Nations lately become Literary. 355 



century, enjoyed the advantages of a liberal edu- 

 cation, had received the elements of knowledge. 



In the year 1729 a small Library was sent over 

 to the city of New- York, by the " Society for pro- 

 pagating the Gospel in foreign parts/' for the use 

 of the Clergy, and other gentlemen of this and the 

 neighbouring governments of Connecticut, New- 

 Jersey, and Pennsylvania. This was the first pub- 

 lic Library that was introduced into the Province; 

 and it doubtless contributed, in some degree, to 

 awaken and extend a taste for reading. 



In 17S4 a Society was established in the city 

 of New- York, for the purpose of forming a pub- 

 lic Library on a larger scale, and upon a more li- 

 beral plan. This association soon received the 

 countenance of the public, and immediately began 

 to collect books. The Library, thus begun, has 

 continued to grow to the present time, and now 

 holds the third place among the public Libraries 

 of the United States.** This establishment fur-, 

 nished the first opportunity enjoyed by the citi- 

 zens of New-York, in general, of obtaining access 

 to a large collection of books. 



About this time some of the inhabitants of 

 New- York, the greater part, if not all, belong- 

 ing to the Episcopal Church, began to form the 

 design of establishing a seminary of learning on 

 a more extensive plan than any which had hi- 

 therto been known in the province. Animated by 

 the exertions made to found a College at Phila- 

 delphia, they undertook to erect a similar institu- 

 tion in their own city. At the head of the associ- 

 ation formed for this purpose was Mr. James 



«d The Philadelphia Library, including the Loganian, contains about 

 fifteen thousand volumes ; the Library belonging to Harvard College, 

 about thirteen thousand ; and the Library of New- York, about seven 

 thousand. 



