Sect. III.] United Slates of America. 217 



children in Yale college. From these sources 

 almost all the natives of New York, who, prior to 

 the middle of the eighteenth century, enjoyed 

 the advantages of a liberal education, had re- 

 ceived the elements of knowledge. 



In the year 1729 a small lil>rary was sent over 

 to the city of New York, by the " Society for pro- 

 pagating the Gospel in foreign parts," for the use 

 of the clergy, and other gentlemen of this and 

 the neighbouring governments of Connecticut, 

 New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. This was the 

 first public library that was introduced into the 

 province ; and it doubtless contributed, in some 

 degree, to awaken and extend a taste for reading. 



In 1754 a society was established in the city 

 of New York, for the purpose of forming a pub- 

 lic library on a larger scale, and upon a more 

 liberal plan. This association soon received the 

 countenance of the public, and immediately be- 

 gan to collect books. The library, thus begun, 

 has continued to grow to the present time, and 

 now holds the third place among the public libra? 

 ries of the United States*. This establishment 

 furnished the first opportunity enjoyed by the 

 citizens of New York, in general, of obtaining 

 access to a large collection of books. 



About this time some of the inhabitants of 

 New York (the greater part, if not all, belonging 

 to the episcopal church), began to form the de- 

 sign of establishing a seminary of learning on a 



* The Philadelphia librarj'-, includiiig the Loganian, contains 

 about fifteen thousand volumes ; the library belonging to Har- 

 %'ard college about thirteen thousand j and the library of New 

 "York about seven thousancl. 



