This discourse was delivered by Erasmus Darwin MacMaster on November 7th, 1838, to commemorate his inauguration as the President of Hanover College in Indiana. The author expounds on the importance of education and the character that it fosters in its students, urging them to pursue truth and virtue. Through his persuasive and inspiring words, MacMaster encourages learners to become responsible citizens of their respective communities. This work is a valuable contribution to both the history of education and the development of American intellectual thought in the nineteenth century. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.