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Dispense and diffuse it-gild empire like day,
Convinced that with freemen full knowledge is sway!"
"Tis Ignorance mainly binds people in chains,
'Tis this too the empire of Folly maintains!

Vice shrinks from instruction like Ghost from the light;
And Despots shun noon-tide and covet the right."

The discovery of the art of printing and of manufac turing paper, gives us a vast ascendency over our ancestors in the propagation of knowledge. Dr. Darwin very properly, and very elegantly, calls the " PRINTING PRESS" the most useful of modern inventions; the capacious reservoir of human knowledge, whose branching streams diffuse sciences, arts and morality, through all nations and ages.”

Let us suppose Confucius, Socrates and Seneca, were permitted to resume the possession of their former bodies and estates; and remain on the earth for five years.. Would they not be transported with ecstacy, on beholding a paper-mill and a printing press. And yet would they not weep with regret and wonder, to find how few of the inhabitants even of civilized and apparently enlightened portions of the earth, are in possession of the inestimable moral precepts which they had, with so much labor and solicitude, prepared and bequeathed to mankind? Seneca possessed an immense quantity of wealth. Would he not seize the opportunity with rapturous avidity, and invite his two benevolent colleagues to share with him the happiness, of enlisting, with his treasures, every papermill, printing press, type-maker and printer, that they could find, and devote the five years, totally, to the propagation of their wisdom to the remotest regions of the Globe.

"It is a truth which cannot be too strongly impressed, that of all our exertions for the benefit of our fellow creatures, the education of the poor is the most efficacious."[Moir.]

Finally, that ignorance is generally the radical source of vice and poverty, with their consequent train of compli :cated calamites; and that intelligence generally produces results directly the reverse, are truths no longer problematical. Facts have shown their claims to the consideration of the legislator and the moralist. It now only remains to ascertain the most expeditious, economical,

and practicable method, by which the universal diffusion of useful knowledge can be accomplished.

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In the early period of my youth, a gentleman of the law, who resided in the vicinity of my father's house, at New-Lebanon, (N. Y.) kindly invited me to make as much use of his excellent library as I wished, observing that he was pleased to see young persons attached to reading, and glad to encourage them in the improvement of their minds. I accepted the privilege with gratitude, and improved it with persevering assiduity, as far as my leisure permitted, for several years. also purchased shares in two public social libraries. the age of 17 years, convinced of the inestimable benefits of reading useful books, I anxiously desired that they might, if possible, be extended to the great mass of the human family; and endeavored to discover some effective plan for this purpose.. Indigence, which in most nations involves the majority, appeared to present the greatest obstacle. Hence the suggestion occurred that governments, or associations of individuals, might promote the object, by establishing in various districts, free circulating libraries, to be equally accessible to all class es and sexes without discrimination. With a view to confirm the practicability of the project, as well as to benefit the youth of the vicinity, I commenced a subscription of money and books, for the establishment of a free juvenile library. The association consisted of the youth of both sexes, from the age of 12 to 21 years, under the title of “ The juvenile society for the acquisition of knowledge." As there is seldom a youth in that district of country, that has not been taught the art of reading,the acceptance of the privilege was unanimous, and its effects evidently

*

* Dr. Moses Younglove, of the city of Hudson, patronized the library by a donation of about a dozen volumes of books, and addressed to me an encouraging letter, dated at Hudson, 19th September, 1804, which he concludes thus:

"I am much gratified to find your endeavors promising of utility, so far beyond what I anticipated when you first consulted me; for considering your youth and inexperience, I then feared your sagacity would be insufficient, but I must do you the justice to acknowledge the contrary result.

"From your friend,

"M. YOUNGLOVE.”

salutary. The society and library continued to accumulate for several years. The permanency of the institution has, however, been since interrupted by the frequent rotation of the office of librarian, and by the difficulty of enforcing a compliance, with the bye laws. These inconveniences might be avoided by locating the libraries permanently in school-houses or academies, or in the care of some civil magistrate, and by having the bye laws confirmed by the legislature. The choice of suitable books to be purchased or admitted in donations, ought to be decided by a competent committee. Well selected free public libraries, it is believed, would form a very important auxiliary of public instruction, in all our schools, academies, hospitals, alms houses, cantonments, bride wells, goals, state prisons, penitentiaries, work houses, &c. &c.

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The utility of this method of promoting moral improvement might be rendered doubly extensive if governments, or societies were to procure the execution, upon a large scale, of several of the most essential books on the conduct of life, and furnish them to all free library companies, at prime cost.

Having been at the city of Philadelphia at the time. the "Pennsylvania society for promoting public Economy," was instituted I communicated a sketch of the above plan, in a letter dated the 4th June, 1817, to Roberts Vaux, Esq. one of the members of the Common Council of the city, who was the chairman of a committe, ap. pointed by the society, on public schools. He inform ed me that the committee considered the idea new and valuable, and had instructed him to introduce it in his report of a system of public education which it was contemplated to adopt. He said they considered the plan particularly adapted for the benefit of numerous apprentices, who are prevented, during several years of their service, from attending public schools, by their occupations.

Having formerly published a small volume of anony mous Essays under the title of the "Intellectual Flambeau," treating principally on morals and the diffusion of know. ledge,(from which, part of the materials of this pamphlet is derived,) the following letters were addressed to me, which, as they contribute to elucidate the subjects now under consideration, I think useful to insert.

Sir,

From Samuel L. Mitchell, L. L. B. &c.

NEW-YORK, June 12th, 1816.

The mail brought me, a short time since, a copy of your Intellectual Falmbeau. I find thereby that you have exerted your mind zealously and long in favor of beneficence and knowledge. It is agreeable to see your detached essays and fugitive pieces collected into a book. It was fine saying, "gather up the fragments that none be lost."

It is a peculiar feature of our social condition in the Fredish dominions, that information is so generally spread among the people. There is another trait of character, of no less importance, the disposition to do what is right. The theory of those articles of our political constitutions, is derived from the consideration that our citizens, in the exercise of the elective franchise, are wise to understand, and virtuous to do, their duty. And while this state continues, we shall be the happiest nation on earth. But a being possessed of knowledge without virtue is a terrible creature, and comes up to my definition of a devil.

You have done well to oppose the torrent of distilled spirits that is overwhelming the land, and threatening ruin to its human inhabitants. The breaking of the levee at New Orleans, or the dykes in Holland, is not half so dreadful or destructive to the prospects of the proprie tors respectively, as the breach of the barriers of tempe rance by whiskey and rum. They are the torment and poison of the moral world. Great indeed will be the merit of him who can apply an effectual antidote. In the distribution of praise in this world, sufficient credit is not given to the author of Mahomedan religion for having forbidden the use of vinous liquors. But the effects of ardent spirits are by no means confined to the moral world. They extend to the physical part of man's constitution, and cause palsies, apoplexies, dropsies, drunkenness, madness, and a number of other woes.

Go on and he not weary in well doing. Be not discour aged; but continue to render yourself happy in endeavors to better the condition of your fellow-creatures.

Accept the assurance of my esteem. and regard.

J. TORREY, Jun. Esq.

SAMUEL L. MITCHILL.

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From Isaac Briggs, of the Society of Friends.

Esteemed Friend,

WILMINGTON, Del. 6 mo. 12, 1316.

With pleasure and approbation I have read thy little. book entitled, "The Intellectual Flambeau;" and if this declaration from me be deemed by the author of any im portance, it is freely at his service.

It has long been my settled opinion that knowledge diffused among the people, is the best foundation for civil liberty and happiness; and the more extensively it is diffused, the broader and more firm is the foundation, and the more glorious the superstructure.

To perpetuate the blessing of liberty, let the education of youth be considered an important and honorable employment let those who have plenty assist, gratis, those who have but little-let one youth be taught by precept and example, that in using our reasoning powers, truth is the only legitimate object, and that candor is always due to an opponent in argument.

Thus a soil may be prepared in the youthful mind, from which will readily spring useful knowledge and the sweet charities of society-and envy, malice, hatred and partyspirit would have little or no room to grow.

Collections of useful and instructive books in different neighborhoods would, in my opinion, powerfully promote all these valuable ends. A very light contribution from the purses of the rich and honorable would, in every neighborhood, without expense to the poorer classes. place much useful knowledge within their reach, and even invite them to partake of it. The scheme appears to me fully worthy of an experiment, fairly made; and I am glad to find that my friend, the author of the Intellec tual Flambeau, has devoted some of his time and talents to objects so interesting.

DR. JESSE TORREY, Jun.

ISAAC BRIGGS.

From Simon Snyder, Gov. of the state of Pennsylvania.

Sir,

Ignorance is the dark but broad foundation, upon which the tyrants of the bodies and souls of men erect their thrones. The general diffusion of knowledge is on the

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