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mechanics, &c., and for the mere purpose of education unnecessary. It cannot make mind any more than make the blind see. If the student be a dunce, ec wasted on him, and if he be not a fool, and does not some useful and appropriate purpose, it is sure to do harm than good.

It wastes all that part of his life in which habits are formed, gives him a disrelish and contempt for makes him an idle leech, neither an independent, working man, nor with the caste which is looked for has been educated. He is generally a drone or a ya

"There is, perhaps, no trade or profession existin there is so much quackery, so much ignorance of th principles, and of the history of their own art, with its resources and extent, as is to be met with among ical projectors. The self-constituted engineer, dazzl beauty of some perhaps really original contrivance his new profession with as little suspicion that previo tion, that thought and painful labor, are necessary cessful exercise, as does the statesman or the senat of this false confidence arises from the improper esti is entertained of the difficulty of invention in mech it is of great importance to the individuals and to t of those who are thus led away from more suitabl the dupes of their own ingenuity and of the popul convince both them and the public that the power new mechanical combinations is a possession common titude of minds, and that it by no means requires the highest order. It is still more important that t be convinced that the great merit, and the great those who have attained to eminence in such matte most entirely due to the unremitted perseverance they concentrated upon the successful invention the knowledge which years of study had matured."-] Economy of Manufactures, p. 212-13.

Man has ever shown an irrestrainable propensity

ginal idleness and lawless liberty.

He rebels

in the business to be pursued for a living ance and patient industry.

Without these elements of knowledge there can be no useful education. The w done, and the pupil will enter life just so f competitions, as the advantages which the will have over him.

To train all men from five to twenty school, where the precepts of morality an are taught, however refined in virtue, and they would be altogether helpless to them society.

To give them skill in the mere manual produce a race of ignorant, sordid serfs; up in schools, would turn them out to sc other for the common wants of life, amidst and crime.

The theory which involves the exclusiv of these plans of education is fallacious mere scholar, a mere mechanic, a mere tra man, at twenty-one years of age, witho mental light, except what he obtains in a but half, perhaps not one-third or one-fou

The advocates for the exclusive use schemes are manifestly in error. They discrimination which is derived from the and general education; and obviously sh fluenced by the prejudices of some one modes of education, or that they have no wholesome discipline of any school.

Twenty-one years is the average life of is occupied by the precarious and uncert nority for helpless infancy, and mental an this period the habits and character are and are but seldom changed or modified in To press upon the mind before maturi

blunder through life in mental darkness; with ampl means for research; and excuse our ignorance by aff contempt for learning.

So that the imperious occasions for a suitable priate education, in all these fundamental branches ledge, within the age of twenty-one years, is manif must be obtained within that period of life, or the haps, never be acquired. The exceptions to this rare, and the facility with which genius seems to ov obstacles of ignorance and condition are so surpı the mind is led to the conclusion that there are b have faculties for advancement. If this be not a sp if it is a fact that there are no mental energies capa gress and improvement, except those which exhibit ers, the picture of human weakness and debility is h and the efforts of education are wasted upon ninety o hundred. There are, perhaps, more solid grounds f clusion to rest on than the vanity of man, and the tions of complacency which he is obliged to mak cede. A candid and thorough scrutiny of this subject might be regarded as invidious and uncha its statistics would be as curious as its results wou founding to the vapid pride of the pompous majori

Distinctions which are not founded in the elemen useful fruits of education, but which rest upon thei only, are artificial and pernicious. They inflate a the pride, and encourage their possessors to ins worth. They pervert the legitimate purposes of kno refinement from useful benevolence to selfish Education should imbue the heart with humility, arrogance. The latter too often characterizes the those who have graduated in the schools.

The ignorance and vanity of parents sometimes i to heap upon their children classical educations, have no mental powers to use. To this they add profession, and start them out into the world to be jeered at. A day laborer holds an elevated rank

with such a being

expense.

There should be a reasonable certainty stock that has borne good fruit, before the its nursing and growth are incurred. No of tree has borne fruit, but that the tree or root comes, has borne good fruit.

If it never has borne good fruit, it many a scrubby bush and tree of the pruned, will spread and swell most prou fruit.

The mental powers are like the moral p is a natural predominance for evil, no act be done, but from sinister motives; and cient intellectual taste and strength to g engines of knowledge and science, no te will infuse these facilities into the mind.

These distinguishing great leading tra ter are as certain and unerring with m brutes.

There is a race of donkeys with all which no extra trappings or training was drollery of their hideous heads and slink ears, unearthly sounds, is always magnif to their affectations of the rampant steed.

Universal education at the public exper its first rudiments for the purposes of busi are not designed for the professions, it is nation of this subject is proposed to be n

1. The power to compel the people schooling of any but indigent orphans, an who are unable to pay for their schooling

2. Whether this can be enforced for th the age of thirteen for girls, and fourteen age as they may be strong enough to be

3. Whether this can be enforced for th who are not poor, of any age.

as

5. Whether schooling up to the age of twenty improves the morals.

6. And if the nature and influence of legitimate in all times given to poor children by society, in the ship, discipline, and employment, with its correlativ dental power over youth, ignorance, laziness and cr abundantly sufficient. Take Pennsylvania as an exa The Constitution of Pennsylvania provides, A Sect. 1, viz:

"PUBLIC SCHOOLS."

"The Legislature shall provide by law for the es of schools throughout the State, in such manner the may be taught gratis."

"ARTICLE VII. SECT. 2.

"Of Seminaries of Learning.

"The arts and sciences shall be promoted in o seminaries of learning."

"The poor" are "to be taught gratis," and "th sciences shall be promoted."

These objects are made the subject of two differe tinct titles and articles in the Constitution, and are f ambiguity.

The obvious meaning of the second section is, the and sciences shall be promoted;" not that "the p taught gratis."

They do not mean the same thing, nor are they terms. They are separate and distinct expressions pendent objects, and different meanings and distinc

"Seminaries of learning and the promotion of t sciences," are the expressions in some measure in co tion to the language, "the poor may be taught gratis first is meant endowments for buildings, and contr the pay and support of professors, and the supply of cal and other scientific apparatus, such as are used in

and colleges.