The information of books is no longer necessary; and all knowledge which
is not innate is in contempt, or neglect at least. Every folly must
run its round; and so, I suppose, must that of self-learning and
self-sufficiency; of rejecting the knowledge acquired in past ages, and
starting on the new ground of intuition. When sobered by experience,
I hope our successors will turn their attention to the advantages of
education. I mean of education on the broad scale, and not that of the
petty academies, as they call themselves, which are starting up in every
neighborhood, and where one or two men, possessing Latin, and sometimes
Greek, a knowledge of the globes, and the first six books of Euclid,
imagine and communicate this as the sum of science. They commit their
pupils to the theatre of the world, with just taste enough of learning
to be alienated from industrious pursuits, and not enough to do service
in the ranks of science. We have some exceptions, indeed. I presented
one to you lately, and we have some others. But the terms I use are
general truths. I hope the necessity will, at length, be seen of
establishing institutions here, as in Europe, where every branch of
science, useful at this day, may be taught in its highest degree. Have
you ever turned your thoughts to the plan of such an institution? I
mean to a specification of the particular sciences of real use in
human affairs, and how they might be so grouped as to require so many
professors only, as might bring them within the views of a just but
enlightened economy? I should be happy in a communication of your ideas
on this problem, either loose or digested.
Pages:
390
391
392
393
394
395
396
397
398
399
400
401
402
403
404
405
406
407
408
409
410
411
412
413
414