64 QUARTERLY JOLRNAL. 



and expansive thought, the mind must be disciplined by the patiei 

 and thorough study of all t[ie elementary branches of scienti 

 For practical purposes, a fully ileveloped and well disciplin 

 mind is of infinitely more value, than all the skimming, steal 

 pressure models of development which can be devised. 



But we again digress from our object. We not only think t 

 establishment of a State Agricultural School bad economy, and 

 well calculated to answer the expectations of its friends ; but 

 the present unsettled state of the public mind, and the sleep! 

 jealousy with which it would be viewed by a respectable portio 

 citizens, renders it very doubtful whether it could maintain a 

 existence beyond the political lifetime of its founders. The oppi 

 site idea that any process of simplification in regard to text boo! 

 on agriculture, can render the district schools alone adequate t 

 the wants of our agricultural population, is also fallacious. The 

 seem to be some very indefinite notions, even in high places, concon 

 ing the condition of a great majority of the district schools in ia 

 country. Thence we hear men of high standing talking abd) 

 catechisms of agricultural chemistry and geology, so simple as 

 be readily comprehended by " every child of twelve years oK 

 and therefore " admirably ailapted for study in the common schod 

 of the State." But do such men know that nineteen-twentieU 

 of the children in our district schools, at the age of twelve yea( 

 have scarcely commenced the elementary studies of geograpW 

 arithmetic and grammar. Surely not, or they would never 

 talking about introducing to their notice the complicated and exte 

 sive study of agriculture. Such children might indeed learn lb< 

 catechism of agriculture in the same w^ay that we formerly learni 

 our catechisn\ of Theology ; that is, as the parrot learns to & 

 ^^ pretty Polly,'''' but who would be the wiser thereby '? Now, we sal 

 with all due deference to high authority, sustained as it may bei 

 the Jive Irish prodigies from the Larne school, that agriculture is 

 science requiring a discipline of mind, and a power o! thoug 

 ar.d reflection for its useful comprehension, altogether beyond 1 

 capacity of G?iy boy of ten, twcivc, or fourteen years of Eg 

 And hence to urge such a study iipon them would only serve 

 divert their attention from those indispensable elementary stud: 

 which ought ever to form the foundation of all education. 



