Georgia & Carolina gazette. (Petersburg, Ga.) 1805-18??, August 07, 1806, Image 4
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Ear the ueorgia ex. cakojlina
Gazette.
OBSERVATOR.
NO. VII.
EDUCATION is a fubjeft
which has been dlh uffcd b* so
many, and by fl>mc, in foable
;> manner ; I fhali content my
felf with a ft w general remarks.
These remaiks Hi all be intro
du&ive ro an eftabhihmenr,
which I have miicfvat heart.
For three centimes pail, while
men have progrefiVd continually
in the arts and fcitnres; while
the means of knowledge have
been multiplied. to every nation
of Europe, and to Americans;
while the wisdom of sages, and
the experience of ir.ftru&ors
have been employed to drvife
plans to facilitate the progress
of learners; verv little atention
*
has been given to the ‘duration
of the fairrft part of creation.—
It would frem from chi- general
neglect that chritbans them ftl vt s
hdievrd in the principle of
Mohammed, which denies to
woman the existence of an im
mortal mind. From the pecu
liar condition of woman, many
fubjefts of knowledge are im
proper. Deep fk 11 >n the ma
thematic-*, and natural philoso
phy ; an extensive knowledge
of politics and fore gn relations,
are not to be willied. But an
acquaintance with geography,
hiftorv, biograph v,’ and arkh
mr'ic are abiolutely nectffary.
A beautiful gM wsrh a common
genius, and a ibmmon educa
tion, is lc) inferior to what is
poffibie from due inftrudtion,
that flie seems little better than
requifice for the continuation of
the species. She can afford but
small comfort to a companion
in alleviau< g the carts of life;
fhc car.n>t sooth the lrklbmeneis
of a melancholy hour’ with the
fvreet con vale of varient wit
aid humor; nor diftil the flow
of wisdom from her ruby bps.
Her ideas are few ; her manners
. are the fame mechanical forms.
All loon becomes an old story,
and the repetition is viewed
with irdiff: rent e.
Elow different is the condi
tion of a well informed woman ?
Even eloquence acquires new
charms floni the m ficof her
voice and the grace of her
manners. She is the ornament
ofevery company ; youth draws
inftru&ion from her dilcourfe,
and oid age plays truant with
her words.
America has been remarka
bly backward in female educa
tion. We hear our grandmo
thers tell what miferabie school
ing they had in their youth,
and if wc view the matter in us
true light, we fhali perceive no
great amendment fincc. What
is the education of an American
lady ? A mere tolerable power
of reading, a moderate acquaint
ance with four or five of the
easiest rifles of. arithmetic, and
fome th rty or fifty novels and
romances, illy chosen, in which
she learns nothing real. De
icriptions of vice, more detesta
ble than is to be found , of
virtue more puie and delefhbler
than ever falls to the lot or hu
manity. Such books are not
only u (clefs, but they corrupt
rh integrity of the heart,— *
They give erroneous pf&ures of
life, and lead the mind to form
to itfelf Icenes of happiness,
which it can never enjoy. To
think fl-ghtly of many, who a
gree not to an imagined* Rand
arc! of perfl&ion, and to think
idolarrr nfly of others, who hap
pen in fome measure, to resem
ble f me favorite heroes of
romance. However, I would
mak an exception of fome la
dies in the N rth and a few in
the S- uth, whole literarv ac
quirements make riot the lead
among their many excclltncies.
Perhaps, in no part of the world
have the young ladies so much
time on hand to complete an
education, founded on good ru
diments, as the ladies of the
South.
In Georgia, a fate rapidly in
creasing in wraith and in num
bers, the ladies have much time
for reading. It would be diffi
cult to difeover whether more
than one third of their rime,
were necefTanly employed in the
duties of life. 1 hen allowing
one third, a great allowance, to
making and receiving visits, to
bads, and excursions ofpleafure,
Sec, —one rhird might be devo
ted to books. Wh.it a n-<b!e
employment! How much more
productive of happineis and uti
lity; than the many frivolous a
mulements, which, principally,
occupy the moments of moft
ladies, the short space between
their cradles and their graves ?
A lady fond of reading good
books, but not too much given
to the habit, and frequently,
mixing refledion and conven
tion with her reading, is never
without enjoyment, and is al
ways able to afford pleasure and
fetisfadion to others.
Negied of improving their
tbinds, is not imputable only to
the ladies. Few gentlemen of
Georgia are fond of reading;
and none have more leffure for
books. But the learning and
knowledge of the rising gene
ration cannot be objedsof small
importance to their parents. It
is also very true, that books are
the molt fruitful sources of a
musement to old age. At that
time of life, when a!molt every
other earthly comfort has failed,
when the affections are in a great
measure abated, and our fbnd
nels for the 12-ing world is cool
ed, it is pleasant to hold calm
conversion with pafl times.
In the northern flares, public
libraries are very frequent—
There is scarcely a tovvnfhip of
four, five, or Tix miles square,
which has not a library of three,
four, or five hundred volumes.
Thtle are the common flock
of the owners; who are often
numerous, cor.fifting, perhaps,
of fiftv,. or sixty heads of fami
lies alFjciated, who from their
good regulations a f e never in
commoued in the use of their
books. In fome townships,
there are two, or more libraries.
The number of books which
every member has a right to
draw, is in refped to his num
ber of (hares; and the time of
Ids tiling them is in refped to
the number taken, 6nd to the
number of fharcs. The plan
wh>ch I would propose for the
town of Pe erfburg and the
neighboring country, is noways
varient from the principles of
thole libraries which we have
oftrn seen.
Fnft, the library flinuld con
flfl of the following kinds of
books:—two f flerns of Geo
graphy, with maps and A Tiff s ;
Biography, Profane Hdlory,
ancient and modern—a bodv of
eccltflafl cal hifl >ty, voyages,
travels—a treatise of Ethics, or
morality, two or three fas—-
fome choice volumes of ser
mons Perhaps twenty vo*
Ernes of novels well feleded,
such as represent rhe world as it
is, for the use of male* and fe
males. A few volumes of the
b< ft B it fii P-ets—fome vo
lumes of sentimental pr >fe, mis
cellaneous i their nature—But
no prof ffional books, as on
law, phy fie, and divinity. A
library of such books wrl! fe
lt ded and proportionabl mix
ed, would romprehend the moft
import am fubjrds of enquiry in
our general reachng. Three
Hundred volumes w mid be a
g >od beginning. I'hefe in rheir
ft ft cost in New York, with
expen eof traffporcation, would
average two dollars per volume, 1
equal to 600 dollars, ‘i’hefe
fliould be divided into 100
(hares ; 6 and liars each (hare
No person ill uld be privileged
t<> the owning of more than j
ffiares. The money ar.fing
from the admission of new mem
bers, to be applied to the pur
chase of new books. The
(landing officers to be eleded
by the luff’ragvsof the member's
annually, are, a librarian, a
committee of examiners, of two
or three, whose duty it fhali be
from time to time, to examine
the ft. te of the library ; to m
fptd the condition of books
when returned ; to fine under
certain reftridions, when the
books are injured, and to colled
the fines. They fhali dispose
of all monies of the society un
der the diredion of the society.
No delinquent fliould be per
mitted to draw, until he has
paid the fine decreed by the
examiners, though he fliould
have the right of appeal from
the examiners to the society.
A treasurer to be chosen annu
ally—Let the place of the li
brary be so chosen and fixed,
as to accommodate the greaceft
majority of the owners. Sup
pose the time of drawing and
returning is eftabiifired to be
once in a month, at certain hours
on a fixed day; with a fine for
delinquency, decreed, levied,
and fubjed as aforefaid. Each
membtr for one share, fhali
have the privilege of drawing
three ordinary sized volumes,
for one month; for two shares,
fix such volumes; fome of the
larger volumes, counting at the
rate of two equal to three ordi
nary ones. Os the largest, one
equal to three ordinary ones.—
In all decisions of the examiners
and of the society, a mere majo
rity of the whole number of the
body, fliould decide the vote.
A library established on such
principles, would probably en
creafe by frequent accessions of
new members. In four years
time, it m-ght amount to fix or
eight hundred volumes. Each
member would have a choice
of books among a great variety
of ufeful ones. There would
be an exchange every month,
the/ the privilege of dou* jq.
the fame volumes for one m *
longer from thenexr librarv 0-
m ght be granted by the libra
rian. Thus each member, ia
the compass of the year, would
have the fame benefit from the
library, with a very lrttle more
trouble, that he could rnjoy
(r m an equal hb“ary of his ow,n.
Ail this pr fit would be enjoyed
for ts e small lum of fix dollars.
Private libraries in this coun
try are very small, badly (elect
ed, and almost unwoithy of the
name. What great prnfi- can
be derived from the perusal of
fu<h libraries ? I'here is no
thing • omplete on any
The be IT authors on the must
important fubj*. <sts, are wanting.
Perhaps the amount is, parr, of
the hi dory of England, by an
auth r of small repute —an anti
quated volume of Sweden—an,
odd v )Jume of France—part of
the life of Marlboro’—a dozen
liliierable novels and romances,
and fome of odd volumes;
thirty more mifcellau ous rub
bish.
Indeed it is diffi* ult to keep
a private library entire. If it
b a good one, of cor fiderablc
extent, the cost is too great ex
cept <.r a man of fortune. The
belt planters, and rs heft mer
chants have too many calls for
their money, to expend even
five hundred dollars, in the pur
chale of a library.
But all the poftihle bene firs
to be derived, in a general cour.e
of reading, are o be found in
the plan proposed. Newspapers
are excellent means of scatter
ing information, but a man must
be a miferabje ignoramus, who
has no other fouree of mfLuc
tion. The only benefit of
fchooL is to lay the foundation
of after mftrutflion—thev are
the mere (lamina of the plant,
which must after draw its n>*u
riftimenc from the world, to at
tain size, beauty and strength.
T he living world is but a small
part of the scope of human in
tellect. No man can be wife,,
who is contented with pafung
events, and he only, who com
bines the past with the present *
he alone is able to predict the
future.
VICTORIOUS,
w ILL continue thr FALI*
SEASON atmyStabk, c m
mencing the ift of Augtift and
expiring on the ift of OCt ber,
at fix dollars the season, payable
at Christmas next, with twenty'*
five cenrs cafti to the Groom.
ROBERT L. FAIT*
Elbert County ,
July jo, 1.806.
I FIND IT HIGH TIME TO
SPEAK. PLAIN.
OR the last time, I sincerely
rtqueft my debtors to make the
mod speedy payment, or liqui
date their accounrs, as I am de-t
termined to give no longer in
dulgence.
The Business will be carried
on as usual, with ntatncls, puno
tuulity and ddpatch.
TAMES PACE.
July 24, 1806.
a t tit coats Ot lilt
LAND AC I',
Foil Sals at this Cr r 1 A