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Untitled Article
required to keep fast hold of certain dogmas , without inquiring into their soundness , and award implicit faith to certain doctrines which , submitted to investigation , might proye the reverse of truth . This remark applies particularly to the political and religious creeds which are carefully instilled into youth according to the peculiar notions of
instructors . * The principle in any system of education which conceals from the view of the student any part of a question , and seeks to convey to his understanding a particular impression only , is entirely wrong , and in many cases fatal to the best powers of mind . To this source , as well as organization , may doubtless
be attributed the apparent scarcity of high intellect , compared with tHe prevalence of common-rnindedness and imitation . That there must be a difference , a superiority and inferiority in the constitution of the mind as extant in different individuals , is highly probable ; but , were the principles of education less dogmatic , it may safely be affirmed , that an equalization of human intellect might be nearer attained . The qualities of soils essentially differ , but cultivation , with observance of
peculiarities may do much with even one deemed hopelessly sterile . Helvetius , indeed , believed the character to depend solely upon education . An eminent philosopher of the present age has advanced tjie opinion , that " man is more like and equal to man—defqrmities of body and abortions of intellect excepted , than the disdainful and fastidious censors of our common i i . _ _ _
nature are willing to admit ; " and that , " putting idiots and extraordinary cases out of the question , every human creature i § endowed with talents which , if rightly directed , would show him to be apt , adroit , acute , and intelligent in the walk for which his organization especially fitted him / 'f But the common principles of education are unfortunately not calculated for educing the mental powers , and bringing them into an extensive field of action , but tend to confine them within narrow limits . Nor are they adapted for ascertaining
" the walk for which organization has fitted" the child . Let us begin with the earliest stage of existence , and an absurdity , common enough in occurrence is at once apparent . A pursuit in life is frequently determined upon by parents for an infant , while yet it is in tne cradle , and a plan 01 education chalked forth accordingly . The prejudices of many per-Bons upon the profession to be followed by their offspring are
impregnable against all argument of reason , although it is a point of such vital importance as to involve , not only the permanent happiness or misery of the individual , but perhaps Religion will not be toiichedupon here ; it being extremely difficult to offer observations which shall not be offensive to some party . t Godwin . Thought * on Man . Essay II .
Untitled Article
Bit Cur km y Remarks on Prejudice .
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), May 2, 1836, page 312, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2657/page/48/
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