Fourth Lecture [pp. 561-568]

SOUTHERN LITERARY MESSENGER.
remedies. But I would respectfully suggest, that the
prevalent-I may almost say, total-unconcern in regard to the principles of conduct taught, and left antaught in our schools; the minutiae of their moral discipline; the reciprocal deception and counteraction between parents, teachers, and scholars: the directing
almost all efforts to the excitement of wrong and
highly culpable motives for study, must be entirely
abandoned, or all the movements of pupils in pursuit of
knowledge and virtue, will be departures, more and
more remote from the true course,-and leading to endless mischief. Not only must universal education become
the grand, the vital object of pursuit to all classes of
our citizens; but the true means of making it what it
should be, must also become objects of equal solicitude,
of ceaseless, zealous, and ardent investigation.
But I must postpone to another opportunity, many
views of this all-important subject, which I wish still to
present by way of recapitulation, as well as to supply
several omissions. Before I conclude however, suffer
me to address a few remarks to you on our approaching
Anniversary, as it will not be in my power-imuch as I
wish it-to attend on that interesting occasion.
Some notice, I believe, having been given of such remarks being intended for our present meeting, I hope
its unusual size will justify me in concluding, not only
that none of our first members have become weary of
their membership, but that many others who have not
yet united with us, have now determined to join this
Lyceum. Is any old member then ready to join me in
expressing this hope, I will not say to him as Henry
the 5th did to Westmoreland before the battle of Agincourt: "Wish not, good cousin, one man more;"' much
rather would I wish for as many more as the largest
room in your town could contain. Neither can I quote
Henry's language in regard to any who may be disposed
to quit us, (if there are any such,) by adding,
"Let him depart; his passport shall be made,
And crowns for convoy put into his purse."
In truth we have no crowns to spare for any such selfdestructive purpose. It accords much better with my
feelings, as well as with the confidence I have in the intelligence and public spirit of the citizens of Fredericksburg, to believe that our funds will be increased rather than diminished; that all of you desire to cherish
this social institution; and that even those who make
the lowest estimate of its benefits to themselves and
others, still rate them as cheaply purchased by their
very moderate annual subscription, the amount of which
is daily lavished by hundreds of us for that which has
really as little substantial good in it, as the mere "shadow of a shade." I would assert the cheapness of the
purchase in regard to every one who had acquired the
hnowledge only of one single useful fact, which he had
not known before; and who is there among us who can
truly say, that he has made no such acquisition? Much
more, then, may it be urged in regard to all who feel
that they now know many more such useful facts, of
which twelve months ago they were entirely ignorant.
The pleasure alone of witnessing once a week the highly gratifying proof, that so many of you as here meet
together, are cordially united for mutual improvement,
is worth incalculably more than is given for it. In this
behalf, I would respectfully say to each member, are
you a father, and yet unconcerned about increasing
your own knowledge for the sake of augmenting that
of your own offspring, yet ignorant that it is a most sacred duty? Are you a mother, and can you be destitute of that never-dying, affection for the children of
your bosom, which should impel you with resistless
power to seek every opportunity of hearing something, be it ever so little, which you can apply for their
benefit? Are you a son, a daughter, a brother, or a sister, and yet so regardless of the welfare and happiness
of all connected with you, so destitute of the love of
kindred, nay of self-love itself, in its only laudable
form, as to have no taste, no desire, no anxiety, for moral and intellectual culture? I will not for a moment,
suffer myself even to suspect that these questions could
be answered in the affirmative by any to whom I now
address myself. Rather let me continue to believe, even
if in error, that I behold in all of the present assembly,
ardent and zealous friends to all the objects of our association; friends, not for fashion sake, nor novelty, nor
idle curiosity, nor a mere time killing purpose, but true,
earnest, abiding firiends to the great cause of mutual
improvement. And by what means, I would confidently ask, so cheap, so convenient, so gratifying, as
nightly meetings once a week, for an hour or two,
could this cause be better promoted by persons occupied, as most of us are, in daily business and daily duties of indispensable obligation? Whatever is calculated to strengthen our convictions of the superiority of
intellectual and moral enjoyments to such gratifications
as are merely physical and sensual; whatever can elevate our minds so far above our animal appetites as to
assure us that they were never given to be our masters;
whatever can lead us to look beyond the present life
for the final consummating of all our aspirations after
happiness, and the fulfilment of our present duties to
God, to man, and to ourselves, as the sole means of
attaining this happiness-all these together, constitute the proper objects of education. And the more
we study, the more we love, the more we strive to
attain them, the greater share shall we here gain of
every earthly blessing-the larger portion shall we
enjoy hereafter of every felicity that an all-bounteous
God hath promised to the most faithful of his children
in the life to come. These momentous considerations,
my friends, require us to devote to them all our thoughts
and all our time not devoted to other equally indispensable duties; and I am ignorant of any associations
that might lead us to engage in them more advantage
ously, during what are called our leisure hours, than
Lyceums for mutual improvement, would we only avail
ourselves of them, as we well might do. To effect this,
all should be "hearers" in the cause, but many should
be "doers" also. The exercises of such associations
should never be left to be performed by only a very few
of the members. They should not be so very diffident
of their own powers, as always to be mere listeners; for
a large portion usually have some that might be beneficially exerted. The merit of good intentions would always be awarded to them, and that should suffice, even
where their efforts fell short of their own wishes.
But the great means to preserve, as well as to establish associations like ours, are for their members to cherish for each other benevolence, sympathy, and brotherly love. Such a bond of union wants nothing to make
it indissoluble (for it already possesses all the other
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