Nations lately become Literary. 409 



other obstacles which lie in his way, has often to 

 spend as much time and thought to obtain a parti- 

 cular book, as the reading it ten times would cost. 

 Our public Libraries are few, and, compared with 

 those of Europe, small. Nor is this defect sup- 

 plied by large private collections ; these are also 

 rare. And to render the evil still more grievous, 

 the number of literary and enterprizing booksel- 

 lers is yet smaller. It is only within two or three 

 years that we have begun to receive, with any kind 

 of regularity or promptitude, the best British 

 works as they issue from the press. 



Such are some of the causes which have hitherto 

 impeded the progress of American Literature. 

 Their influence, however, is gradually declining, 

 and the literary prospects of our country are bright- 

 ening every day. Letters and science are becom- 

 ing more important in the public estimation, 

 The number of learned men is becoming rapidly 

 greater. The plans and means of instruction in. 

 our Seminaries of learning, though by no means 

 improving in all respects, are, in some, receiving 

 constant melioration. The emulation of founding; 

 and sustaining a national character in science and 

 learning begins to be more generally fdt, and ? 

 from time to time, will doubtless be augmented! 

 A larger proportion of the growing wealth of our 

 country will hereafter be devoted to the improve- 

 ments of knowledge, and especially to the fur- 

 therance of all the means by which scientific dis- 

 coveries are brought within popular reach, and 

 rendered subservient to practical utility. Ameri- 

 can publications are every day growing more nu- 

 merous, and rising in respectability of character. 

 Public and private Libraries are becoming more 

 numerous and extensive. The taste in composition 

 among our writers is making very sensible progress 

 in correctness and refinement. American authors 



YOL. II. 3 G 



