The Life of George Combe; Author of "The Constitution of Man." Volume 2 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1878 edition. Excerpt: ...learning in a knowledge of the classics. The proper clerical curriculum of education has nearly stopped at that point, and the educated layman now often surpasses the clergyman in the knowledge of the general laws or principles on which God has constituted the world and regulated all it contains. The priest, thus left behind and imperfectly acquainted with the practical working of nature's laws in active social life, and amidst the conflicting interests of men, is led to fix his attention only the more strongly on his own doctrines, and is liable unconsciously to limit his pupil's mental vision to his own horizon. Living in the happy valley himself, and prevented by the rules of his order from going beyond its confines, he will not allow his Prince to cross to the other side of the mountain chain, and see man and his doings for himself. Freedom of thought and action are thus quenched in their earliest growth, and discontent and feebleness and prejudice installed in their place. Let there be a priest, by all means, to teach him his religion and its bearing on the practical duties of life, but do not set a priest to preside over a course of general education for which he is of necessity entirely disqualified. The Prince is to be educated for active life and not for the church; and it would be as wise to send a future bishop to be educated exclusively by an astronomer, philosopher, or politician, as to place a prince under the superintendence of a bishop. "Above all attainments, the Prince should be trained to freedom of thought, and to a firm reliance on the inherent power of sound principles, political, moral, and religious, to sustain themselves and produce practical good when left in possession of a fair field of development. Such an education a...