powers of intellect?

Hence it seems to follow, that man is more like and more equal to
man, deformities of body and abortions of intellect excepted,
than the disdainful and fastidious censors of our common nature
are willing to admit.

I am inclined to believe, that, putting idiots and extraordinary
cases out of the question, every human creature is endowed with
talents, which, if rightly directed, would shew him to be apt,
adroit, intelligent and acute, in the walk for which his
organisation especially fitted him.

But the practices and modes of civilised life prompt us to take
the inexhaustible varieties of man, as he is given into our
guardianship by the bountiful hand of nature, and train him in
one uniform exercise, as the raw recruit is treated when he is
brought under the direction of his drill-serjeant.

The son of the nobleman, of the country-gentleman, and of those
parents who from vanity or whatever other motive are desirous
that their offspring should be devoted to some liberal
profession, is in nearly all instances sent to the
grammar-school. It is in this scene principally, that the
judgment is formed that not above one boy in a hundred possesses
an acute understanding, or will be able to strike into a path of
intellect that shall be truly his own.

I do not object to this destination, if temperately pursued. It
is fit that as many children as possible should have their chance