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
29^LETTERS, TRACTS, l^C.fefs that we betrayed fome fymptoms of that duhicfs,and that careleflhefs about our children, for which wehave been fo often blamed j or that we miftook ourchildrens intereft, and efteemed a fmall faving of moneyto be of more importance to them than the am^pie fortunes they might be fitted to acquire, and allthe great and fliining improvements in tafte and fcience,which by a proper courfe of fchool educationthey might eafiiy make.But if unhappily our city fhall not be roufed to actionby the example of Perth, if our principal people,being too bufy and careful about other things, fhallnegledt or poflpcne a thing fo needful, we make notthe Lead doubt but that other populous tov/ns inthekingdom, where fuch an academy may be as neceffaryas it is here, will a(£t a more generous and fpiritedpart, and will v/ifely facrifice a fmall expence toform the minds of their children, to accomplifh themfor btifmefs, and to make a gentleman-like figure inconverfation.Meantime ufeful arts and valuable knowledge willflour ifh at Perth. In a commeixiaJ fenfe, at leaft,Perth will be the modem Athens of this country ;numbers of young men, propeny educated there, willfpring abroad, and make a figure in the feveral tradingtowns of the nation, and particularly in this greatcity. Strangers will, by the fuperiority of their parts,acquire great fortunes j they will lead and conduftthe affairs of this city, and be refpecled by the nobilityand gentry, while our fons, free born citizens,through want of education, will be humble and tameunder the fway of greater merit, and make no becomingfigUl'C.Thefe are events eafiiy forefeen.The example ofPerth is not that which Ihould chiefly influence us ;it is the necefiity, the vifible neccflity of the educationpropofed. Let the Perth fcheme be ill contrived,let it be worfe executed -, fuppofe there be fome,
LETTERS, TRACTS, B[r. 299who, from fordid love of lucre, are fquintlng at itwith an evil eye, and wifhing to blail it with theirnoxious breath j fuppofe they and their emilTaries beftriving to get hold of tliis hopeful infant, to cruih it,or to llifle it in its cradle ; nay, fuppofe, contrary toall probability, that its frightened and felf-intereftedenemies fhould be able with tlieir poifoned arrows toreach its vitals, and to lay its head in the duft •, it iscertainly poffible to contrive the plan of a manly andgenteel education for men of bufmefs, and to fecurethe execution of it, in this place. There are here agreat number who have been long and deeply practifedin commerce, who have great natural and acquiredabilities, and are poflefled of thofe attainmentswhich are ufeful and which are ornamental. Thefegentlemen are well qualified to direct the educationof young people who are defigned for bufy and a£livelife. And we muft agree, that, till this be done, ourcity will not make that figure in Great Britain whichit is capable of making, nor appear with a luflre inproportion to its trade, its wealth, and its greatnefs.On the difagreeable fuppofition that no academyis fet on foot here, and to prevent, were it in theirpower, the difagreeable and well forefeen efFe£^s ofthat negle£t,there are not wanting a number of judiciouscitizens who feem determined to fend theirfons to be educated at Perth, if they (hall be informedthat the plan agreed upon there is but as well executedas- it is contrived. We hope and afiure ourselvesthat "they will not be under the neceffity of-fending them out of our own cityfor that purpofe.We•At any rate, you know our mind by this letter..hope to be exempted from your fatire ; or, if youfometimes play it off in our company, we will confitlerit as not intended perfonally againft ourfelvesunwilling however to join you in it, even though wefee it juft, we will beg leave to be filent.You fee, Sir, that we pay all poffible deference to
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29^LETTERS, TRACTS, l^C.fefs that we betrayed fome fymptoms <strong>of</strong> that duhicfs,and that <strong>ca</strong>releflhefs about our children, for which wehave been fo <strong>of</strong>ten blamed j or that we miftook ourchildrens intereft, and efteemed a fmall faving <strong>of</strong> moneyto be <strong>of</strong> more importance to <strong>the</strong>m than <strong>the</strong> am^pie fortunes <strong>the</strong>y might be fitted to acquire, and all<strong>the</strong> great and fliining improvements in tafte and fcience,which by a proper courfe <strong>of</strong> fchool edu<strong>ca</strong>tion<strong>the</strong>y might eafiiy make.But if unhappily our city fhall not be roufed to actionby <strong>the</strong> example <strong>of</strong> Perth, if our principal people,being too bufy and <strong>ca</strong>reful about o<strong>the</strong>r things, fhallnegledt or p<strong>of</strong>lpcne a thing fo needful, we make not<strong>the</strong> Lead doubt but that o<strong>the</strong>r populous tov/ns in<strong>the</strong>kingdom, where fuch an a<strong>ca</strong>demy may be as neceffaryas it is here, will a(£t a more generous and fpiritedpart, and will v/ifely facrifice a fmall expence t<strong>of</strong>orm <strong>the</strong> minds <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir children, to accomplifh <strong>the</strong>mfor btifmefs, and to make a gentleman-like figure inconverfation.Meantime ufeful arts and valuable knowledge willflour ifh at Perth. In a commeixiaJ fenfe, at leaft,Perth will be <strong>the</strong> modem A<strong>the</strong>ns <strong>of</strong> this country ;numbers <strong>of</strong> young men, propeny edu<strong>ca</strong>ted <strong>the</strong>re, willfpring abroad, and make a figure in <strong>the</strong> feveral tradingtowns <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> nation, and particularly in this greatcity. Strangers will, by <strong>the</strong> fuperiority <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir parts,acquire great fortunes j <strong>the</strong>y will lead and conduft<strong>the</strong> affairs <strong>of</strong> this city, and be refpecled by <strong>the</strong> nobilityand gentry, while our fons, free born citizens,through want <strong>of</strong> edu<strong>ca</strong>tion, will be humble and tameunder <strong>the</strong> fway <strong>of</strong> greater merit, and make no becomingfigUl'C.<strong>The</strong>fe are events eafiiy forefeen.<strong>The</strong> example <strong>of</strong>Perth is not that which Ihould chiefly influence us ;it is <strong>the</strong> necefiity, <strong>the</strong> vifible neccflity <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> edu<strong>ca</strong>tionprop<strong>of</strong>ed. Let <strong>the</strong> Perth fcheme be ill contrived,let it be worfe executed -, fupp<strong>of</strong>e <strong>the</strong>re be fome,
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