At all events, we find as society becomes less conservative and pedantic, and more truly and practically enlightened, a growing tendency of all other classes, except the literary and clerical, to omit this supposed linguistic discipline, and apply themselves directly to the more immediate duties of their calling; and aside from some little inconvenience at first, in being outside of caste, that they do not succeed quite as well in advancing their own interests in life, and the true interests of society, there is no sufficient proof.

Indeed, I think the exclusive and extravagant claims set up for ancient lore, as a means of disciplining the reasoning powers, simply ridiculous when examined in the light of those ancient worthies who produced that literature, or the modern ones who have been most devoted to its pursuit, in this country and in Europe. If it produces infallible practical reasoners, we have a great many thousand infallible antagonistic truths, and ten thousand conflicting paths of right, interest, duty, and salvation. If any man will just be at the trouble to open his eyes and his ears, he can perceive at a glance, hew much this evasive discspline really does, and has done, for the reasoning faculty of man, and how much for the power of sophistical cant, and stereotyped nonsense; so that if obvious facts, instead of verbose declamation, are to have any weight in the case, I am willing to join issue with the opposers of the proposed scheme, even on the bare ground of its superior adaptation to develop the mental powers of its pupils.

The most natural and effectual mental discipline possible for any man, arises from setting him to earnest and constant thought about the things he daily does, sees, and handles, and all their connected relations and interests. The final object to be attained, with the industrial class, is to make them thinking laborers, while of the professional class we should desire to make laborious thinkers: the production of goods to feed and adorn the body being the final end of one class of pursuits, and the production of thought to do the same for the mind, the end of the other. But neither mind nor body can feed on the offals of preceding generations. And this constantly recurring necessity of reproduction, leaves an equally honorable, though somewhat different career of labor and duty open to both; and, it is readily admitted, should and must vary their modes of education and preparation accordingly.

It may do for the man of books to plunge at once amid the catacombs of buried nations and languages, to soar away to Greece or Rome, or Nova-Zembla, Kamskatka, and the fixed stars, before he knows how to plant his own beans, or harness his own horse, or can tell whether the functions of his own body are performed by a heart, stomach and lungs, or with a gizard and gills.

But for the man of work thus to bolt away at once from himself and all his pursuits in after life, contravenes the plainest principles of nature and common sense. No wonder such educators have ever deemed the liberal culture of the industrial classes an impossibility, for they have never tried, nor even conceived of any other way of educating them, except that by which they are rendered totally unfit for their several callings in after life. How absurd would it seem to set a clergyman to plowing and studying the depredations of blights, insects, the growing of crops, etc, Ac., in order to give him habits of thought and mental discipline for the pulpit; yet, this is not half as ridiculous, in reality, as the reverse absurdity of attempting to educate the man of work in unknown tongues, abstract problems and theories, and metaphysical figments and quibbles.

Some, doubtless, will regard the themes of such a course of education as too sensuous and gross to be at the basis of a pure and elevated mental culture. But the themes themselves cover all possible knowledge of all modes and phases of science, abstract, mixed, and practical. In short, the field embraces all that God has made, and all that human art has done, and if the created Universe of God, and the highest art of man, are too gross for our refined uses, it is a pity the " morning stars and the sons of God," did not find it out as soon as the blunder was made. But, in my opinion, these topics are of quite as much consequence to the well-being of man, and the healthful development of mind, as the concoction of the final nostrum in medicine, or the ultimate figment in theology and law, or conjectures about the galaxy or the Greek accent; unless, indeed, the pedantic professional trifles of one man in a thousand, are of more consequence than the daily vital interests of all the rest of mankind.

But can such an institution be created and endowed? Doubtless it can be done, and done at once, if the industrial classes so decide. The fund given to this state by the general government, expressly for this purpose, is amply sufficient, without a dollar from any other source; and it is a mean, if not an illegal perversion of this fund, to use it for any other purpose. It was given to the people, the whole people of this state - not for a class, a party, or sect, or conglomeration of sects; not for common schools, or family schools, or classical schools; but for " An University," or seminary of a high order, in which should, of course, be taught all those things which every class of citizens most desire to learn - their own duty and business for life. This, and this alone, is an University in the true, original sense of the term. And if an institution which teaches all that is needful only for the three professions of law, divinity, and medicine, is, therefore, an University, surely one which teaches all that is needful for all the varied professions of human life, is far more deserving of the name and the endowments of an University.