Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1858-02-24

govern the repercussion of sound, would
have interpreted the voice, and taught us
that the voice was nothing to inspire cow
ardice or fear. The examples might be re-
peated without limit.
Ignorance is not only the mother Of SUI
perstition, but the parent of crime. Full
scyen-tenths Of the crimes committed
against law and order and propriety, are
The fruitful progenies Of Ignorance, and as
in the material world, s.iIl weeds spring
apace," SO in the mental world the tares of
vice stihe the growth Of the hin corn in
the ear. In all places, and among all men,
ignorance is misfortune. In our country |
it is crime, and the parent who neglccts
to compel his child to attend upon the |
great means ofeducation, is false to society,
and should be held by its offended MEM
bers to a strict accountability.
The ancients accepted this rule of civil
conduct, and it was penal offence among
the Athenians not to educate children, and
in our own day in Prussia the same doc
trine is maintained.
The converse of these propositions as to
ignorance is true. knowledge is the source
of happiness and of honor. 1t breaks upon
the deep midnight of the mind as the sun
POurs its rising efulgence upon the dark
ness of starless night. It's penetrating
rays search out every nook and Granny Of
the intellect and reclaim from the deep
assures of error, the pearls that lay inn
beded in its crust. 1t is the Midas touch
that turns everything to gold.
The men of power are the men of learn
ing-"The man of wisdom is the man of
years."
The Importance of giving right direction
to the minds of children cannot be over-es-
imated. They may as well be born idiots,
as become such. And, as in the scientific
world the course which ball receives from
the projectile power is maintained unvary-
ing till its force is spent, SO in the intellec-
tual, the mind of the man is the result of
the memories of the child.
The taught Who are they9 Our
little ones-our loved ones-the tender
saplings of the forest-the springing buds
of the full blown fewers-the diamonds to
which our American matron may point
with more than Roman pride, as she ex-
claims, "These are my jewels !"
What shall, be taught on the subjects of
, education, it will be easily seen is matter
of some moment do not intend to enter
t upon an examination of what is claimed to
: be material and solid, as distinguished from
: what is polite or ornamental in education.
e hold all material that is useful, that can
e contribute to the rational enjoyment Of
life. | accept freely the course of study
! prescribed and approved, and all Ipropose
is a discursive commentary to show that
: what are called the plain branches of school
i education, are the highest expositions Of
r beauty as we'll as of utility.
= What a transcendant source of interest
e is the study of Grammar-the art of speak
: ing and writing a language. Any one may
; know what to say, but few know how t.
/ express themselves according to the sym
Ot metry of adjective and noun; and to know
G when to be singular without offence is sure
te ly rare accomplishments.
It What pleasant cicerone is Geography
h Sitting in New York, you pay visit, with
out expenses or other inconvenience, t,
IS China. You traverse the globe in an hour
1t ascending with ease the loftiesb mountains
P fordiag the deepest rivers, sailing over tn
'e widest oceans now in the jungles of Hin
IS doostan, and now in the passes of the Rock
1t Mountains.
NJ History is picture of the past VIII
does not thirst for it's waters? This Pau
lie Pry of education is boon companion. ]
le tells of the time when Romans and Gre
e. clans divided conquest and empire. 1t
letter of introduction to the greatest me
-h of antiquity. 1t places us on familia
st footing with Alexander, and Caesar, an
ly Anthony and Hannibal We shake til
IN seven wise men of Greece by the hand, an
Ne cheer Demosthones to the echo. We hea
IL Canute commanding thewaters of the Mort
g Sea not to approach his royal feet, and a
Dr. tend the obsequies of the shrimp-killed.
81 Coming to later times our Washingto
la lives again, and the Father of his CountY
"Benedicite" in our hearing.
Arithmetic, too, holds her own whe
admiration is on the qai UiVe for subjec
The science Of numbers is pet with tt
!, yankee humanity. Twice two made fCs
~ as long ago as when the Merchant of V
~ ~ nice speculatcd on Rialto, and twice 70,
- - will make eight thousand years after Il
= restoration Of the Jews.
Oh. Astronomy is no longer a speculatio
ali Blazing suns and pale moons-ixed sta
or and revolving planets-are familiarized al
Ms domesticated. We tell the exact distan
ned between the rungs of Jacobs Ladder, al
us sling comets, as we do cats, by their tai
her Not satisfied with ATonants, we are m,
,alt amorphosed into natural and moral pl
low losophers, whisper away the doubts of Ar
,ect totle, and endorse the Theory Of Calico.
bly Writing What shall be said of it |!
as- What praise is extravagant when appli
cen to, this accomplishment 1t is the '3bla
,ur- art~ of cdncation-the legerdemain
,f,l Iknowledge-the edicts- Of emperors-t
su. protocols of popes-the dispatches of d
,,,ro lIomats-the letters of lsxers-al lean uE
avs it. 1t is the brazer serpent raised high
mn the wilderness of intellect upon which
oI- learning that looks. lives. 1t is bound
mi on the forehead of knowledge-she. we
4 a'lis as her philacters. 'The.pen is might
rom than the sword"
the 1t Will De recotiec1eu Illat .neSe' ase
and plain branches of English education, a
vvos like other plain things. .the.bess. They
ver- plain, but they are primary, and what
our primary is essential. These are the 70
ner. Edatieu. without which the ornamental
ance iperstructure cannot be raised
nim- Elm Cottage, Va.