Three Absurdities of Certain Modern Theories of Education [pp. 265-292]

Developes a Proper Individuality.
individualism? Or when may we look for less of true origi nality than at a time when every child is taught to repeat this
inane self-laudation, and all distinction of individual thought is
lost, because no man has room for anything else than a barren
idea of progress, a contempt for the past, and a blinding reve rence for an unknown future? The appeal is made to history
and experience; let them answer.
When, on the other hand, a broad humanity is thus made the
pervading and controlling idea of education, especially of what
we call liberal education, the individual characteristics them selves, it may be repeated, are more truly brought out and
made available, because grounded on so sure a foundation. He
stands out most distinctly from the rest, who has the most of
this common humanity. All genuine reformers have ever first
looked back, and built on old fundamental principles which had
become unsettled or obscured. Such have been the most pro minent as individuals, from the very fact that more than others
have they exhibited in themselves:the power of the common
mind. They have led and fashioned the spirit of their own age,
because, more than other men have they possessed the spirit of
all ages.
The world has seldom, if ever, been truly carried forward by
minds of an opposite class. Whenever and wherever there has
been a true and powerful awakening of the human soul, such as
has left its deep mark on succeeding times, then and there we
look in vain for any of that cant which now -presents itself in so
many boasting and offensive forms. There is more talk of
"new ideas," and "great developments," and the "wonderful
age," and "our most remarkable period," in one modern lecture
before a young men's association, than in all the political and
philosophical writings which distinguished the stirring periods of
sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. We may often hear more
of it in one sermon than the most thorough search could find in
all the writings of the Reformation; although every thing in
that new, and changing, and deeply exciting state of things
might be naturally supposed to stimulate to such a style, had
there not been something of an opposite nature which tended to
keep down all false inflation. In fact, the age was too serious a
one for any such gasconade; it was too deeply occupied with an
1851.]
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