The physical culture adapted to the times : an address delivered before the Mechanical Association in Andover Theological Seminary, Sept. 21, 1830 / by Edward Hitchcock ; published by request of the Association.

  • Hitchcock, Edward, 1793-1864.
Date:
1831
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The physical culture adapted to the times : an address delivered before the Mechanical Association in Andover Theological Seminary, Sept. 21, 1830 / by Edward Hitchcock ; published by request of the Association. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    less degree, upon bodily efforts for securing a competent support. But if these efforts be not commenced in early life, they will never afterwards be successfully made. Now as no student knows where his lot will ultimately be cast, it is the part of wisdom early to habituate himself to these mechanical and-agricultural pursuits, on which he may be compelled partially to depend for subsistence. I know that the spirit of many a youthful and ambitious scholar, who has been brought up in affluence, revolts from the idea of thus eating his bread in the sweat of his brow, and of withdrawing a part of his attention from the cultiva- tion of knowledge, for grosser pursuits. But he ought to know, that the revolution of a few annual suns will greatly change his views and feelings on this point ; and a little mortifying experience may teach him at length, that even such a sphere of labor, as we are speaking of, may be large enough for his abilities, transcendent as they now seem to him. Many, indeed, placed by the hand of Providence against their wills, in such circumstances, have at length acknowledged the wisdom that appointed their lot; and found that no condition is more propitious to human happi- ness, than the union of literary with agricultural or me- chanical pursuits. It is most important, in a country like ours—indeed, in what country is it not important—that our educated men should be those of the richest native talent. And these, to say the least, are as likely to be found in the poorer, as in the richer classes of society. Means, therefore, should be provided for the education of youth of this description, who are without property. And especially does the Christian Church need, for ministers and missionaries, all the indi- gent and pious young men of talent in the land. The call for their services has long been loud, and is now become imperative. Nor ought Christians to rest satisfied, until every such youth among us is searched out and put upon a course of liberal education. But shall all these be sus- tained, through their ten years of preparation, by the hand