406 Nations lately become Literary. 



profession. Such is the career of ninety-nine our 

 of an hundred of those in our country who belong 

 to the learned professions. When the alternative 

 either lies, 6x is supposed to lie between erudition 

 and poverty, or comfortable affluence and mode- 

 rate learning, it is not difficult to conjecture which 

 side will be chosen; nor is it suprizing that, in such 

 a state of things, there should be less profound 

 erudition, less elegant accomplishment in litera- 

 ture, than where a considerable number enjoy all 

 the advantages of exemption from laborious duties* 

 and all the accommodations of opulent leisure; 



To this circumstance may be ascribed the su- 

 perficial and unpolished character of many of our 

 native publications. All that their authors, in 

 many cases, want, to render them more replete 

 with instruction, more attractive in manner, and, 

 of course, more worthy of public approbation, is 

 leisure. But, able only to redeem a few hasty hours 

 for literary pursuits, from the employments which 

 give them bread, they must necessarily, if they 

 publish at all, send forth productions, from time to 

 time, bearing all the marks of haste and immature 

 reflection. 



3. Want of encouragement to learning. Men 

 cannot be expected to labour without the hope of 

 some adequate reward. Genius must be nourished 

 by patronage, as well as strengthened by culture. 

 Where substantial emoluments may be derived 

 from literary exertion, there, and there alone, will 

 it be frequently undertaken to any considerable 

 extent. Hence, in those countries where genius 

 and learning are best rewarded* there they are 

 ever found to be most cultivated. In the United 

 States, the rewards of literature are small and 

 uncertain. The people cannot afford to remunerate 

 eminent talents or great acquirements. Booksel- 

 lers, the great patrons of learning in modern times> 



