Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1860-09-26

routine of duties incumbent lpon a profess
ion. or trade. or business, dees afford, in the
majority of instances, and ought in all cases
to afford. sufficient leisure to place the indi-
vidual upon a level whence he can ascertain,
not how TO take advantage Oh bis fellows, and
thus elevate himself by depressing his neigh
Dor. but how he can do most for the race,
and thus in elevating society, secure his own
advancement. For the attainment of knowl-
edge is not to acquire power to be used to
our advantage over our neighbor, but that we
may use it to promote the general welfare
Where ignorance abounds. there are a few
who make their profit out of it. They ap-
peal to the prejudices and passions, instead
eff the intelligence and judgment False no.
tions and superinduced abuses become mani
fold, and the Same ignorangs which crushed
them helps to confirm the sfil
a liberal eaucatlsn has. !. - FIRE seen.sd
to imply the two requisitiohs OF business and
wealth. But, tina. a liberal education can
be secured along with a professional, there
are instances enough to stimulate every in
dividuaL And men have risen to emlnence
through obstacles and hindrances so frequent
ly as to have given rise to the maxim,
through difficulties, and not by facilities,
the mind grows up to greatness"
Literature. as dependence, is poor sup
port, generally no support, but when sought
as recreation from some daily calAng and
dependence, it yields the most inexhaustible
source of enjoyment, and more frequently re-
suits in pecuniary profit. There is abundan
time in the life of every man, whatever may
be his calling, which might be devoted to the
improvement of his mind with manifold ad-
vantages, the chief of which may be deemed
the more intelligent discharge of the obliga-
cations resting upon the citizen and the man.
The more extensive our knowledge Of men
and things, and the greater the activity of
our minds and the liveliness of our feelings,
the more correctly can we Judge of princi-
Piles and measures, and foresee difficulties and
erroneous conclusions.
| We have thus briefly considered education
in its useful sense, and in it's wider and fuller
application-the development of the moral
and aesthetic nature. True, much depends
upon the judgment and the power of com.
bining ideas. They who by circumstances
bre confined to limited sphere, who see lit
tie variety, who have associated with few
highly cultivated minds must labor under
many disadvantages which mere book in
struction cannot remedy. But at the same
time it is important to see how much mere
book instruction can do, if wisely applied
If we read the works of great men, poets, his
torians, philosophers, and divines, who's
minds have combined activity a great varie
ty of IDEAS, and beautifully expressed them
we are not only in society better than is t
be gained among living men, but we gain
more comprehensive and truer experience G
human nature than is to be gained by ming
ling with the superficial world. And if tn
I ,,v,I 10 I'D 1A. L
edge of the great garden acknowledge bette
quail fed to turn whichever way we deer
best with our instrsment of surprising pow
er-our own wonderful mind-to make
yieId fruits aud fioYess 90 satisfy our sesthe
ic nature, and fuffet scope for the moral
Physical science alone can never fit us ft
, the higher duties devolving upon us as me
and citzens-it is only moral and religiou
knowledge that can accomplish it. And vi
less we have this, we shall act from interes
. prejudice and passion. Temp. Visior.