402 Comparative Encouragement to the Study, SfC. 



tion of the promoters of this society, we entertain a just and 

 a favourable opinion. There are many good men, and some 

 excellent minds engaged in this project, which deserves a success 

 we do not believe it will meet with. That Philadelphia repre- 

 sents the scientific literature of the country, is evident from the 

 fact of its contributing eight works out of the twenty furnished 

 by the whole United States. We would not say that in this 

 city there are greater minds than in any of the other large cities, 

 but every plant has its region where it flourishes, and in this 

 systematic and rectangular abode of steady men and agreeable 

 women, there is much good sense. The men take time to act, 

 because their actions are the result of system ; they take time 

 to think, even in their pleasures, which are moderate and lasting, 

 because they are generally the pleasures of the mind. It is im- 

 possible to live long in Philadelphia, without perceiving in the 

 quiet regulations of society, in the comfortable cleanliness, in the 

 benevolent administration of its institutions, and in the tempe- 

 rate, yet general pursuit of knowledge ; the influence of that 

 excellent spirit which still hovers over the city of brotherly love, 

 and with which heaven itself seems to have inspired its illustrious 

 founder, William Penn, one of the most conspicuous ornaments 

 of the human race. 



The following summary will exhibit the number of scientific 

 publications, as well as the population of the countries whence 

 they are issued : 



Number. Population. 



England 35 - - - - 22,000,000. 



France ... 



Germany, including Prussia, 



Austria, ... 



Italy, excluding Austria, 



Russia, ... 



Sweden, ... - - 9 



Denmark, ... 



Norway, - - - - 



Holland, ... 



Belgium, . - - • 



Poland, ... 



Two Sicilies, ... 



Savoy, ----- 2---- 



Switzerland, .... 7 ... 2,000,000. 



Cape of Good Hope, - - i . . . - 



East Indies, ....4 ... 



New Holland, ... l.... 



Java, .....1 ... 



Havanna, . - - . 2 - • 



