■Sect. III.] United States of America. 197 



and otiicrs, produced immediate and visible ef- 

 fects on the state of learning in the colony. Be- 

 fore their arrival there Avere scarcely any books 

 in use, but such as had been imported with the 

 first settlers; and of course little was known con- 

 cerning the most important publications, disco- 

 veries, and improvements, which had been laid 

 before the public in the course of the preceding 

 century. From these books, the instructors and 

 students of Yale college first learned the phi- 

 losophy of Locke and of Newton, as well as 

 the important improvements which had recent- 

 ly taken place in various departments of litera- 

 ture. 



It was some years after the establishment of 

 Yale college before the interests of literature be- 

 gan to. assume a promising aspect in Pennsjd- 

 vania. William Penn, being himself a learned 

 man, was a friend to the progress of knowledge. 

 We therefore find, that, under his auspices, there 

 was established, as early as 1689, a respectable 

 seminary for the instruction of j^outh, not only in 

 reading and writing, but also in the learned lan- 

 guages, and in the sciences. This seminary was 

 more particularly in the hands of the Friends, and 

 was no doubt useful in formins; many crood 

 scholars, and in producing a considerable degree 

 of taste for the acquisition of knowledge. The 

 celebrated George Keith* was. the first teacher 



'O' 



* George Keith was a native of Aberdeen, in Scotland. In 

 early life he belonged to the episcopal church ; but afterward 

 left that communion, and became a celebrated preacher amouij 

 the friends. In lt)92, having manifested a troublesome and 

 disorderly disposition, he was disowned by tliem, and in a short 



