The Southern Literary Messenger, Vol. I., No. 13, September, 1835 — John Shaqi
The Southern Literary Messenger, Vol. I., No. 13, September, 1835Various
History
The Southern Literary Messenger, Vol. I., No. 13, September, 1835
Various
American literature -- 19th century -- Periodicals
take fire from every flying spark--forever in danger of being blown
down by every assailing wind.
In determining on the proper course of Education for our children, is
it not of the highest importance, first to decide in regard to the
situations in which they will probably be placed, and the
circumstances under which they are most likely to spend their lives,
that all the instruction given may have some bearing on such
destination--some peculiar aptitude to fit them for the particular
stations which they will fill? Until society is organized differently
from what it is, all the various honest trades, professions and
callings into which it is divided, must have persons specially
educated for them. But how can this all essential plan be
accomplished, if our children are made too proud for any thing but
playing ladies and gentlemen, or following some two or three
professional pursuits, distinguished from the rest by the dignified
title--"_liberal_?" Ought it to suffice with people in their sober
senses, to hear it urged in opposition to so reasonable a scheme as
that of adapting early Education to the probable destiny of each
individual in after life, that _in our country_ every child ought to
be educated for all imaginable conditions in what is called high life,
because any, possibly, may be attained by any? Surely this would be
the perfection of folly, unless it amounted almost to certainty that a
very large majority of our youth of both sexes would reach such
elevated situations. But it so happens that there is a moral certainty
the other way, and that an infinitely larger portion of mankind will
live and die in obscurity, than can ever become conspicuous for the
possession of wealth, extraordinary talent, or official station. This
obscurity however, would be no bar to the enjoyment of great
happiness, provided half the pains were taken to inculcate principles,
tastes and habits suitable to the future circumstances in which they
would probably be placed, that are very frequently taken to impress
their minds with insatiate cravings after all the highest conditions
of society. _This world_, and this alone, with all its vanities,
follies, and seductive vices, is made the God of their idolatry; and
every thing in future life which is calculated to impede their
worship, becomes a source of unavailing discontent, if not of actual
and lasting misery. To pursue such a course with children is little
short of real madness, even on the supposition that there is no other
state of existence but the present; unless indeed, this life had been
made a scene of uninterrupted enjoyment, instead of one abounding with
much unavoidable suffering--a scene in which to escape sickness, pain,
and poverty, is among our greatest blessings--a scene whose modicum of
happiness consists not in any of those merely selfish, sensual
pursuits, so generally deemed the chief good of life, but in the
diligent culture and exercise of all the powers of our mind--of all
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