we are taught to write, but very little care is taken to render our knowledge of this art useful. This is also the case with many other studies. Whence is it that so many are insensible of any connection between theoretical studies, and their practical use? It is a fact that this insensibility does exist, and it should be the business of teachers to reform the errour, by causing the student to speak grammatically in common. discourse, and to write his sentiments often for inspection; finally, to teach him, (what many are unconscious of) that his studies are designed for use. In regard to cultivating the instead of the mind, memory there are many teachers, who instead of teaching the scholar to understand his lesson, request him to repeat it only, by which means he obtains a mechanical knowledge of the arts and sciences, by the assistance of the memory, without any aid from the judgment, and without improving it. I have known some who committed their lessons to memory, and repeated them, without so far comprehending the instructions they contained, as to be able to answer any elementary quesIt can tion respecting them. be of little use to commit a lesson to memory, without understanding it, and a good scholar will comprehend a lesson much sooner than he can learn to repeat it, as a succession of words, without any ideas affixed to them, is with difficulty retained in the mind. He, who is taught in this manner, will improve the retentive faculty, and, with some assistance from his preceptor, will " hit on tolerable notions of the application of his lessons, but his own judgment will never lead him one step farther than he is guided by the direction of others; yet such scholars, from the facility with which they repeat their lessons, are often thought greater geniuses, (by those who are insensible that memory and judgment are incompatible in the same brain) than those who are so dull as to understand them. Nothing can be more hurtful than this inactivity of the mind, and those, who would obtain knowledge, should first learn to exercise the judgment. It is surprising to observe how many read without seeming conscious that any ideas are expressed by language. Many will read ed by language. a history of facts, or some work that requires but little abstract thinking, and fully comprehend the subject; but give them a treatise on ethics, or mathematics, and though they read apparrently with as much attention, and pause and emphasise with propriety, yet they will not be able to comprehend one idea. They read with the eye, whilst the mind is employed on something else. This capability of reading with the eye without the mind, is acquired by the faulty receive in education we schools, where the sentiment is made a secondary object, and the chief attention is paid to mechanical pauses, emphasis, and pro nunciation; where scholars are taught to spell words, but are left ignorant of their meaning; and where most of the books put into the hands of young readers are so far above their compre our hension, that they read them as a task, attending to nothing but the sound: they thus acquire a habit of reading without any observation of the idea, which habit is a great bar to the attainment of knowledge, and very difficult to overcome. I think it would be well to adopt Mr. Sheridan's plan for instructing scholars to read, for other reasons than those which he assigns. If children were taught to read in books, which should contain nothing but their own childish prattle, or sentiments not above their understanding, printed without any marks for the pauses, the idea would become the primary object, being that on which the pauses and emphasis depend ; and that being understood, their lessons, instead of being a task, would be interesting, and they would obtain the most essential point, that of understanding what they read. They should also be taught to spell from a dictionary, and examined concerning the signification of words, as well as their orthography, accent, and pronunciation. By these means the scholar will acquire a habit of understanding what he reads, and practising what he learns, which will be beneficial through life. GENERIC NAMES S. S. For the Country and People of the United States. FOR THE ANTHOLOGY. Mr. Editor, a geographical name for the United States, you will oblige another of your correspondents by giving at place in your Magazine, from the "New-York Daily Advertizer," a proposal on the same subject by Dr, Mitchill, A. Z. globe comprehended by the great Lakes, the Saint Lawrence, the THE portion of terraqueous no general denomination by which Ocean and the Missisippi, has it can be conveniently distin guished in geography. Its subdivisions and local names are appropriate enough and suffithere is still wanting one broad ciently well understood. and universal appellation, to designate and characterize the whole territory of the United States. appropriated and unappropriated But It was a great oversight in the Convention of 1787, that they try for which they devised a did not give a name to the counframe of government. Its citiDestitute of a proper name for zens are suffering every day for lack of such a generic term. their own soil and region, they awkwardly on the subject.-By express themselves vaguely and States;" this however is a po"United litical, and not a geographical title. By others it is called "America," and the inhabitants "Americans." But these epithets equally some it is termed belong to Labrador and Para- better than either of the others. What are we to do? Are we never to have a geographical distinction? Is the land to be forever called "United States," and its people "United-Statesmen?" And even then, on a supposition that the union should cease must the region it occupies be nameless ? It is in the power of the people to find and adopt fitting names for their country and themselves, These by common consent. ought to be expressive, concise, nervous and poetical. And any new word possessing these qualities, may serve to designate this part of the planet we inhabit.From such a word as a tadical term, all others proper for distinguishing the people, &c. may be derived. To supply this sad deficiency in our geographical and national nomenclature, the following project is respectfully submitted to the consideration of our mapmakers, engravers, printers, legislators, and men of letters. The authors of it are citizens of the United States, and are zealous for their prosperity, honour, and reputation. They wish them to possess a name among the nations of the earth. They lament that hitherto and at present the country is destitute of one. Let the extent of land ceded to our nation by the treaty of 1783, be distinguished henceforward on charts, globes, and in elementary books by the name of FREDON : : the etymology of this is obvious If however any of the favourites of the Muses desire a poetical name for this tract of earth, it is easy to supply them with one which sounds and pronounces to great advantage. Such an one is FREDONIA : which will meet the ear more excellently than Italia, Gallia, Parthia, Hispania, Germania, or even Britannia itself.--America and Columbia will retain their present signification, of extending to the whole Western hemisphere. The citizens and inhabitants of the United States when spoken. of generally, without reference to any particular state, may be known and distinguished as FREDONIANS. And thus such a person being asked in Europe or any other part of the world, from what country he comes, or to what nation he belongs, may correctly and precisely answer, that he is a FREDONIAN. And this will meet the ear much more nobly than" a Frenchman, a Spaniard, a Portuguese," "a Turk," and the like. Again, a monosyllable name. is perfectly easy to be obtained from the same root; and to him who thinks the last word too long or lofty, it will be wholly at his option to call himself a FREDE; and in this respect he will put himself on a par with a "Mede," and a "Swede." Moreover, should an adjective be desired to qualify expressions and facilitate discourse, there is such a thing immediately ready for use in FREDISH; and thereby we can speak of " a Fredish ship," or a "Fredish man," or a "Fredish manufacture or production," after the same manner and according to the same rule, by which we em ploy the adjectives British, Spanish, Danish, Turkish, and the like. Thus, our nation is in possession of a prosaic word for its whole territory, FREDON ; a poetical word for the same, FREDONIA; a grave and sonorous generic title for its people, property and relations, FREDONIAN ; a short and colloquial appellation, FREDE; and a convenient universal epithet, FREDISH. A language so rich and copious is scarcely to be found; and it is hoped our citizens will make the most of it. In case any of our countrymen should wish to express himself according to this novel dialect, the following is offered as an example, alluding to a recent subject of public discussion. "It has been a favourite object with a certain class of men to involve FREDON in a war with SPAIN, FRANCE or both of them, about the right of deposit on the Missisippi. The outrageous conduct of the Intendant at NewOrleans was indeed very provoking, but the FREDONIAN SPIRIT, though roused by just indignation was too temperate and magnanimous to rush immediately to arms. It was thought most wise and politic for the administration first instance, and accordingly, to attempt a negociation in the one of the FREDISH ships was ordered to be got in readiness to carry an envoy extraordinary from America to Europe. Should war become necessary for the national honour and security, our public enemies will find to their sorrow, that the FREDES will make brave soldiers and gallant sailors. Never will they quit the hardy contest until their deeds shall be worthy of being recorded in immortal verse, equally honourable to the bards and the heroes of FREDONIA." The radical word is also well adapted to songs and rhymes. And this is a great convenience and felicity in a national point of view. Observe, Mr. Editor, how prettily our poets can make it jingle? for instance, if the subject is warlike, then "Their Chiefs, to glory lead on "The noble sons of FREDON." Or if it is moral sublimity, "Nor Plato, in his РHEDON, 'Excels the sage of FREDON." Should it be commercial activity, "All nations have agreed on The enterprise of FREDON." Perhaps it may refer to our exports; why then, "The Portuguese may feed on The wheat and maize of FREDON." It may be desirable to celebrate our agriculture, as in the following distich, "No land so good as FREDON To scatter grain and seed on." On the supposition that a swain wishes to compliment his country-women, he may inform them that "The graceful nymphs of FREDON Surpass all belles we read on." And indeed if it is his desire to ejaculate in a serious strain, it may be written, "In this fair land of FREDON May right and justice be done." We give these as samples of what may be accomplished in this way, adding that the poet may easily contrast his country with SWEDEN, or compare it to EDEN, if he is puzzled for a rhyme. On the whole, Mr. Editor, we recommend these words to the serious consideration and speedy adoption of our fellow-citizens; that our common and beloved portion of the earth may thereby acquire a NAME, and be famous among the NATIONS. M. FOR THE ANTHOLOGY. ESSAY ON CIVILIZATION. (Concluded.) Scilicet omnibus est labor impendendus...... ATTENTION to the numerous arts, which embellish life, finds no reward, except in a state Of these of civil refinement. Vol. I. No. 8. W w the most remarkable are poetry Among other advantages of These are some of the immediate advantages, which are peculiar to civil society. In these are comprized the almost infinite variety of human comforts, that |