An Address [pp. 760-769]

SOUTHERN LITERARY MESSENGER.
that you may make your selections with judgment, and spring from relations of universal existence throughout
afterwards prosecute your studies with energy and per-, the human family-relations from whose influence none
severance. By the late arrangement of the visitors in of us can possibly escape.
regard to the Master's degree, our scientific courses are But it is said that even if these subjects be of such
as extensive asat any other institution in this country, universal application, they may easily be acquired in
and one of them, the moral and political, is believed to after life when we have appeared as actors upon the
be more extensive than in any other institution known great stage of the world. Then it is affirmed we may
to us. And this will lead me to say a few words on the begin the study of morals and politics to most advanpolicy of our board of visitors in establishing so exten- tage, when theory and experiment may go hand in
sive a course. hand-when we may correct the visions of an over Many persons are under the impression that moral wrought imagination by the plain and palpable realities
and political studies need not be prosecuted at college- that exist around us. This opinion is certainly erronethat the physical and mathematical sciences are the ous. The period of youth is the proper time to commost important subjects, and should be studied to their mence these studies. You have come up here, gentleexclusion. This opinion seems to be based upon the men, with minds and feelings not yet hackneyed in the
popular notion that moral and political subjects may be beaten walks of a business life. You are now enlisted
comprehended without the assistance of a teacher, and in no mere party warfare. Your hopes have not yet
may consequentlybe prosecuted to most advantage when been damped by disappointment, nor your energies been
the student has finished his collegiate career and entered deadened by adversity. All your affections and symupon the great theatre of life. This impression is cer- pathies are warm and generous. Your hearts and heads
tainly erroneous and highly pernicious; and in justifica- have not been besieged by cold, inveterate selfishness,
tion ofthe system which we have adopted in our own col- or perverted by unreasonable and noxious prejudices.
lege I must employ a few moments in attempting to ex- You have as yet set up no false idols in the temple of
plain its thorough fallacy. In the first place then, I have the mind. Addicti jurare in verba nullius magistri. You
no hesitation in-aflirming that moral and political studies stand committed to the cause of truth and justice alone.
are the most important of all. These subjects are of Under such circumstances you are in the best possible
universal application; they concern every member of condition for the reception of pure and virtuous princithe human family. We cannot escape their influence or ples. Now is the time to imbibe the great lessons of
connection, no matter what may be our destiny through morality and to study the general and elementary doclife. The great highways, and the little by-ways, of our trines of government and politics. A little time hence
existence, if I may be allowed the expression, alike pass you will have entered upon the bustling, busy theatre
through the regions of morals and politics. From the of the world. Your private interests and party prejuvillage gossip who tells the tale of her neighbor's equivo- dices will then rise up at every step to cloud your minds
cal conduct, and significantly hints that it was no better and pervert your judgments. Your moral and political
than it ought to be, to him who watches the movements researches will no longer be conducted with a single eye
of empires and penetrates the secret designs of states- to truth and justice, but the demon of party will too
men, all are concerned in these universally applicable probably exert an irresistible control over the little resubjects. It is a matter of very little practical conse- publics of the mind and heart.
quence to us what may be the opinions of our neighbor There are no sciences which require the same full,
in mathematics or physics-whether he believes two free, and generous exercise of the feelings of the heart,
sides of a triangle may be less than the third, or that as morals and politics. In the fixed sciences, it is a
the earth is the centre of our system, and that the sun, matter of very little concern to us what the character of
moon and stars revolve around it. We may laugh at the fact may be; all we aim at is mere truth. We do
him once or twice during the year for his ignorance, but not care whether a triangle should have two, three, four,
his opinions wound none of our sensibilities and run or five right angles; all we are in search of, is the mere
counter to none of our interests. But the moment our fact, the real truth. Whilst we are conducting the inopinions clash upon the subjects of morals and politics, quiry, all the passions and active feelings of our nature
that moment the case is altered. The opinions of my are laid to rest, and the intellect is left alone and unbineighbor are no longer indifferent to me. If he has assed to move directly to its results. But when we have
notions of morality under which he is constantly con- reached the region of morals and politics, then do we
demning my course of life, or a system of politics en- find that all the passions, propensities and principles of
tirely at war with mine, then does the collision become our nature are brought into full play. The whole
indeed a serious one. It was a matter of very little human being, as he has been made by our Creator,
moment to Castile that King Alphonso should believe becomes then the important subject of our researches,
the solar system miserably defective in its arrangements, and we can never arrive at just conclusions without a
and that he could suggest some most important improve- due consideration of all the forces which are in action.
ments in it. But the case was seriously altered when he And this is one reason why these are really the most
believed that he was responsible to God alone, and not difficult of all sciences.
to his subjects, in the administration of his government, Hence, gentlemen, the wisest and greatest statesmen
and that his wisdom was sufficient to make and unmake have been generally found among those who have dithe laws of his country. The fact is, morals, politics and rected their minds at an early period of their lives to
religion are the great concerns of human nature. They morals and politics. Such men become deeply imbued
with the great principles of those sciences in their youth.
site for the degree of A. B. because of their well known character They arc early taught to worship at the shrine of truth,
and importance. while the ardent feelitig of devoted patriotism banishes
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