294 



FARMERS' REGISTER. 



[No. 5 



dowment, which circumstance has recently changed 

 the aspect in which each one must be now considered. 

 William and Mary, as much as any other college, de- 

 serves the supporl of the whole country; and in con- 

 sideration of its mild and delightful climate, perfect 

 healthiness during the whole time of the course, and 

 peculiar suitableness to the constitutions of southern 

 young men, there are strong reasons for its being pre- 

 ferred, i'or all such pupils, to any colleges of equal 

 scientific grade situated in more northern or elevated 

 regions, and in a more rigorous chmate. It is too 

 true that this comj)arison is seldom made, and that dan- 

 ger to the health of southern boys sent to bear north- 

 ern winters is scarcely thought of. Even the people 

 of our low country are themselves accustomed to ac- 

 quiesce in the general understanding that an unhealthy 

 region is one where bilious or autumnal diseases only 

 are to be feared ; and that if these are absent, or very 

 ■rare, a country is healthy, no matter how much its peo- 

 iple are scourged by catarrhs, consumptions, rheuma- 

 tisms, and pleurisies. By one or more of these latter 

 ^diseases, the constitution of many a southern youth has 

 •been seriously injured, or destroyed, at northern semi- 

 tnaries; and even if he escapes all these, he is render- 

 ed, by a northern residence, unfit to revisit his south- 

 ern home, in autumn, without danger; and if, to avoid 

 that danger, he remains away for years together, he 

 acquires a northern constitution, and is as unfit as if 

 born in the north, to live at his proper and intended fu- 

 iture home. 



But putting aside this important consideration, and 

 viewing William and Mary merely as a local institu- 

 tion, the tide-water region alone can and ought to fur- 

 nish it with enough students to triple its present num- 

 ber. And when we say ought, it is not meant that the 

 obligation should extend further than would be limited, 

 on full knowledge of the circumstances, by the pri- 

 vate and individual interests of the parents, not only 

 as parents, but as residents and property-holders of 

 the low country. It is not their general interest to 

 prefer this college unless it deserves a preference for 

 the value of its instruction and training of youth, and 

 on the grounds of the moderate rate of price at which 

 the benefits are to be obtained. 



The course of classical instruction, or the school for 

 Latin and Greek, is very defective when compared to 

 most other colleges of high rank. Until the last session, 

 it was a grammar-school, upon the ordinary looting of 

 common schools forteaching Latin and Greek; and was 

 the more liable to objection because of its connexion 

 with a scientific institution of high order. Better in- 

 struction in the higher classical studies was in part pro- 

 vided for, a year ago: and by another year, it is hoped 

 and expected thai William and Mary will exchange the 

 grammar-school for a system ot classical instruction 

 suited to more advanced pupils and regular students. 

 When this is properly done, there may be justly awarded 

 to the whole institution, the high commendation which 

 all the other departments now well deserve. The pro- 

 fessorships are well filled; the course of instruction is 

 excellent, and is designed to be of practical appli- 

 cation, no less than it is of high scientific character. The 



government and discipline of the students is parental, 

 though sufficiently strict; and, while no known offender 

 is permitted to pass unpunished by the laws of the in- 

 stitution, still the means to govern, and the prevention 

 of offences, are more generally and effectually found in 

 a reliance on and appeal to the sense of honor and pro- 

 priety of the young men; who are reminded at every 

 step, and in every hour, by the general purport of 

 their training and association, that the first duty of a 

 student is to preserve, in every particular, the character 

 o£ 3. gentleman, and man of honor and truth. This 

 most powerful aid to the statute book, ('and without 

 which mere enactments and punishments are of little 

 avail,) has been strengthened and brought admirably 

 into operation by the tact of the present faculty of the 

 college, and by the respect and regard of the students 

 which the professors fortunately possess, and the con- 

 sequent influence which they can exercise. And 

 this mode of governing, by appealing to the best feel- 

 ings, instead of merely punishing the fruits of the 

 worst, is further strengthened by the tone of the private 

 society in which students here may freely mingle, and 

 are received with welcome, and which, while it softens, 

 refines and cultivates manners, and guards against vi- 

 cious pleasures by substituting innocent relaxation and 

 amusement, also, by approbation or censure, increases 

 the inducement to do good, and to refrain from evil. 

 Much good has always been done by the society of 

 the inhabitants of Williamsburg to the students of 

 William and Mary ; and, it must be confessed, also 

 some harm — and in former times much harm. But the 

 evils of this kind, which have existed, have been 

 clearly seen, and are now guarded against, by exam- 

 ple and precept, of all belonging to the best society. 

 And, though imperfections and evils will always exist 

 to some extent, it may now be safely asserted, that the 

 influence of society in this place was never so benefi- 

 cially exercised, as now; and its influence is, in the 

 general, decidedly and greatly beneficial to the stu- 

 dents. Either the total exclusion from private associ- 

 ation with well-bred people (and especially from fe- 

 male society,) or the mingling with the fashionable 

 and often debauched society of large cities, and shar- 

 ing in their vicious pleasures, are conditions very dirfer- 

 ent from that of the students of this college, and the 

 operation of either of which is always greatly to be 

 feared. 



The result of all the measures of reform adopted by 

 the board of visitors, and admirably executed by the 

 faculty, and of the influences thereby and otherwise 

 produced, has been the attainment of a degree of mor- 

 al and intellectual improvement in the students in ge- 

 neral, for the last two years, and more especially du- 

 ring the course just ended, which furnishes to the 

 friends of the institution very far more cause for con- 

 gratulation, and ground for auguring still increasing 

 prosperity and success, than merely the rapid and con- 

 tinued increase of students. During the last course, 

 the conduct of all but a very few of the young men, 

 has been throughout orderly and correct, and gentle- 

 manly in all respects; and when taken altogether, the 

 abatement necessary to make for the few of other ha- 



