than formerly; but still there is room for im- 

 provement. It is said that, as a nation, our 

 mai-ch is onward : and if so let us march on re- 

 joicing and improving', for nothing seemed to 

 need improvement more than our social and 

 agricultural systems. The main root of the 

 evil has lain in the false notion that labor was 

 not honorable, and therefore men of science have 

 stood back or pursued what are most commonly 

 called learned professions, which the world is 

 too full of But now, thanks to the men of em- 

 inence who have turned to the Plow, it truly is 

 the right way to make labor honorable : — and I 

 may now ask why labor ^^•as ever considered 

 otherwise than the most honorable waj- for man 

 to Uve, as our very natures demand the labor of 

 our bands for our health, as well as for suste- 

 nance. Let us all scout the idea of labor being 



dishonorable, and our poor-houses and prisons 

 will soon be vacant. As we are creatures of 

 imitation it is but natural that we should follow 

 our leaders ; it is so in religion and politics, and 

 ^vhy not in our social and agricultural affairs? — 

 Many of the farmers here are behind the times 

 too much. Laud is merely ran over, not culti- 

 vated, and lean crops and loss of labor are 

 the consequences. Now, nothing seems more 

 likely to bring about the right system than fi-ee 

 discussion, and as the '• Fanners' Librai-y" is 

 fdled with die right sort, let it pass round. — 

 When I was a lad an old gardener gave me 

 this advice, which I have ever found tnte : If I 

 would raise long parsnips, I must dig the ground 

 deep and manure well ! 



Yours ti-uly, in pursuit of more light, 

 John S. SKiNKEK,Esq. L, D. 



EDUCATION IN VIRGINIA. 



REMARKS ON EDUCATION INTENDED FOR GENERAL APPLICATION. 



No sign in the moral and political horoscope 

 has given us so much pleasure, as the apparent 

 determination, in Virginia to apply the powers 

 of the government, and the resources of that 

 glorious old commonwealth, to the letter and 

 more general education of the people. True, 

 no State can boast more brilliant orators. She 

 possesses a great number of well educated men. 

 Mental indolence is not the characteristic of a 

 Virginia gentleman ; but they have given their 

 minds too mu':!! to party conflicts. For the po- 

 litical arena she can-ies cocks under both arms, 

 ready trained and healed for the pit, let that be 

 opened where it may, with champions to give 

 them a \ving whenever they are cut down, — 

 She will stickle for " the ninth part of a hair," 

 on the subject of State rights, and gallantly 

 fight for Texas or for Oregon ; but in popula- 

 tion, in internal improvements, in agricultural 

 wealth ; and in political power, incident to these, 

 what progress has she made ? where does she 

 ! stand ? Steam, which in so many places does the 

 ) work of millions of men, and creates millions 

 ' of wealth, — to what account is she turning it ? — 

 Does it spin her wool, or grind her grain, or 

 lift her coal, or forge her iron, or " whirl the 

 rapid car " over her mountains or into her moun- 

 tain valleys to bring her internal resources — so 

 various — so inexhaustible, uito available mar- 

 kets? 



And do not these views raise the question 

 whether the public mind does not need to be 

 (603) 



turned in some more useful direction ? whether 

 the sy-stem of education is not defective, either 

 in its nature or in being too much restricted, or 

 both ? For her wannest friends, and we claim 

 to be of that category, it is consoling however 

 to know — (can we venture to say know, or must 

 we say hope) that her sti-ong men of all parties, 

 are manifesting a determination to look with 

 one heart and one feeling into her condition and 

 resources — physical and mental — and to pass 

 the probe to the bottom of the evils that have 

 retarded her growth, and held her back in the 

 race of power and of gloi-y ? For if glory is to 

 be predicated of States, in what does it consist? 

 Is it not in general and efficient intellectual cul- 

 ture — in sagacity and resolution to make the 

 most of its resources, — in hospitality and the love 

 of liberty and justice ! What right minded, 

 well instructed citizen does not feel ambitious 

 to maintain the rights and fair fame of his otcn 

 State, next after that of his ow-n familj- ? — 

 Who has the heart and the just pride of 

 a man that would not blush at being bom the 

 inheritor of the dishonor that is the portion of 

 any State steeped in ignorance, neglectful of its 

 natural advantages, lagging in the rear of all its 

 cotemporaries in all that gives respectability, 

 power and security to States and nations ? and 

 above all, but we will not name it in connec- 

 tion with Virginia — we were going to say stain- 

 ed with repudiation ! No coramunitj- that ever 

 existed has been more jealous of its honor — 



