We should be far too from the discouraging persuasion, that man is fixed, by the law of his nature, at a given point: that his improvement is a chimæra, and the hope delusive of rendering ourselves wiser, happier or better than our forefathers were. As well might it be urged that the wild & uncultivated tree, hitherto yielding sour & bitter fruit only, can never be made to yield better
Perhaps the most eloquent moment of the report thus far, the founders of UVA acknowledge the capacity for everyone to learn, and reasons to think those less "cultivated" will indeed continue to produce "sour & bitter fruit" unless a quality education changes their fortunes. The founders emphasize that man is NOT fixed, which ties into the psychological concept of a fixed vs growth mindset (of which growth correctly states that intelligence is not fixed and is hugely subject to change. The fact that the founders, as expressed above, consider the unfair advantage of those who can capitalize on their "private & individual effort" and push the argument of a public institution accessible to even those less cultivated, is a testament to the forward thinking and encouragement of freedom that TJ and UVA are known for.