greni eras IN MOURN n's'"If
tia, have had the most direct bearing upon 'ne ~.
is;iny conditioned society, and II still smaller hummer
ha,. Ally deep cr enanIure6 familiarity win Tue rich
and diver fled literature of their OVID Tongue; III
Other words, no time nor application se-ins 10 nave
been given, during the Collegiate course &c lhose
very subje,ts which are most needed in the demands
Of professional and pubic business, and most ffe-
| ounn,;y called into rtqulsti"n Tor social improve
lii,.,t, Tor conversation. and for private enjoyment in
! the domestic circle Hnc III Tue inner He OF ioe Whu o'
gem-Ga 81 taste ana culture.
II j, we're moi so common, would nt this seem
arranged TrGi il Ia 50 c"tnnnn, this ia stranger sui,
Cnduubiedly rie histories! and literary knowledge
most d.siI able 10 an American ID that vast ireasnf.
~hici, belongs 10 'ts records Of modern Europ- les
! p-c'ally OF Great Brittany and The United States or
which relstesio the !!iu,trious procession Of poets,
iran,a;ist., historians, philosophical esssyi,is, ai:d
either uen a.: :rEius and tas,e she have nilrd tie
various departments Of scientific ard iittr'sTy enter
prize since the revival Of learning. Il has always
appeared TO IL altogether irrational that IN tlcse
.iuues, qua in saci 4 country as ours, where progress
is stamped Gu every phsse Of life -aersonai, social
! and pnl,tiCsl-the ancieair siou'd sti:i be allowed 10
/ American coll: Srs AID hCho ~ 10 ext. u:e ti- mo
derus. Why should All American youth come from
his Alma !Iat,r lees acquainted with the nge aud ii
teraiure U; L.o the Tenrh or OF Louis The Fourteenth
than win the tunes rad wrt'sJH al PrifcieS u Athriis
Or OF hr.u>tus Of ltoIn- ! Why should nc CONE
forth vi Il The h;g!ie., scadainc iion"r, yer Ignorant
Of ..the pure wells If English und. filed" ns;rnnger
to Chaucsr and SpenseE; Knowing Shakespeare and
Milton oaly by extracts, ana absolutely Ignorant OF
the great msaiers III prose and verse, who success
siveiy Illustrated the reigus OF Elizabeth and james;
who res IItd tho Csro.l:is epoch from contempt VII"
.of;eurG tho r,gors OF tic Crnm~eiian rrie; who
a,sd. learning. ;n.:c aud virtue fashionable IN the
da,s of good Queen Acne; who raised the times OF
| ;he dull G-u!crs 90 high that W. hear yet Of the
.G.orsica erGi'' and, finally. who have given such
lus;r re 10 tbs mneiecuib century that il may well raise
iis head with any century 'ha; has preceded II, either
| after or b-furr tho birth IT our Lnrd.
II will be acknow.ej dyed HAT, when a un'rers,iy so
resaec,hbi-. end 50 we'll entitled L" respect M this
great Stale school ii Virginia leads the way in scbo
lastly :, form III The im%i":tant point 10 which we
have referred, lie Example cannot IT,! to nave b-'lc.
nation.
TIE incumbent of this important chair has not yet
| he.il a,nuin;rd. Wn have heard "a, crnl disiingnish.
I'd uamc. Mentioned in connection with ii-u"ong
them Washington Irving and NJ. Gl'5n'. wh" nave
declined 20 10 cSniidstes.- LCirciaaati Enquirer.