16 INAUGURAL ADDRESS. 



Here its affectations, puerilities, poverty of thought, 

 demoralizing influence and immoral teachings and ten- 

 dency can be shown in a way that will deeply impress on 

 all thoughtful minds the value of literary sincerity, high 

 moral purpose, purity, truth, faith. Here, too, the 

 claims of authors and their works, which are generally 

 neglected, if not forgotten, may be revived and success- 

 fully pressed. "Any one," says an eminent writer, "who 

 will take the trouble to ascertain the fact, will find how 

 completely even our great poets and other writers of the 

 last generation have already faded from the view of the 

 present, with the most numerous class of the educated 

 and reading public. Scarcely anything is generally read, 

 except the publications of the day. Yet nothing is 

 more certain,' 1 he adds, "than that no true cultivation 

 can be so acquired." 



It is much, in every view, to have a clear and cleans- 

 ing and refreshing stream from the fountains of "Eng- 

 lish pure and undefiled," flowing into our literary life. 

 It is much to have the flame on our altar of literature 

 fed by the finest beaten oil of former centuries. If any- 

 thing can, the contrast of its pure and steady and per- 

 vading radiance with the meteoric flashes and fantastic 

 colored lights, of much of our modern popular writings, 

 will check the growing desire for mere sensationalism, 

 which as a method degrades, as a means deceives, and as 

 an end destroys. While we regard the Institute's litera- 

 ry record with high satisfaction, we anticipate its work 

 in this department with exhilarating anticipation. 



ART. 



No object could be more timely or important than that 

 which aims to promote useful knowledge in the depart- 

 ment of art. 



Several years ago it was declared by an intelligent and 

 careful artist-author, that "the art-idea had taken full 



