The works of the Rev. William Thom, late minister ... - waughfamily.ca

264 LETTERS, 7R.\CTS, Isfc:And yet we hope it is not difficult to make an a-pology for ourfelves in both thefe particulars. Wewill tell you what we apprehend are the reafons thatmoft of us who have had an univerfity education arefo little improved by it ; when this is done, we imagineyour wonder will ceafe, that fo few among uschoofe to fend their fons to a place where thernfelvesreaped fo little benefit ; and we beg leave to acquaintyou with a propofal that is talked of among our fellow-citizens,which, if it is gone into and properlyexecuted, will put an end to your furprife, and will,we hope, in a lliort time, remove the ill-grounded reproach," that our citizens are dull," as it will be aneffe(£hjal and -lafting method to improve our youth.Candid people will prefume or allow, that it isvery unlikely the blame of our want of knowledgefliould lie all on one fide •, we think, that from ourgeneral conduct and tranfadtions with the world, wehave given little or no ground to have it fufpetled,tliat the fize of our underftanding is inferior to thatof other men. If we have little tafte or learning, thefault may be in feme degree in our teachers ; thethings taught may be too abftrufe to be undcrftood,or fuch as muil foon be forgot, being unfuitabie tous, and having no relation to the circumftances andmanner of life we are afterwards to be in.That a great part of the courfe of philofophy taughtat our univerfity is of this nature, is but too obvious.It is evident, that the univerfities of Scotland in general,and particularly this of Glafgow, have beenfounded and defigned purely or chiefly for the fake ofthat theology which was in vogue two or three hundredyears ago: Some of the clalfes bear evident marksof this original defign, being either totally or in partcalculated for the difputes and wranglings of divines,and of little ufe to the lawyer or phyfician, and ftillkfs to the merchant or gentleman.Of this fort we reckon logic and metaphyfics, which