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ments in Europe have enjoyed greater celebrity than 

 others, and what, in my humble opinion, is necessary 

 for their prosperity. 



The erudition, diligence, and ingenuity, of their pro- 

 fessors, the attention and support bestowed upon them 

 by government, the extensive scale of their establish- 

 ment, the PUBLICITY AND LIBERALITY OF THEIR 



PROCEEDINGS, and a concurrence of minor circum- 

 stances, have rendered several pre-eminently great. 

 These establishments SHOULD BE "OPEN," not only 

 to the talents of the particular country in which they 

 prosper, but should stand as a centre of union for the 

 talents of all countries, distributing their premiums to all 

 with the impartiality of justice, and the discernment 

 of truth ; should thereby assuage in some degree the 

 animosities which the artificial divisions of mankind into 

 separate states and societies have produced : the mere 

 distinctive names of which are alone sources of hatred 

 and dissension, and should thereby UNITE ONE CLASS 

 OF MEN, who perhaps never ought under any circum- 

 stances to be otherwise than united ! 



In London, we have the Royal, London, Surry, and 

 Russell Institutions, and several others are either already 

 established, or in their growth; as the Athenceum, at 

 Liverpool ; Stonyhurst, in Lancashire, &c. : they all 

 have met with that support naturally to be expected 

 in a nation so enlightened and refined as the Bri- 

 tish. A tribute of respect is due to the public spirit 

 and munificence of our countrymen, thus liberally be- 

 stowed upon the encouragement of learning. The list 

 of subscribers to the Royal Institution fills a thick 

 octavo volume, and the amount of sums that have been 

 subscribed to it is very considerable. The subsciiption 

 to the London Institution filled in a few hours, and 

 lectures were delivered last year both at the Surry and 

 Russell rooms, 



All these establishments are nevertheless upon a com- 



