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“To' ΓΝΩΘΙΣεΑΥΤΟΝ.”
Knowledge is said to be power. That is, that in proportion to the degree of knowledge, which a man possesses, he will exert an greater or less influence, on his cotemporaries and successors, or he will secure for himself, a greater degree of present, and future happiness, than, he otherwise would, if his mind were enshrouded, with the vail of ignorance. But unhappily for mankind, the best knowledge, is frequently omited, or left [or] neglected to the last. No science can be more important, than the one, to which the moto at the head of this essay, refers; “Know thyself.” This properly cultivated, will lay a solid foundation for every other attainment. It is usefull, [inthether] viewed, eather as connected, with our personal own interest, or the prosperity of our fellow men. He, who knows himself, will know how to accommodate his faculties, to the acquisition of the greatest good to himself. While he, who is ignorant of himself, will neglect his powers, or use them in a way irrelivant to his best interest. Thus a person unacquanted with the power of his memery and the extent to which this part faculty of the human mind may be improvd The mind is indivisable, it cannot have parts, but faculties
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will neglect its cultivation to his great loss; while he who has so studied himself, as to know the purposes for which this noble faculty was given, will take measures for its enlargement and strenghtening, and will make it the depository of useful knowledge, for future imemergencies. All those, who have studied and become accquanted with themselves, have found that they naturaly possess inherant attributes, wisely designed for their happiness. But they have found too that these attributes like oars unwrought in mines, are rude and uncultivated. They found that the greatest exertion was necessary to ascertain the value of every faculty; what were their moral defects, or natural failings, what measures were best calculated for their improvement, and the subserviency, for the great purposes, for which they were created. He who knows himself, knows that he is a dependent being; and, that as he posesses noble powers, constituting him an intelligent and moral agent, he is consiquently an accountable creature. Thus through the medium
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of self knowledge, an individual may be led to a sence of the duties, which he owes to Him, who is the author of his existance, and the giver of all his mercies. Nor is it lest profitable in leading to an acquantance with mankind. Many of the evils that befall us here, are owing to our ignorance of human nature. Persons who are worthy of our confidence, we often distrust, because we know not their worth. In others, who are unworthy, we repose implicit confidence, thro’ a want of imformation, and discover our mistake, only, when it is to late, to avert the consequence. But he who has studied human nature in himself, will know what it is in other men, and he will have an idex, that will le direct, with some degree of certainty into the charracter of others. How important then is this scienc knowledge to our personal own interest? Let the student then with all his getting, get this noble science. It is this that will lay a foundation for his future greatness.
