The Nevada Democrat., 1859-11-23
The Knowledge of the Unlearned.

Hazltt dscoursed in very amnsing aud in
structive manner in one of his essays, on "the
ignorance of the learned" and we have often
wondered that he did not write companion es-
say to it on the knowledge of the unlearned
The so-called learned men have usually very
little practical learning out Of their professions
or specially while all that the unlearned know
is usually Of a practical and serviceable nature.
Some of our most learned scholars, who have
gained great celebrity by their attachments in
literature, are lamentably deficient in their
knowledge of every day affairs, aud would
hardly succeed in earning decent living out
side of their own profession while there are
thousands of illiterate men that would be called
ignorant by scholars, who have so varied
knowledge of the ways of life of the ordinary
pursuits of mankind, aud are so skilled in busi-
ness that they would not fail to make them
selves useful and gain something more than an
honest living under any circumstances. They
may know nothing about technical sciences, to
be able to tell whether sylogism be sOme-
thing to eat or TO wear, and incapable of speak
ing any language but their vernacular, and
even that not dramatically, and yet have so
accurate knowledge of human character and
human motives as TO compel their fancied supe
riors to do their bidding and minister to their
pleasures. The world is full Of learned men
who are SO ignorant of the arts of life-we do
not mean the vicious arts, but the useful arts
they are unable, with all their knowledge to
render a sufficient service to society to secure
themselves from want But Infinitely better is
the knowledge of the unlearned, which enables
them to prosper, than the learning which can
not save it's posscssor from starving.
The great benefactors of the present age have
been and are mostly unearned, ignorant men.
But they are men who have done more for sci
ence out of their Ignorance than any scholarly
men have ever done. John Jacob Astor and
Stephen Girard, who proved themselves such
true benefactors to science, were very ignorant
men, speaking after the manner Of scholars, yet
their knowledge was great, varied, extensive,
and Of most serviceable character. We could
mention the names of half dozen men in this
city whose lack of learning would subject them
to the jeers of learned ounces, yet whose know
ledge of the actualties of existence has raised
them to greatness, has gained them wealth, po-
sitiOn, Influence, and enabled them to confer
great benefit upon Others.
What would we argue from these things 7
that learning is useless Not we. Let every
man and woman learn all they can, for learn
ing will never do them any harm. But let us
not attach too much Importance to any special
Kind of learning and exalt comparatively use
less information at the expense of really valua-
BILE knowledge, whether it be accompanied by
diplomas or not We have a bad habit of be-
slowing all our honors on q particular kind Of
learning, and that by no means the best. We
pay too much Difference to the younpster who
has acquired an uncertain amount of Latin and
Greek, while young man who has gained Il
thorough knowledge Of the art of building q
house. cutivatng farm, of making q steam
engine, of setting type or managing printing
machine, we treat as though he had rather de-
graded than elevated himself by the acquisition
OF knowledge which would render him indepen-
dent and benefastor to society.