1782] REV. WILLIAM SMITH, D. D. 67 



The idea is truly animating, and in the hope of its being realized, a 

 friend to mankind cannot but adore that Providence which (in portion- 

 ing out the countries of the new world among the nations of the old) 

 gave that part of America, which seems ordained to preheminence of 

 improvement above the rest, to an enlightened and civilized people — 

 professing themselves the votaries of knowledge and freedom in their 

 purest and most improved state. For however flattering it may be to 

 consider the growth of these rising States as tending to increase the 

 wealth and commerce of the world ; they are to be considered in ano- 

 ther more serious view, as ordained to enlarge the sphere of Humanity. 

 In that view the great interests of civil liberty, the parent of every 

 other social blessing, will not be forgotten; but every true citizen of 

 the States will consider himself as a chosen instrument for supporting 

 her cause in the new world, at a time when drooping or decaying in the 

 old ; and will accordingly rejoice to water the tender plant that hath 

 taken root among us, and to rear and shelter it from the storm, till it 

 shoot up into a great tree, "sending forth its boughs unto the ocean, 

 and its branches to the utmost rivers." But in this great work, we are 

 not to trust to the most successful struggles either against foreign or 

 domestic enemies, nor yet to the best constituted forms of government 

 for the preservation of our civil or religious rights. We must strive to 

 maintain our own virtue — We must avoid the snares of luxury, venality 

 and corruption among ourselves. We must regard the great concerns 

 of religion and another world. We must attend to the rising genera- 

 tion. The souls of our youth must be nursed up to the love of liberty 

 and knowledge; and their bosoms warmed with a sacred and enlight- 

 ened zeal for everything that can bless or dignify their species. 



In short, lasting provisions must be made by good education, for 

 training up a succession of Patriots, Lawgivers, Sages and Divines ; for 

 liberty will not deign to dwell, but where her fair companion knowl- 

 edge flourishes by her side ; nor can governinient be duly administered 

 but where the principles of Religion, Justice, Virtue, Sobriety, and 

 Obedience for conscience-sake, are upheld. 



Every well-regulated Seminary of Learning, therefore, that promises 

 to exalt the genius of our country, and to become the means of diffusing 

 useful knowledge still further and wider over this great continent, 

 should be an object of general regard, wheresoever it is founded ; for 

 in this respect, we have but one common interest to pursue. 



It is hoped, then, that we may now have leave to mention " Wash- 

 ington-College in the State of Maryland," as an institution of this 

 kind, well worthy of the encouragement of the public in its present 

 infant-state, and more especially of the inhabitants of the Peninsula for 

 whose more immediate advantage it is founded. 



Altho' some considerable provision had been made by former Legisla- 



