Mr. Butler's Discourse. 



195 



Europe and America would furnish from week to week such 

 exhaustless stores of interesting and valuable information, that 

 nearly all the objects of the journal might be obtained by judi - 

 cious selections. But as opportunities would be afforded for 

 original articles, we should probably receive many from our 

 members. Besides— we should have a journal for the early 

 publication of our transactions ; and its existence and the duty 

 of contributing to it, would stimulate the members of the In- 

 stitute to greater diligence in the cultivation of science. 



I do not flatter myself that we could so conduct such a jour- 

 nal, as to avoid all occasion for criticism, but I do believe that 

 we could do it with less liability to just exception, and with 

 greater prospects of usefulness, than any one individual, or any 

 other association. The interest we should all feel in securing 

 and retaining the confidence of the people, and of their repre- 

 sentatives — independently of other and higher motives — would 

 excite us to diligent and permanent exertion. 



The influence of such a journal if introduced into general 

 circulation ; the evils it might prevent, and the good it might 

 accomplish ; cannot be estimated by any human arithmetic. 

 You are to consider that either directly or through their pa- 

 rents and teachers, you might reach half a million of souls at a 

 period when they are most susceptible; and that whilst you 

 were making them acquainted with the improvements in the 

 arts, and with the progress of knowledge, the movements of 

 society, and the spirit and character of the age ; you might 

 become the instrument* of imbuing their young minds with 

 virtuous sentiments, and training them up to usefulness and 



It would be easy and delightful to dilate upon the benefits 

 which might result from these humble and unambitious la- 

 bors, and on the pleasures we should derive from their perform- 

 ance • but the occasion will not allow it. Sufficient however 

 has been said, to present the subject to your consideration, and 

 I trust, to secure to it, an early and favorable decision. (10) 



4. Next to the promotion of general education, I consider 

 the cultivation of a sound popular taste y and the encourage- 



(10) Sec NoU 10. 



