New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-08-15

| and renOWn. DentndIn, Aicdiuo, D''6"T W."
den and Mill among politicians; Davy. Faraday.
wheatstone, Playfair and Carpenter among
men of science; Watt, SmeatOn, Brunei, Ste
phenson and Paxton among engineers and in
ventors; Flaxman, Gibson, Landsoer, Turner
and Stanfeld among artists; Kemble Kean
and Macready among actors; Dickens, Thack-
cray, Jerrold and Maryatt among novelstSi
Crabbe, Rogers, Moore and Montgomery among
poets; Lamb, Hunt, Clifford, Hazlitt and Hood
among essayists, were all produced without the
aid of Englands great schools. Those
who came from the banks of the
Cam and the Isis should give evil
dence. Wordsworth and Colcridge were
nothing to these schools. Harrow ruined By
ron. Southey said he only leaned to swim;
and Shelley was driven to despair and wretch.
edness for daring to think Going back, We find
Bacon assailing the principles of their system;
Dryden regretting the days he wasted at his
Alma Mater; Locke expelled and reprimanded;
and Milton" as Mr. Atkinson expresses it,
"whose person was outraged at one university
and whose works were committed to the flames
at another
How, then. can We avoid the great mental
waste that exists in schools where the classics
predominant, OF indeed in any schools where
one system of education is followed at the sac
rifce of all Others How can we obtain " that
other knowledge which belongs TO our
absolute nature ?" How can we make men!
An English bookseller will tell you that,
if Lancashire is in distress, it will not pay him
TO publish work Oh science. 1t is because
that where labor is more exacting, thought is
more active. The war against mere classical
education has lasted since the time of Benjamin
Franklin. We take ground against the system
absolutely. As mental or linguistic training,
Latin and Greek are useful but OF no more
practical use than Sanscrit or Kickapoo. To the
living world, they are dead. Priests anddoctors
may keep thcm-the one as inspiring art and
beauty, 4 tho other to maintain the unity
of science; but to the world OF busy
men and women they are vaueless.
We want our system of education
so generalized that it will adapt itself to the
mind of every child and not expect the mind
to become part of it. We should teach ltera-
ture and physical science in our colleges, in adj
dition to mathematics and the languages. If
the mind Of a boy shows fancy and taste, do
not set him at algebra and geometry; put n
brush in his hand and make him painter, or
give him pen and tell him to write. Ii We
find lad drawing strange figures over his
Latin interlinears, or making curious combina-
nations with book and pencil, or showing great
interest in tho rocks and flowers, take away his
Latin and make him machinist, or an invent
or, or naturalist. Make the student love
his tasks by searching his intellect
and finding out the Thought that
God has planted thcre-the yearning after
excellence that men call Genius. Take this
thought and nourish it, and give il room to
spread its roots and branches. I" call COM
plete and generous education" says Milton,
that which fits man to perform justly, skill
| fully and magnanimously all the offices, both
private and public, of peace and war; We
trust the gentlemen who are to meet at Harris.
burg tomorrow will take Millions view OF the
great science they propose to discuss. Nothing
seems more easy than to apply common sense
to education. Common sense is wanted, and
nothing more.