1851.1 Our College, Errors Respecting its Ohject and Aim. 247 



preparatory training, to whom we hold out especial inducements, and 

 are prepared to furnish rare opportunities ; no others are prepared 

 for our Agronomic course. To enter upon this course with profit, 

 it will require at least a course of three years preparatory study, in 

 addition to the attainments which can be made in common schools. 



Our object, then, it will be seen, is to establish here, in connection 

 with a full literary course, a parallel scientific course of instruction ; 

 something similar to the polytechnic institutions of France, yet by 

 no means a copy. For we hold that we cannot model American insti- 

 tutions, andleastof all our literary, implicitly, nor yet with any very 

 close resemblance upon those of any foreign State, be it Grecian or 

 Roman, English or European, Protestant or Catholic, unless we 

 wish also with them to incorporate, among us all their elements of 

 civil and social life. Yet this is the very thing we have been doing, 

 especially as regards our higher institutions. And we have also 

 reaped the appropriate results, in, our present moral and political 

 degeneracy, in spite of all our blustering and bagatelle Fourth of 

 July and anniversary orations. 



The old fogy is ready to hold up both hands and cry, away with 

 such heresy — such a course as you propose can not be pursued 

 without first completing the ordinary four years' collegiate drill. — 

 Could such preparation be had, and the mind kept uncorrupted, we 

 should not object. But who will say that in this fast age, such ob- 

 ject could be realized. You will never dragoon into the old drill a 

 tythe of the number that would pursue a liberal course of scientific 

 training without it. Never, no, never. And after you had dragoon- 

 ed them into it, you could not induce them to direct their efi'orts 

 to such end. Such intellectual millennium is further oflF than that 

 of the lion eating straw with the ox. It is simply impracticable. 



The education, the liberal education of the class for which we 

 plead, is now left out of the programme of all our higher insti- 

 tutions of learning. The philosophy and faith of these insti- 

 tutions, on this subject, is identical with the Brahmin, and not 

 that of the Savior of the world. And while we freely admit 

 that there must be a great difference in the extent and amount 

 of culture bestowed upon different individuals, according to their 

 endless variety of tastes, opportunities and capacities, we utterly 

 deny that there is a single profession, or pursuit on earth, that God 

 has made it necessary for so many to follow, that admits the pos- 

 sibility, or afi"ords the materials for a richer, and more varied culture, 



