Nations lately become Literary, 407 



fire in America too poor to foster and reward the 

 efforts of genius. There are no rich Fellowships in 

 our Universities to excite the ambition of students; 

 no large ecclesiastical benefices to animate the ex- 

 ertions of literary divines/ Academic chairs are 

 usually connected with such small salaries, that 

 they present little temptation to the scholar; and, 

 finally, the State offers very inconsiderable motives 

 for the acquisition of knowledge, and the exertion 

 of talents. Its rewards are small, and its favour 

 capricious. Can it be wondered, then, that those 

 who have some acquaintance with books, and hold 

 important stations, are more anxious to secure per 

 cuniary advantages, and to place themselves in a 

 situation independent of popular favour, than to 

 make advances in literature, or to do honour to 

 their country by the display of intellectual pre- 

 eminence? 



Besides, the spirit of our people is commercial. 

 It has been said, and perhaps with some justice, 

 that the love of gain peculiarly characterizes the 

 inhabitants of the United States. The tendency 

 of this spirit to discourage literature is obvious. 

 In such a state of Society, men will not only be 

 apt to bend their whole attention to the acquire- 

 ment of property, and neglect the cultivation of 

 their minds as an affair of secondary moment ; but 

 letters and science will seldom be found in high 

 estimation ; the amount of wealth will be the prin r 

 cipal test of influence ; the learned will experience 

 but little reward either of honour or emolument; 

 and, of course, superficial education will be the 

 prevailing character, 



c The Author would by no means be understood to express an opinion 

 that such immoderately lucrative places, either in Church or in State, are' 

 on the whole, useful, or desirable. He is persuaded that they are much more 

 productive of mischief than of advantage. But that they often excite lite- 

 Irary ambition, and afford, in many instances, convenient and useful 

 leisure to literary characters, will scarcely fee questioned by those who h*ye 

 paid any attention to the subject, 



