406 Comparative Encouragement to the Study, fyc. 



has come into the pale of civilization, at almost as late a period 

 as that of the United States, stands first and most illustrious, 

 in this most intellectual age, for the protection astronomy has re- 

 ceived, and for the progress which it has made. It is not, in our 

 humble opinion, sufficient for the citizens of this great country, 

 that its friendship should be sought on account of its resources, or 

 that we should glory alone in holding up the example of its free 

 institutions, as a light to other nations ; we ought to claim some 

 admiration for it, on account of that wise liberality, which, 

 whilst it lays the foundation for some intellectual renown, tends 

 to develope all those resources, which lay within the province 

 of natural science. 



To have established a just government among men, is a high 

 meed of praise; to govern so as to bring the greatest attainable 

 quantity of happiness among them, is a still greater : this cannot 

 be done without high intellectual improvement, nor can we con- 

 ceive of any branch of knowledge more congenial to the inge- 

 nious minds of the people of this extensive country, than that 

 comprehended by natural science. A society, too, framed like 

 ours, can best be defended from the dangers of its own institu- 

 tions, by the only practical equality, — an equality in intellectual 

 attainments : and we must say, that independent of the comforts 

 and facilities which men procure to themselves by the study of 

 nature, and nature's laws, natural history is to be preferred 

 above all other pursuits, for the still more exquisite enjoyment 

 we receive in the contemplation of the power and wisdom of the 

 author of creation. 



It is for these reasons we should rejoice to sec a moderate ap- 

 propriation apj)lied by congress, towards the support of an in- 

 stitution for natural history, to be established at Washington ; 

 by means of which, the representatives from the diflcrcnt states 

 might acquire sufficient taste and knowledge, not only to turn 

 their attention to their own districts, but to enrich the institu- 

 tion with geological collections. With very moderate means, 

 judiciously employed, a geological map of the United States 

 might be constructed, that would be both useful and honourable 

 to the country ; and if somctliing of this kind is not done, this 

 will soon be the only country in Christendom without a proper 

 knowledge of its own mineral resources. Let it he remembered, 

 too, that this is a country fertile above all others, in interesting 



