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MOOBE’S BU'RAL NEW-YORKER: AN AGRICULTURAL, LITERARY AND FAMILY NEWSPAPER. 
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EDUCATION OF IDIOTS. 
Perhaps there is no class of human being's 
so utterly to be pitied a3 that of idiots.— 
A class born with the physical attributes of 
humanity, but destitute of, or at least but par¬ 
tially possessing, that spark of celestial fire, 
which, developed to its full perfection, raises 
man to a position akin to the immortals. One 
of the most melancholy sights that can be 
witnessed in a family is that of a living child 
on which the hand of a mysterious Providence 
has set the seal of intellectual night; the deep 
anguish it brings to the hearts of parents, the 
mortification and shame it causes to the other 
children, as the painful truth becomes more 
manifest from day to day, can never be appre¬ 
ciated by those who have not been made per¬ 
sonally to feel the afflictive dispensation. 
It was formerly thought that lunatics were 
beyond the ameliorating influences of humane 
treatment and a beneficent discipline, fit subjects 
in fact only for chains, scourges and a dungeon. 
That fallacy has long since been overcome; but 
to a much later period was it thought that 
idiots alone of all that wear the human form 
were unsusceptible of improvement. Even in 
1851, when, by an act of the New York Leg¬ 
islature, provision was made for an experi¬ 
mental school, to continue two years, for this 
class of unfortunates, those gentlemen who had 
the subject in hand entered upon the discharge 
of their duties with very grave doubts of its 
success. That experiment has now been in 
progress in the vicinity of Albany more than 
three years, with the most astonishing results. 
So marked, indeed, has been the development 
of these shadows of a human mind, that the 
State is making a permanent arrangement for 
their instruction, by erecting a noble edifice at 
Syracuse, costing over sixty-seven thousand 
dollars. The citizens of Syracuse donated a 
site of fen acres for the building, worth seven 
thousand five hundred dollars, and the trustees 
have purchased eight acres more adjoining it, 
thus giving the institution ample grounds and 
accommodations. 
It appears by the fourth annual catalogue of 
the institution, just issued, that the building 
will be completed and occupied early in the 
ensuing summer. 
The following extract from the Albany Eve¬ 
ning Journal , describing the manner of in¬ 
struction, is of the most stirring interest._ 
Speaking of some of the newest comers, the 
writer says : 
Here are one or two, as yet scarcely taught 
en to use their senses. That girl’s eyes 
wonder restlessly over everything in the room, 
but wave your hankerchief before them, and 
she will never notice it, or separate it in her 
DROP OF WATER MAGNIFIED. 
INFUSORIA. 
Infusoria, is the name given to the micro 
scopic animalcules which exist in countless 
multitudes in water and other liquids. They 
are invisible to the naked eye, and were there¬ 
fore unknown until the invention of the mi¬ 
croscope revealed to the eye of man the won¬ 
ders of the minute animal kingdom. They are 
destitute of any nervous system or other or¬ 
gans developed in the higher animals, and have 
no muscular powers except those contained in 
minute hairs on the surface called vibratile cilia:. 
The running brook, the sparkling pool, the 
broad lake, and the illimitable ocean, teem 
with animal life, by far the greater portion of 
which is too minute in form for human in¬ 
spection without the aid of science. 
Animalcules abound in pure water, but to 
a far less extent than in stagnant pools, and 
in water infused with some animal or vegeta¬ 
ble substance. If flour be mixed with water 
and stirred occasionally to prevent it crusting 
over for a few days, the surface will be cover¬ 
ed with millions of minute animalcules. Wa¬ 
ter with an infusion of pepper, of hay, or in 
fact almost any vegetable or animal substance, 
presents the same phenomenon. 
The foregoing cut represents a drop of wa¬ 
ter as it appears to the eye under the action of 
a powerful microscope. The innumerable 
-forms of animat life that present themselves to 
us are anything but pleasing to contemplate. 
I lie idea that the genuine cold water man 
swallows at every draug'ht myriads of such 
living creatures, monstrous in shape if not in 
size, might go for an argument in favor of im¬ 
bibing some compound liquid, were it not for 
the fact that the infusion in water of foreign 
substances promotes instead of reduces its 
powers of vitality. That water, a substance 
so neutral in all its properties, and so abso¬ 
lutely essential to all forms of animal life 
should contain such numbers of minute living 
creatures is only one of a thousand proofs 
that the principles of vitality everywhere exist 
and that the universe is replete with living 
things. 
1 here is a story told of a Hindoo priest, 
who was so much afraid of destroying animal 
life, that servants were sent ahead with brooms 
to brush away the insects from his path. An 
officer of the East India Company showed 
him a drop of water magnified so as to render 
visible the animalcules contained within its 
bosom, which so shocked the Brahmin, that he 
refused to eat or drink thenceforth, and volun¬ 
tarily starved himself to death. 
QUACKERY — PATENT MEDICINES. 
Our opinions on the subject indicated in the 
above heading, are known to every attentive 
reader of the Rural New-Yorker. In con¬ 
sonance with those opinions, we take pleasure 
in giving the subjoined able and appropriate 
article by a correspondent of the N. Y. Inde¬ 
pendent. It was occasioned by the publication 
in that paper of the advertisement of a medi¬ 
cal practitioner who professed ability to cure 
pulmonary consumption,—stating that in a 
practice of several years he had never lost a 
case, where he had been the first physician con¬ 
sulted. Now, we respectfully submit that, if 
it has fallen to the lot of any mortal man to 
discover an invariable remedy for this hitherto 
incurable disease, the interests of humanity 
require that a knowledge of the means should 
be as widespread and as free to all as the air 
we breathe. And that man who should pos¬ 
sess a secret so important to suffering and ex¬ 
piring thousands, and withhold it from the 
world for the ignoble purpose of his own ag¬ 
grandizement, would merit, as he would receive, 
the reprobation of his race. 
dation. Here is a row of circular blocks of 
different sizes, and there is a row of holes into 
.... „ „ which they respectively fit. The idiot is taught 
v ision from the maze ol objects that flit be- to put each in its appropriate place, and thus 
tore her dim comprehension. Shout at that he makes his first comparison and gets his first 
boy s ear, and he will hardly pay more atten- idea of size. There is a set of red, green, blue, 
Lon to it than to a post. Put an icicle, or a yellow and white balls and cups. To lit each 
ml-iot coal in his hand, and he would scream ball to its proper cup leads him to a compre- 
with pain, but he would not know enough to hension of differences in color. Another set of 
turn his hand over to let it drop. Throw various shaped blocks teach him form, 
yonder club at him, and he would not lift a When he has advanced thus far he can be 
finger to save himselt, but would laugh insane- taught to recognize a word printed on a card. 
i a h I m down ’ ftnd never know But he recognizes it as you do a face, by its 
wiiat hurt him. A desperate task, indeed, to general aspect, not by its"' component parts.— 
teach these eyes to soe, ears to hear, and be- Upside down, or right side up, it is all the 
numbed brains to think ! same to him. By degrees, he is brought, first 
lhe teacher hangs one ot the boys on the to know its meaning, then its separate letters 
ladder by the hands. I le has but to let go to and then to trace it on the blackboard. When’ 
drop a tew inches upon the soft bed underneath, he can do this, he has reached the threshold on 
but he has no sense to teach him that. He which ordinary children stand when they first 
c mgs tightly to the round, and perhaps cries go to school. Thenceforth his education is 
at the pain the act gives him, but he does not much like theirs, only requiring infinitely more 
m0 . v f- I he teacher puts his arm round him patience and perseverance and gentleness 
a kind, loud voice. Then the other hand_ ant l 4 10 R U I M 8 advance by slow gradations 
And so after repeated lessons, it is at last al- imtd they become what may now be seen in 
most forced upon his sluggish mind, that he that school—pupils who can parse a difficult 
.can use his hands and feet to reach the floor. sentence and give the syntax, draw critically. 
Another, who has been some months at the and solve even difficult problems in Algebra’ 
Institution, is called to show his acquirements. “ When,” says the writer, “ the idkfi can 
His delight runs over out of his eves and ho + “ , . 1UI01 Cdn 
breaks into a broad grin at the opportunity — £ raramar . and mathematics, it is clear 
He runs up the ladder, down it, under it, over that he 1S . an ldl0t 110 loil g er - He can carry 
it, backwards, forwards, head foremost, feet out a train of reasoning and reflection, and 
foremost, and finally throws himself into the Plato and Newton had no different process 
eachers arms, with an exulting burst of irre- whereby to attain the greatest philosonhic 
pressible laughter. He ha.s been tumrbt in rin * Ti . v pmiosopmc 
only what can be taught to dogs and cats; but ^ t *7™ 8trau S e ’ and yet h strikes 
with less natural intelligence than they, it is a ^° U t ia sornc b° vv these advanced pupils have 
wonder that he can be taught at all. ' ’ ' a more staid and sober look than those whom 
Another means of rousing and fixing the you saw at first - Kut 80 ifc is - As they ex- 
the dormant faculty of attention is by throw- change a mere animal nature for a human one 
i’ifv^t'r-? t T h n Kl f b f U or . stick - ^ boys they gradually lose that perpetual manifesta- 
piay eaten. I wo who have become exnert. firm nf c-,-. -t .. . 
THE NORMAL SCHOOL. 
« 0* <W in it with " characteristic of idiocy, 
of every muscle, that denotes what a tremern 1 1 - made mt cllectual progress 
dous mental effort the simple act requires at t5ie ex P ense of physical, for they are as 
when such intellects arc called upon to per- P Ium P and r()s y- It is not that their develop- 
TwhlHin i . ., ,, ment, opening as it does sources of enduring 
homo- < 1 11 f Ce . a L 0U ! ld the first tab! c are and deep happiness, have made them grave- 
being taught to put. first one white then nnr» •+ • v . , fe r ' l ve.— 
red bead, alternately, upon a string. Then 1 111S a wise 1 rovld ence partially 
two white, and two red, &c. They do not com P en8ades the poor unfortunate who lacks 
learn it immediately, nor in an hour, nor a ever Jthing else, by the pleasing, ludicrous im- 
day, perhaps not in a week, or a month. But a S es that occupy his vision, and dance in per- 
l* tual M-rc to bewilde re d brain. 
W? wL haVe if rn J ed jt~ sucl1 extravagant Man, though born with faculties to search 
j y When an idea docs enter their poor dark- through the depth of time, and powers to 
tn C |L Jr r 1 o 8 b- lt !f. 1 lket | 10 thoiight that occurred flourish through the ages of eternity seldom 
IhcreapupFlVrso A Tic r ”“'T iS a tW "* of Importance. 
fill to you for a new Ihought nsUifepoor'idiot La “ “ lte “ more m h!c „ 
1 he Normal School at Albany closed its 
21th term, on Thursday, Feb. 1st. Hon. J. T. 
Headly, delivered the Address, which treated 
of the superiority of the English language 
over the Latin and Greek. He as much as 
raised the query whether it would not pay to 
study the English Language. It is a notori¬ 
ous fact, that the thorough study of our own 
language is not only neglected, but in some 
cases ignored ; and common sense would seem 
to teach that it is of mpre practical use to know 
our language as it is and be able to use it rap¬ 
idly and accurately either in its written or 
spoken form, than to dig up the decayed roots 
of the ancient's. 
The number of graduates was 41, a large 
number of whom were females. Indeed the 
school seems to be running into a female sem¬ 
inary, and unless some active remedial meas¬ 
ures are taken it will fall through. 
I he Legislature will probably in the course 
of the Session, resume the consideration of the 
Report of W. L. Crandall, Esq., on the 
school system of the State, ordered to be 
printed by the Legislature two years ago but the 
distribution is fought against as the Report 
said to lay the axe at the root of the tree. I 
cannot speak of the merits of the work, but I 
can say that there is quite a muss about it._ 
It Ls said that 13,000 copies of it are stacked 
M E DIC A L E T H IC S. 
“Ik this course sha’l oncoimter the disapprobation of 
those who hold the fancied claims of professional etiquette 
paramount to considerations of humanity, it will nevor- 
tho!e<s most certainly meet the approval of alt who re¬ 
gard medical science and ski 1 as having a positive va uo 
on y so far as thoy are mado subservient to the allevia¬ 
tion and cure of the ills to which llosh is heir.” 
_ The above extract from a medical adver¬ 
tisement in the Independent of Dec. 7, is an 
appeal to the public from the judgment of the 
medical profession in regard to irregular prac¬ 
tice. It is quite common for interested per¬ 
sons to represent that the ethical principles 
which govern practitioners in medicine, are 
arbitrary and intolerant, restrictive of the 
rights of individuals, and prejudicial to the in¬ 
terests of humanity. Such views are, of 
course, intended to place the medical profession 
in an unfavorable contrast with such as pur¬ 
sue the opposite course, and we ask, therefore, 
permission to present a few considerations 
bearing on the subject. The relations which 
physicians sustain to medical science, and to 
the public who patronize them, involve certain 
dut es, which flow as naturally from such re¬ 
lations, as the duties of the citizen from the 
nature of government. The etui of medical 
science is undoubtedly the public good, and 
every man who aspires to the honor and ben¬ 
efits incident to the medical profession, must 
also assume certain responsibilities, which, from 
the nature ot the case, devolve upon him. He 
derives his knowledge not from intuition nor 
inheritance, but Irom a common stock—the 
joint product of many laborers—a source free 
and bountiful. How, for instance, has the 
modern physician learned to ascertain “ the 
state of the lungs by a careful examination of 
the chest,” without which his treatment must 
be vague and uncertain ? Many scientific and 
devoted laborers have co-operated to bring this 
method to its present state of perfection. The 
physician then enters the profession not for 
himselt alone, but to become a joint-laborer 
foi the public good, and he is bound by every 
consideration of equity and humanity, to com¬ 
municate ot his own discoveries as freely as he 
has received of others. On the other hand, 
secresy and retention of medical knowledge, 
would be a .reversal of the ends of medical 
science, which could never have existed if such 
■JBsMjaf IPitstitp, 
For Moore’s Rural New-Yorker. 
THE DAUGHTER’S RETURN. 
Onck more doth she return—aud they have como 
Sistors, and brother*, and tho.se early frlonds 
To meet the well-beloved 1 
She enters now— 
Is there not joy beneath that household roof 
As she is folded to a mother’s heart 
In long and fond embrace ? Beams not each eye 
W ith softenod light amid that gathered group 
While hurried words of greeting Interchange,’ 
And hands enclasp, as when friend meeteth friend!' 
Alas ! alas ! not this—there’s anguish there_ 
And wailing sobs from many a striken heart, 
Her only welcome home ! 
(the is not here, 
From whom they parted, when the cheek was tinged 
With healthful bloom—and the dear eye enshrinod 
A gentle radiance. She, whose low, sweet tones 
Made music ever to affection’s ear, 
Cometh not now, with glad response of love_ 
A bier hath laid its burden at their feet; 
And that dark hour to childhood’s homo gives back 
/Ini coffined clay! Vainly their quivering lips 
Breutho that dear name—dull is th’ unconscious ear— 
And gushing tears which may not be repressed 
Rain all unheeded on that marble brow, 
feo beautiful in Its serene repose ! 
Aud thus ye meet again ' 
Well may you weep 
Affection’s sundered ties-tho darkened homo- 
The voiceless hoarth-and the lone hoart of ono 
Whose eye is dim with sorrow for the dead 1 
Your tears may (low for that sweet, helpless babe 
Above whose cradled rest a mother’s prayer 
Shall ne’er ascend—but not that she hath gone 
Where earthly griefs are all forgotten now- 
And the long sunlight of a Saviour’s smile 
Makes glad th’ Eternal shore 1 
—!ar othor scene, 
Thau this, doth memory note, when she who sleeps 
So quietly beneath yon sable pall, 
Bid take o on here, with woman’s trusting faith 
That holy vow which death alone might break— 
And faltering tones number the months between 
The bridal and the burial 1 
All is o’er— 
The solemn prayer—the low, sad requiem— 
lhe last, last, look upon the shrouded dead_ 
Now to the dark and unreturning tomb 
That cherished form is given 1 
Calm be thy rest, 
0 pallid sleeper I ’raid these household graves— 
hot e tho soft choek of infant innocence 
Is pillowed early on its dreamless couch_ 
And weary age hath stayed his pilgrim feet 
Life’s journey done ! But oh, to turn again’ 
To the bright hearth-fire’s warm and ruddy glow— ' 
And thou beneath the wreathing snowrlfts laid ! 
As on thy coffin falls each wintry clod 
With crushing, stony weight, to our own heart 
The ice-chill enters 1 
Yet when circling weeks 
Have hastened by, the glad, rejoicing Spring 
Shall leave again her emerald signet here_ 
Token of that Immortal life which bursts 
In glorious beauty from its prisoning clay 1 
Here too, the perfume of fresh violets 
Shall blend, ero .ong, with the soft south wind’s breath 
A delicate fragrance. And as sorrowing friends 
Shall press, with lingoring feet, the vernal sod ; 
Let this monition search their inmost souls_ ’ 
<; ready also ; for ye know not when 
The Master cometh 1” 
Wert Bloomfield, N. Y., 1855 . 
Marianna. 
that had never learned the use el thoughts at all 
1 hus the system proceeds. It begins with 
the simplest of all impression—the very fouu- 
ycs. 
Never 
thoughts. 
let 
your tong jo go before your 
in the cellar of the State House, waiting for 
the decision of the question of their distribu¬ 
tion. They have been paid for, and will be 
disti ibuted unless it be found that the previous 
legislature made a mistake in ordering it. 
Albany Feb. 18,1855. * 0\yi:.* 
ELOQUENCE. 
Eloquence is not only the art of addressino- 
men in public—it is the gift of strong feelings, 
accurate thought, extensive knowledge, splen¬ 
dor of imagination, force of expression, and 
the power of communicating, in written or 
spoken language, to other men, the idea, the 
feeling, the conviction of truth, the admiration 
for the beautiful, the disposition to upright¬ 
ness, the enthusiasm for virtue, the devotion to 
duty, the heroic love of country, and the faith 
in immortality, which makes men honorable— 
the feeling heart, the clear head, thesound judg¬ 
ment, the popular knowledge, the artistic im¬ 
agination, the ardent patriotism, the manly 
courage, the attachment to liberty, the pious 
philosophy ; and lastly, the religion consonant 
with the most exalted idea of the Divinity 
which render the individual good, the people 
great, and the human race sacred. It supposes 
us in the po. session and exercise of all the in¬ 
tellectual and moral faculties t hat are involved 
speech—the power of the human word. 
a course had been generally adopted. If all 
were to use their discoveries for their own ad¬ 
vantage, how restricted would be their bene¬ 
fits. Suppose an individual to discover a cure 
tor Cholera or Consumption — diseases of 
world-wide prevalence. If he should refuse to 
publish the particulars of his discovery, pre¬ 
ferring- rather to use it for his own pecuniary 
advantage, we doubt not that all in the name 
ot humanity, would denounce him as unfit to 
participate in the common bounties of Provi¬ 
dence. And should he die with his secret un- 
divulged, might we not say, with a distinguish¬ 
ed American physician, “what reasonable 
ground has he to hope for an entrance into the 
kingdom ol Heaven?” It is, therefore, a 
luudamental principle in medical ethics, that a 
physician dishonors himself by withholding 
any important discovery from the professional 
public.. Further, to prevent selfishness from 
interfering with the true interest of medical 
science, it has been deemed disreputable, for 
one to advertise himself as superior to his fel- 
13 I lows in any particular line of practice. 
The use of nostrums or secret remedies—all 
modes of treatment partly or wholly concealed 
—and appeals to the public for patronage by 
means of advertisements and certificates of 
EVIDENCES—NOT GROUNDS. 
cures—necessarily disqualify the physician for 
an honorable recognition by the medical fra¬ 
ternity, and cause all his statements to be re¬ 
garded with distrust. It should be remember¬ 
ed, that extraordinary cures happen to all 
physicians, and that every one could obtain 
certificates of undoubted respectability, equal¬ 
ly unquestionable with those that are given to 
the public—but which, nevertheless, may not 
represent the average results of treatment, nor 
furnish means of comparison adapted to the 
requirements of medical science. 
Can it be, that the exigencies of humanity 
require that nostrums should be tolerated, or 
that methods, which arc the natural resort of 
knavery and selfishness, are to be commended? 
Upon the main subject of the advertisement 
from which the above extract is taken we do 
not propose to enter—simply dissenting, how¬ 
ever, from the judgment of the Independent 
as to the able manner in which the subject of 
the diseases of the lungs has been treated._ 
While we are glad to know that the Independ¬ 
ent as a rule does not open its columns for the 
advertisement ot medical specialities, we must 
also ask permission to express our regret that 
it should, bv such an exception to so just a 
rule, have given to the advertisement in ques¬ 
tion, the sanction and influence of its name 
and authority. D 
Contentment and virtue secure happiness. 
Leigh Richmond, writing to his mother, 
says:—“Your occasional doubts and tears 
arise from too much considering faith and re¬ 
pentance as the grounds rather than the evi¬ 
dences ol salvation. The truth is, that a weak 
faith makes the soul sincere, though not so 
happy, as a strong one ; and an imperfect re¬ 
pentance, as we deem it, may be sincere, and 
therefore a work of grace. Our salvation is 
not because we do well, but because ‘ He in 
whom we trust hath done all things well ’ 
The believing sinner is never more happy anil 
secure than when, at the same moment, he be¬ 
holds and feels his own vileness, and also his 
baviour's excellence. You look at yourself 
too much, and at the infinite price paid for vou 
too little. For conviction you must look at 
yourself, but for comfort at your Saviour._ 
Thus the wounded Israelites were to look 
really at the brazen serpent for recovery. The 
graces in the Spirit are good things for others 
to judge us by, but it is Christianity as re¬ 
ceived, believed in, rested upon, loved and fol¬ 
lowed, that will speak peace to ourselves By 
looking unto Him we shall grow holy; and 
the more holy we grow, the more we ’shall 
mourn over sin, and be sensible how very short 
we come of what we yet desire to be. While 
our sanctification is a gradual and still imper¬ 
fect work, our justification is perfect and come 
plete; the former is wrought in us, the latter 
jor us. Rely simply as a worthless sinner on 
the baviour, and the latter is all your own, 
with its accompanying blessings of pardon,’ 
acceptance, adoption, and the non-imputation 
of sin to your charge. 1 fence will flow thank- 
lul obedience, devotedness of heart, &c. This 
salvation is by faith alone, and thus savino- 
faith works by love. Embrace these princF- 
ples freely, fully, and impartially, and you will 
enjoy a truly scriptural peace, assurance and 
comfort. bickerstctlis Life of Richmond. 
The late Rev. Dr. Simeon—who for many 
years was tutor in Haxton College—after 
many years sjient in the service of Christ, as 
he drew near to death spoke with great dis¬ 
approbation of the phase used by good people 
“ Venturing on Christ.” “ When,” said he’, 
“I consider the infinite dignity and all-suffi¬ 
ciency of Christ, 1 am ashamed to talk ol ven¬ 
turing on him. 0, had I ten thousand souls, 
I would at this moment cast them all into his 
hands with the utmost confidence!” 
Sanctified Afflictions. —I feel that re¬ 
peated afflictions come, not as lightnings on 
the scathed tree, blasting it more, but as the 
strokes of the sculptor on the marble block, 
forming it into the image of life and loveliness.’ 
Let but the Divine presence be felt, and no lot 
is hard. Let me see His hand, and no event is 
unwelcome. 
£ 
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