Report on a Course of Liberal Education. 313 



foundation of all high intellectual attainments. As in our 

 primary schools, reading, writing, and arithmetic are taught 

 to all, however different their prospects ; so in a college, all 

 should be instructed in those branches of knowledge, of 

 which no one destined to the higher walks of life ought to 

 be ignorant. What subject which is now studied here, could 

 be set aside, without evidently marring the system. Not to 

 speak particularly, in this place, of the ancient languages ; 

 who that aims at a well proportioned and superior education 

 will remain ignorant of the elements of the various branch- 

 es of the mathematics, or of history and antiquities, or of 

 rhetoric and oratory, or natural philosophy, or astronomy, or 

 chemistry, or mineralogy, or geology, or political economy, 

 or mental and moral philosophy 1 



It is sometimes thought that a student ought not to be 

 urged to the study of that for which he has no taste or capa- 

 city. But how is he to know, whether he has a taste or ca- 

 pacity for a science, before he has even entered upon its ele- 

 mentary truths ? If he is really destitute of talent sufficient 

 for these common departments of education, he is destined 

 for some narrow sphere of action. But we are well persuad- 

 ed, that our students are not so deficient in intellectual pow- 

 ers, as they sometimes profess to be ; though they are easily 

 made to believe, that they have no capacity for the study of 

 that which they are told is almost wholly useless. 



When a class have become familiar with the common ele- 

 ments of the several sciences, then is the proper time for 

 them to divide off to their favorite studies. They can then 

 make their choice from actual trial. This is now done here, 

 to some extent, in our Junior year. The division might be 

 commenced at an earlier period, and extended farther, pro- 

 vided the qualifications for admission into the college, were 

 brought to a higher standard. 



If the view which we have thus far taken of the subject is 

 correct, it will be seen, that the object of the system of in- 

 struction at this college, is not to give a partial education, 

 consisting of a few branches only ; nor, on the other hand, 

 to give a superficial education, containing a smattering of 

 almost every thing; nor io finish the details of either a pro- 

 fessional or practical education ; but to commence a thorough 

 course, and to carry it as far as the time of residence here 

 will allow. It is intended to occupy, to the best advantage, 

 the four years immediately preceding the study of a profes- 



Vol. XV.— No. 2. 15 



