THE COFFEE PLANT. 147 



for society if it could in some way be saved from the 

 present inundation of books of light reading. It is 

 not the time only that is spent in poring over them but 

 they render the mind incapable of devoting itself to the 

 quiet, solid information that would be useful, and render 

 every man possessing such knowledge a useful member of 

 society. It may be safely supposed that one per cent, of 

 those capable of reading, and who do read, do not give 

 five per cent, of their leisure time to that useful study 

 that would tend to promote society. A Mrs. Trollope 

 or any other old Mrs. that might write some exciting 

 stuff the divorced the disappointed the courtship 

 the newly-married the rake the suicide, &c. will 

 command more attention than all the philanthropists in 

 whose hearts a holy love is ever burning, and whose 

 heads are ever engaged in deep study for the good of 

 their fellow-creatures. Were Father Mathew to write a 

 book to-day, after all his heavenly ministrations, a book 

 that would, if read, lead thousands to happiness it is 

 doubtful, if it was handed to any of our great periodical 

 publishers, with the manuscript of some novel from the 

 pen of any of the well-known novelists, whether Father 

 Mathew's book would not be rejected, the novel published, 

 and prove a good speculation. And this is the great 

 improved society of 1851. 



However, to return to my subject. The coffee plant 

 should be introduced into America not as a speculation 

 by which fortunes are to be realized ; any that would 

 move in the matter for immediate profits, probably would 

 be disappointed ; but it is easy for any one possessed of 

 a garden, to have a few plants, and in that manner let 

 the growth proceed gradually in these States, I have 



