Sect. III.] United States of America. 203 



taste for classical learning in the middle colonies 

 of America. It is true, the number of respectable 

 divines, physicians, and lawyers, was not small, 

 but the greater part of those who had attained to 

 any eminence had received their education in Eu- 

 rope, and almost all the instructors in academies 

 or schools were emigrants from Great Britain or 

 Ireland. But from this period a new era com- 

 menced. Native Americans began to discover a 

 taste for both ancient and modern literature, and 

 the interests of liberal knowledge began to 

 assume a more promising aspect. 



It is generally known that the clergy, in all 

 civilised nations, are the chief promoters of the 

 instruction of youth. Accordingly, it is a remark- 

 able fact, that in all those parts of our country in 

 which the clergy are most numerous, pious, and 

 exemplary, literature is most popular ; and in re- 

 viewing the literary history of the several Ame- 

 rican states, we find that useful knowledge has 

 been most early and most generally encouraged 

 in those parts of the country in which clergymen 

 of good character were most early and generally 

 settled. This remark was strikingly confirmed and 

 exemplified in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, at 

 the period of which we are now speaking. The 

 exertions made by some of the clergy of these 

 colonies, at this period, for the promotion of lite- 

 rature, M^ere unwearied and persevering, and de- 

 serve the most grateful acknowledgements. The 

 synod of Philadelphia embarked in this cause with 

 great zeal. They particularly favoured the aca- 

 demies of Dr. Allison and Mr. Blair, before men- 

 tioned. To the former they agreed to pay a 



