acquirements, the conduct and the characters of those who are honored with the high sounding title of accomplished scholars. If they are really _better educated_, ought they not certainly to be not only wiser but _better men_, that is if education actually was what it most assuredly should be? But what is the fact? Do we find them better men, better citizens, better neighbors, friends and heads of families or states, than those who, with less scholarship, have had much more attention paid to their moral and religious education, than to those scholastic acquirements of which nothing but the most thorough, moral and religious instruction can teach us either the true value or the proper use? Gladly, most gladly do I admit that very many amiable men will be found among the former; for I am happy to say that I know many such--but it is equally true, that those praiseworthy traits of character and conduct which we frequently see apart from religious belief in christianity, form exceptions to the general rule that _un_belief in christianity tends certainly to produce both vice and depravity. Whereas immoral character and practice among professors of religion, form exceptions to the general rule that christian faith tends surely to produce christian conduct. The first class of persons are good in spite of their worldly creed--the latter are bad in direct opposition to what they believe to be right. We shall never arrive at a clear, satisfactory conclusion in regard to this all important subject, education, but by first solving the questions, _what are_ the paramount duties of the present life--_what_ the only means of securing their fulfilment? Are these duties _solely_ or even _chiefly_, to speak, or to understand a great variety of tongues--to measure the earth, the waters of the mighty ocean, nay the heavens themselves, with instruments and means of human invention--to wear away life itself in the vain attempt to discover the elementary principles of all visible things--to scan thoroughly the vast powers and possible expanse of human intellect--and to astonish the world by the perfection to which all human science, arts and accomplishments may be brought? Or, _are they_ that we should think wisely, act justly, and practice truth, industry, self-denial, and universal benevolence,--from the sincere, heartfelt, ever active love of our fellow creatures,--and willing obedience to all the commands of our God? Are the means to secure the fulfilment of all these most momentous duties, such as are usually adopted in our schools?--or, shall we not find them in very numerous instances nearly destitute of any but means rather of counteraction than promotion? By what other term can we characterize the usual school appliances, to the chief of which I beg leave to invite your special attention? These are, the fear of human punishments and disgrace, instead of the fear of offending our Maker--the stimuli