The works of the Rev. William Thom, late minister ... - waughfamily.ca
The works of the Rev. William Thom, late minister ... - waughfamily.ca The works of the Rev. William Thom, late minister ... - waughfamily.ca
284 LETTERS, TRACTS, *^C,their bufinefs,and reje£led by thofe who could haveadvaiiced them, merely becaufe they were much fuTpe£):cdof entertaining fome very loofe and unfoundopinions.But to confider religion in the loweft view, namely,as it is a fcience and a fubjecl: of eonverfation, theyouth ought certainly to be taught it. Every gentlemanand merchant Ihould be able to talk about thetenets of that religion which is eftablifhed in hiscountry : He fliould know fomething about the governmentand difciplirre of that church of which heis a member.We fhould weary out your patience, Sir, and protra£lthis letter to an indecent length, were we tc'mention the ufe of every particular branch of literaturepropofed to be taught by the projected plan >and were we to fhow how well this plan will anfwerthe remaining ends of education ; nam.ely, to prepareyoung people to be ufeful in life, and to appear asaccom]%lifl:;ed gentlemen in eonverfation^ We will,in a few words, take notice of the advantages whicha plan of this fort has effectually to communicatethe knov/kdge which is propofed to be taught byit.I. The things to be taught are all of them" capableof beins learned.Thev are comimenfurate to the capacityof the young mind. Logical quiddities andmetaphyfical fubtleties are totally exterminated. Hiftory,geography, the natural productions of a country,the manners of the people, the manufacl:ures andcomm.odities they trade in, may all be underftood andremem.bered. Thefe are things ufeful to be knownby a commercial people. And, by the way, we begleave to fay, that if merchants have not dipped muchinto metaphyfical and moral theories, they have bytheir voyages and travelsfurniilied the world with afar more valuable fort of knowledge ; we mean thatof the maraiers and cuftoms of men, which is cer-
LETTERS, TRACTS, 'd'C. 285tainly more entertaining, and perhaps lays a furer-foundation of morality than any of the cobweb fchemeswhich hate been fo finely fpun out of the imaginationsof fanciful men, who have all their lives beenimmured within a college, and are quite deftitute ofthe kaov/ledge of the world.2. We are almoft certain of having the ableflThey will readily beteachers the nation can afford.leh to be chofen and employed by us. A place inan univerlity is confidered as eafy, honourable, andlucrative. It is almoil looked upon as a finecureit is not ordinarily the mod ingenious and able forteaching that is pitched upon, but he who is conne6led,or whofe friends are connedied with, and canferye the men in power ; and this appears to begrowing more and more in fafhion.When a vacancyhappens,we hear every one faying, " Who will getthis place ^ who has moft interefl with fuch a dukeor fuch a lord ?" A man's fulHciency is fekdom ornever mentioned j his ability is no recommendationof him ; his total ignorance of the things he is toteach is no obflacle to his being preferred to the office: For tv/enty years pad, there are not above oneor two inllances^ where one was either prefented bythe crown, or chofen by the faculty, merely or chieflybecaufe he was thought bed qualified to teach tli'^clafs he was called to teach. If there are any whoare fit to teach, by a proper encouragem.ent we mayhave them.But the- directors of the academy, befides capacityto teach, mufl have other qualifications : They multbe men of a grave and rerpe6i:able charafter, whowill add weight and importance to the things theyteach,and attract the elleem and love of their fciio^lars. The profefibrs in our time, to do them juflice,feemed well enough qualified in this refpe6l. Severalof the things taught by them were, as v/e havefaidj abfoiute futilities j and yet even in thefe things>
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LETTERS, TRACTS, 'd'C. 285tainly more entertaining, and perhaps lays a furer-foundation <strong>of</strong> morality than any <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> cobweb fchemeswhich hate been fo finely fpun out <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> imaginations<strong>of</strong> fanciful men, who have all <strong>the</strong>ir lives beenimmured within a college, and are quite deftitute <strong>of</strong><strong>the</strong> kaov/ledge <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> world.2. We are alm<strong>of</strong>t certain <strong>of</strong> having <strong>the</strong> ablefl<strong>The</strong>y will readily beteachers <strong>the</strong> nation <strong>ca</strong>n afford.leh to be ch<strong>of</strong>en and employed by us. A place inan univerlity is confidered as eafy, honourable, andlucrative. It is almoil looked upon as a finecureit is not ordinarily <strong>the</strong> mod ingenious and able forteaching that is pitched upon, but he who is conne6led,or wh<strong>of</strong>e friends are connedied with, and <strong>ca</strong>nferye <strong>the</strong> men in power ; and this appears to begrowing more and more in fafhion.When a va<strong>ca</strong>ncyhappens,we hear every one faying, " Who will getthis place ^ who has m<strong>of</strong>t interefl with fuch a dukeor fuch a lord ?" A man's fulHciency is fekdom ornever mentioned j his ability is no recommendation<strong>of</strong> him ; his total ignorance <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> things he is toteach is no obflacle to his being preferred to <strong>the</strong> <strong>of</strong>fice: For tv/enty years pad, <strong>the</strong>re are not above oneor two inllances^ where one was ei<strong>the</strong>r prefented by<strong>the</strong> crown, or ch<strong>of</strong>en by <strong>the</strong> faculty, merely or chieflybe<strong>ca</strong>ufe he was thought bed qualified to teach tli'^clafs he was <strong>ca</strong>lled to teach. If <strong>the</strong>re are any whoare fit to teach, by a proper encouragem.ent we mayhave <strong>the</strong>m.But <strong>the</strong>- directors <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> a<strong>ca</strong>demy, befides <strong>ca</strong>pacityto teach, mufl have o<strong>the</strong>r qualifi<strong>ca</strong>tions : <strong>The</strong>y multbe men <strong>of</strong> a grave and rerpe6i:able charafter, whowill add weight and importance to <strong>the</strong> things <strong>the</strong>yteach,and attract <strong>the</strong> elleem and love <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir fciio^lars. <strong>The</strong> pr<strong>of</strong>efibrs in our time, to do <strong>the</strong>m juflice,feemed well enough qualified in this refpe6l. Several<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> things taught by <strong>the</strong>m were, as v/e havefaidj abfoiute futilities j and yet even in <strong>the</strong>fe things>
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