Sect. III.] Unifed States of America. 2/9 



1. Defective plans and means of instruction in 

 the seminaries of learning. The great majority 

 of the colleges have very inadequate funds. The 

 consequence is, that in most of them the profes- 

 sors are few in numl^erj and have assigned to them. 

 too large a field of instruction, Heiice they can 

 convey but very superficial knowledge of the va- 

 rious branches which it is made their duty to teach ; 

 and if well qualified themselves, which is far from 

 being always the case, find it impossible to do 

 justice to the pnpils. In some instances, also, the 

 trustees or governors of American colleges, either 

 irom their own ignorance, or in compliance with 

 popular prejudice, have so contracted the time 

 requisite for completing a course of instruction, 

 as to render it necessary wholly to dispense w4th, 

 or lightly to hurry over, some of the most impor- 

 tant branches of knowledge. Accordingly, iu 

 some of these institutions, mathematical science is 

 unpopular, and the acquisition of as little as pos- 

 sible, especially of the higher branches of it, .en- 

 joined on the student. In others, chissic litera- 

 ture, and especially the Greek language*, is iu 

 low estimation, and not more studied than is in- 

 dispensablv necessary to obtaining a diploma. If 

 well bred scholars ever issue from such semina- 

 ries, they must be formed by a degree of private 

 and individual application rarely to be met with 

 in youth. 



* III some American colleges, we are told that no more know- 

 ledge of Greek is required iu those who graduate bachelor of arts, 

 than that which maybe derived from the Grammar and the Greek 

 Testament. 



