Page:History of the University of Pennsylvania - Montgomery (1900).djvu/244

240 To this early publication of the plan, by a bare suggestion of which, any Parent may know what Progress his son makes, and what is his standing, as well as what Books to provide, from Time to Time,* the Provost added the following remarks elucidating it and showing its merits ; he must speak for himself, and to abbreviate it would mar the force of his statement : Life itself being too short to obtain a perfect acquaintance with the whole circle of the Sciences, nothing has ever been proposed by any plan of University Education, but to lay such a general foundation in all the branches of literature, as may enable youth to perfect themselves in those particular parts, to which their business or genius, may afterwards lead them. And scarce any thing has more obstructed the advancement of sound learning, than a vain imagination, that a few years, spent at college, can render youth such absolute Masters of Science, as to absolve them from all future study. As far as our influence extends, we would wish to propagate a con- trary doctrine ; andtho' we flatter ourselves that, by a due execution of the foregoing plan, we shall enrich our country with many Minds that are lib- erally accomplished, and send out none that may justly be denominated barren or unimproved ; yet we hope that the youth committed to our tuition, will neither at college, nor afterwards, rest satisfied with such a general knowledge, as is to be acquired from the public lectures and exer- cises. We rather trust that those whose taste is once formed for the acqui- sition of solid Wisdom, will think it their duty and most rational satisfac- tion, to accomplish themselves still farther, by manly perseverance in private study and meditation. To direct them in this respect, the last column contains a judicious choice of the most excellent writers in the various branches of literature, which will be easily understood when once a foundation is laid in the books proposed in the plan, under the several lectures. For the books to be used as Classics, at the lecture hours, will not be found in this last col- umn, which is only meant as a private library, to be consulted occasionally in the lectures, for the illustration of any particular part, and to be read afterwards, for compleating the whole. The last book in the catalogue is the HOLY BIBLE, without which the student's library would be very defective. But tho' it stands last, we do not mean that they are to defer reading it to the last, it being part of our daily exercise, and recommended from the beginning. We only intimate, by this disposition, that, when human Science has done its utmost, and 4 Pennsylvania Gazette, 12 Aug. 1756.