Wabash express. [volume] (Terre-Haute, Vigo Co[unty], Ind.) 1841-186?, 1860-04-11
WHOLE NO. 9lS.
Learning and Education.

10 Oe, ne bringing OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
nation Of manners, and all that series o
discipline which is intended to enlighter
the understanding, correct the habits, and
fit US for usefulness in future life.
LEARNING, has more direct reference tc
the knowledge derived from boOks-sc
quired ideas in any branch of Science oil
Literature. Hence, it will be perceived
there is difference between an educated
and a learned man.
In the earlier ages of the human family
when few books had been written, aud
still fewer in circulation. men of education,
were those, Who had spent lifetime in
study and reflection. Men. who were ia
miliar with all the learning of the age.
and who. by their disciplined minds, aud
powers of thought. added To the intellec-
tual capital OF the world. Books were not
then regarded as the sole repositories of all
that was necessary to be known. or that
was known. for locked up in the recess of
the brain-in the "dome of thought
,
had not yet been written. Books were sell
dom read. and oral lectures were the medi-
um by which instruction was imparted.-
The student was slow in the acquisition Of
knowledge. but the reason was. he master
ed every thing as he progressed. Socrates
would have regarded the error as fatal. had
he advanced pupil one step higher in
philosophy. until every thing below was
fully understood. And had he pursued
such q system of instruction, be never
would have given to the world such phi
losopher as Plato-such an historian as
Xenophen.
The ancients studied to detect error, if
error existed in their philosophy. They
sought for truth, aud fashioned their de
ductions to lead in that direction. They
knew there was no error in the works Of Ma
ture that was within aud around them,
and they studied to read from this great
unwritten book. much. that ought and
could be known. Education did not then
or in remembering what others had thought
before them, as i; did in originating. or
discovering something themselves. An IL
iustrious Greek, after having read all the
books, and travelled in all countries, and
become familiar with all the learning of
she world, returned to Athens. 10 study
His mind was filled with the thoughts and
theories OF other men his learning was
extensive-but IL required years Of patient
toll, before he was able to separate truth
from error-the wheat from the chaff-be-
fore he became an educated man. He
was learned, but he was not educ ated -
With the ancients, If a man was educated
by the time he became old. he was regard
ed as peculiarly fortunate, and favorite
of the gods Knowledge was valued more
than great riches, and an improved mind,
a greater blessing. than large possessions.
Education did not then, as it cannot now
consist in being alone familiar with the
writings of other men; for those writings
may, in the main, be false; they may not
stand the tests of true, intellectual analy
sis; and we certainly would not regard his
education complete, whose brain teemed
with plausible errors, and whose whole
life had been spent in the Investigation Of
8 philosophy. whose very basis rested up
on a stupendous-mistake 1t would be
like that system OF learning. which taught
that this world rested on the back of
large % onster, but never thought it neces-
-ary to find something. on which the mon
ster could stand. They left il suspended
lin abeyance--with this immense load
upon its back.
Mankind has never, perhaps. seen per
Tectly educated man-one truly learned
an all it is intended for man To know
Even the Divine essence. when wearing
world system of morals aud religion. In
the Arts and Sciences. in Mechanics and
Agriculture, He essayed not to give in
struction. 1t is. perhaps, beyond the lin
IL, where infinite wisd ,m deemed it proper
Tor indiuidEal man to 60, to be truly educa'
ted-a master in every thing. necessary for
us to practice, in the varied duties OF life
A French mathematician, With his slate
and pencil, In his study. in the city Of Paris,
told the astronomers Of Europe, to direct
their telescopes to a certain designated
point in the heavens, and there. at that
very place, they would find an undiscov'
sped world, revolving arourd this com
mon ceuue. Hundreds of telescopes, ePed
1heir penetrating eyes on that particular
point, and true to the unerring principles
of mathematical deduction, the predicted
werId was then found Did human geni-
"a ever approach higher the DivineS Has
human intellect ever achieved more Won
Aerful performance That man has at
tained perhaps the acme-the highest point
has learned, as much as is intended
shall be known. of the power of figures.
That masters hand which held the
ehisel, that cut from the cold marble the
OIcabuiu6 hPOio DCA'cN~'eB eH.
that transcendant genius who painted the
glorious Ascension, and then hung the
dome over st. Peters, had reached the top
stood on an unapprOached eminence in
the fine arts, aud architecture
The tongue of Tully-the genius o.
Pitt and the wisdom Of Webster, exhausted
sIoquenee and craftsmanship. The re
searches Of Adams and Burrets have al
no.t embraced the learning Of the books
and modern civilization has mastered
that the most important Of all, the Science
Of Agriculture.
Now il you could take the mathematic'
of the ene--tke artistic an architecture
genius Of the Others. the eioquence snC
statesmanship Of the third. the booi
learning of the fourth, aud put all into on
head-givs it all to one man, aud then le
his every act, and thought begov'rned o.
the precepts Of our Divine religion
the world would have presented, the glo
f;aua ar sctacle of a nerfsefiv educated man