New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-04-27
LoRD S1ANLEY ON EDUcAToM

The noble address delivered by Lord Stanley,
on occasion of taking his seat as Lord Rector
of the University of Glasgow, deserves more
notice than it is likely to receive from the impa-
ticnt, impetuous minds of our people. A large
audience listened with unfaggng interest to
the reading of it, in the City Hall, where the
inaugural ceremonies were hcid The interest
may be in part accounted for by the fact that
the hearers were mainly University men, and
that the speaker was Lord. But the substance
Of the address, untainted by either of these
considerations, was sound, and earnest,
and good for all people-for our peo-
pie, as well as the Quecn's-for reDubli-
cans as well "a royalists. Coming from man
who had enjoyed the advantages Of the best
education, and tasted the fruits Of the highest
culture-a man of affairs too, and man of the
wonl-its most remarkable feature Is its deep
sincerity, its dignifed and almost pathetic
humility. Lord Stanley treats OF education as
the matter of profound human concern that it
is; rs q matter that more than all touches
character, personal integrity, intrinsic value OF
work, the welfare of the mind. This aspect of
the subject is one that we should more deeply
consider than we do. Education is com
mended as a ready means of obtaining
reputation or position; but the education
that is pursued for that end will fail
Of bestowlng its crowning blessing, which is
mental power and peace. 1t is lauded rs q
qualification for practical affairs, an available
and indisputable chest of tools for the merch-
ant the engineer the artisan. Even the farmer,
whose harvest will be the richer for the pains
expepded on the soil but the education that
is sought in this spirit will be loose. careless,
promiscuOus, incomplete, inaccuracies mass
of miscellaneous half knowledge, that dSspates
and emasculates the mind. Incidence is bad,
but SO is haste. Limitation is dangerous, but
so is tumble Pedantry is an evil, but so is
vagueness and confusion. Ii methodical training
tends to stiffness of intellect absence of all train
ing tends to windiness and conceit to the easy
writing which is the most Improbable reading,
to facile talking which is periling snare,
to swift theorizng which is imposition, and to
hurried thinking which is simply no thinking
at all.
The Office of education, in Lord Stanley's
Judgment, is to put minds, be they large or
small completely in possession of their powers,
such as they are, 80 that they Will perform
their tasks well and joyously. "The value of
4" all teaching consists far less in the facts ac-
"ouired than in the action on the mind OF the
individual produced by the process OF ac-
"Quiring them" "The aim of a liberal educa-
ton should be not to fit men for this or that
Especial profession exclusively, but to supply
such requirements and sharpen such faculties
"as shall be equally useful in any," These seem
ing compopplaces are not uttered in the III
terest Of the English system or any other sys-
TEN they are not used in defense of classical
studies, or any other particular studies. They
are spoken in the interest of the human mind,
in the interest of steady application, Of real
knowledge, Of accurate discrimination, of care
full thinking, of intellectual soberness, hum
blencss, and faithfulncss, Mental activity is
not sufficient; there must be trained activity
Quick wittedness is not enough. There must be
wisdom in It. Zealforacquiremen will not serve
alone. The zeal must be according to knowledge.