A PUBLIC LIBRARY.

[The following is an extract from a letter of Mr. EDWARD Everett to the Mavor of Boston, on the expediency of a public library, dated June 7th, 1851.]

IN the letter which I had the honor of addressing to you on the 7th of August last, I spoke of such a library as the completion of that noble system of public instruction which reflects so much honor upon the city and does so much to promote its prosperity. I am anxious to give greater prominence to this view of the subject than it has yet received.

The city of Boston expends annually, I believe, a larger sum for schools and school-houses, in proportion to its population, than any city in Europe. Nothing like the same sum is appropriated by the city of London for these purposes. By this noble liberality the means are provided for giving our children of both sexes a good education up to the age of sixteen or seventeen. This is done at the public expense and for public motives. Individuals, as such, have no more claim upon the public for their education than for their board and clothing. The first principles of popular government require that the means of edu cation should, as far as possible, be equally within the reach of the whole population. This can be effected in no other way than by a system of education supported by the public. The same great motive of public policy requires that the schools should be of a very superior order, so that every child may receive not merely an education, but an excellent education; as good as could be got at the best and most expensive private schools. I know of no place where these principles are so thoroughly carried out as in Boston; in other words, where so great an equality exists in reference to the inestimable benefit of an early education.

This however is the case only up to the age when school education is at an end. We provide our children with the elements of learning and science, and put it in their power by independent study and research to make farther acquisitions of useful knowledge from books-but where are they to find the books in which it is contained? Here the whole principle of equality sadly fails. The sons of the wealthy alone have access to well-stored libraries; while those whose means do not allow them to purchase books are too often debarred from them at the moment when they would be the most useful. We give them an elementary education, impart to them a taste and earnest desire for further attainment, books a necessary of intellectual life, vision for supplying them.

inspire them with an which unite in making and then make no pro

I would not overrate the importance of book-learning. It is of little value without original inquiry and original thought. But good books are the record of the original inquiry and thought of able men ;- which surely do not lose their value by being put upon paper for the benefit of others. Every one regards an opportunity of personal intercourse with men eminent for talent and learning as a great privilege and source of improvement; to study their works is most effectually to culti vate this intercourse. It is generally impossible, from the nature of the case, to have personal intercourse with any persons of eminence, except a very few of our own countrymen and contemporaries. By books we get access to the great men of every country and every age.

Is it not then a reproach to our city, that, as far as the means of carrying on the great work of instruction beyond the limits of school education are concerned, no public provision exists in favor of those unable to indulge in what is now the expensive luxury of a large library? Where is the young engineer, machinist, architect, chemist, engraver, painter, or student in any of the professions, or any of the exact sciences, or any branch of natural history, or of moral or intellectual philosophy, to get access to the books which are absolutely necessary to enable him to pursue his inquiries to any advantage? There are no libraries in Boston which, strictly speaking, are public. The library of the Athenæum and other similar collections are private property. They are administered with all practical liberality; but are not and cannot be open to the public. Nothing is left to young men who cannot afford to buy books, but to borrow them of individuals; a very precarious and inadequate dependence, and one of which but very few can take advantage.

For these reasons I cannot think that a public library, well supplied with books in the various departments of art and science, and open at all times for consultation and study to the citizens at large, is absolutely needed to make our admirable system of public education complete; and to continue in some good degree through life that happy equality of intellectual privileges which now exists in our schools, but terminates with them. And I feel confident that with such moderate coöperation as I have indicated on the part of the city, reliance may be safely placed upon individuals to do the rest. The public library would soon become an object of pride to the citizens of Boston; and every one would feel it an honor to do something for its increase.

THE

MASSACHUSETTS TEACHER.

Vol. IV. No. 9.] ELBRIDGE SMITH, EDITOR OF THIS NUMBER. [September, 1851.

[Report from the Boston Traveller.]

MEETING OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF INSTRUCTION.

KEENE, N. H., AUGUST 12, 1851.

THE Twenty-second Annual Meeting of the American Institute of Instruction, is now being held at the Town Hall in this place. The first session commenced this morning at 10 o'clock. A numerous audience of ladies and gentlemen were in attendance, most of them members of the Institute, and engaged in teaching in various sections of the Union. The exercises were opened with prayer by Rev. Dr. BARSTOW of Keene. The President, GIDEON F. THAYER, Esq., of Boston, then addressed the audience as follows:

"Respected Inhabitants of Keene :-Induced by the encouraging assurances of many of your prominent citizens, the American Institute of Instruction has come among you to hold its twentysecond anniversary. It has come to gratify no selfish purpose, to promote no personal interest; but to do what it may to excite, and to aid in fostering in this community, a desire for improvement in the great concern of humanity-universal education.

"Its scope is not local to a State, but extends throughout the Union. It has held its annual meetings in all the States of New England, and feels bound to go wherever a special need or strong desire exists for its operation and influence.

"It rejoices in the call to this delightful village, and hopes, at the close of its present session, to have added many friends to its cause, and many members to its roll.

"Although the field of its labors is national, it is a child of the Old Bay State; its head-quarters are the capital of that State; and hence-trusting that you cherish the sentiments of your ancestors we entertain the hope that it will have your sympathy and friendship-not only from your regard to its object, but also because of the place of its origin. Your fathers were warmly attached to old Massachusetts; we hope the same affection rests in the bosoms of their sons.

"In the annals of your town for 1740, we read, that:

"The proprietors being informed that, by the determination of His Majesty in Council respecting the controverted bounds between the province of Massachusetts and New Hampshire, they are excluded from the province of Massachusetts Bay, to which they always supposed themselves to belong :

"Therefore, unanimously voted, that a petition be presented to the King's Most Excellent Majesty, setting forth our distrest estate, and praying we may be annexed to the said Massachusetts province.'

"Your county has been aptly styled the Oasis of New Hampshire.' Long may it merit the appellation; and long may the searcher after the waters of truth, intelligence, and civil liberty, find here a resting-place from his toil, and refreshing pasturage for his hungry mind. And while your daughters, by their gentle manners, their domestic virtues, and lady-like accomplishments, induce the sons of other towns and other States to come and make your treasures theirs, may a bond stronger than that of the national union bind us all together, in those ties fraternal which death only can sever."

Mr. L. C. CHAMBERLAIN of Keene, in behalf of the citizens of this place, thanked the members of the Institute for having honored the town by their presence on the occasion of this anniversary. The town, he said, bore about the same relation to that in which their last anniversary meeting was held, as the State in which it was situated did to the State of Massachusetts. There were no objects of peculiar attraction to be witnessed; but he could assure them that they would find the citizens not indifferent to the cause of popular education. That subject, in fact, had engaged the attention of the citizens of Keene for a long series of years. The State of New Hampshire could not boast of any peculiar excellence in her common schools, but she had long understood that the education of her people must be attended to before any other interests. He congratulated the Institute on the large and enthusiastic gathering, and expressed the hope that their deliberations on this occasion, might result

in much good to the cause which they had assembled to promote. Mr. Chamberlain extended an invitation to the members of the Institute to visit the citizens of the town at their abodes.

The PRESIDENT briefly responded.

The Secretary then read the proceedings of the last annual meeting, held at Northampton, Mass., Aug. 13, 1851.

Reports from several committees upon the business affairs of the Institute, were then read and accepted.

On motion of Mr. SWAN of Boston, a vote of thanks was passed to the Legislature of Massachusetts, for the grant of $300 per annum, for five years, made at its last session in aid of the Institute.

The President then introduced to the audience Hon. GEORGE N. BRIGGS of Pittsfield, Mass. Mr. Briggs remarked that he was somewhat embarrassed by the hour assigned for his address, for an extemporaneous speaker wanted all the circumstances he could avail himself of, in order to create excitement and enthusiasm. It had been announced that the Introductory Address was to come from him, but whatever remarks he had to make might have been as well assigned to any other part of the session. He wished to consider the subject of education, in relation to the duty of governments in regard to it, and the benefit resulting from the performance of that duty, and also the rights of the children of successive generations, as they followed one after another in human society. He did not doubt that those before him felt that the subject of education was one of present interest, and of future and all-enduring interest. He did not doubt that there was an active generation of men now upon the stage, who would not fail to perform their duty in relation to this important matter. Fortunately, under the dispensation of good and wise laws, we had not now to commence a wise course of universal public education in New England. The system of public education went back to the landing of the Pilgrims. The Puritans laid the platform, and proceeded to establish principles of universal education. Two great principles occupied their minds: they were, the worship of God as their first duty, and the education of children as the next in importance. Following these ideas, they first built meeting-houses and then school-houses. They were wise men; they knew that man possessed an intellectual and a moral nature, and if one was cultivated and the other neglected, evil would of course follow. The head and the heart were two as distinct departments in human nature as were the different departments of government.