6. The improvement of man de- 
pends on his will and exertions— 
But it is also limited by circumstan- 
ces and physical organization. 
7. Every scholar must believe no 
one born superior to him, and that 
he is capable to learn any thing by 
himself — This is faith and pride! 
8. Scholars must be praised for 
their exertions, but no rewards given 
in schools for better capacity, or ef- 
forts, as they are insults on others, 
— Then emulation is to be destroyed! 
9. Nothing else is to be praised 
but exertions, patience, docility, la- 
bor, and virtue. — Thus attention, 
quickness, good behaviour, cleanli- 
ness, care of books, &c. will deserve 
no praise! 
10. Elocution and composition, 
find all models in Telemachus! — 
Nonsense! 
Every new system is not therefore 
an improvement. This appears egre- 
giously ridiculous, and calculated at 
best to make children mere parrots. 
To teach every thing by Telemachus 
or any single book, is like teaching 
geography and history by walking 
the streets of a single city. 
Telemachus may be used to teach 
spelling, reading, writing and lan- 
guages like any other spelling book; 
but other books are required to form 
the style and clothe the mind. The 
only useful result likely to come out 
of this monobiblic system, will be 
that many books shall be translated 
word for word in interlines, a valu- 
able requisite to understand langua- 
ges and grammars. We ought to 
begin by the bible which has never 
been yet thus translated, although 
often proposed. 
Benj. Franklin, June. 
89. Impediments to Knowledge, 
Literature and Science, in 
the United States. 
They are so many that a volume 
would be required to state them at 
length: we can merely enumerate 
a few and leave them to the painful 
reflections of liberality and patriot- 
ism. 
1. There are no patrons of litera- 
ture and learning as in some other 
polished and wealthy countries. 
2. Booksellers who are become 
such elsewhere, do not deserve that 
name here. Few copyrights are 
bought except from men of popular 
fame. 
3. This popular fame is not ac- 
quired by modest worth or plain 
merit, but by puffing chiefly. 
4. In England patronage, cring- 
ing, and flattery are needed to help 
authors. In France and Germany 
some merit, besides cabals and in- 
trigues. But here much noise, scrib- 
bling, puffing and recommendations. 
5. Authors despising these means, 
have no chance of success whatever 
be their merit. The best men and 
writers must use them when begin- 
ners. 
6. Thus booksellers are enabled 
to puff and sell the trash they deal 
in, and pamper or feed the depraved 
taste of misguided readers: while 
good books are neglected or not 
even known for lack of puffers. 
7. Reviewers are seldom impar- 
tial, being guided by prejudices, pre- 
dilections and venality. 
8. Authors venturing to publish 
their own works, must pay a tax of 
50 per cent to booksellers, or make 
the public pay it by adding it to cost 
which is 100 per cent on first cost. 
9. A book costing Jg 1 , that could 
be afforded at g2, must be retailed 
at g3, to enable the bookseller to 
get their third, or §1 commission 
without any advance. 
10. The interest of money, adver- 
tisements, postages, &c. often absorb 
most of the publisher’s or author’s 
profits. 
11. The booksellers take little or 
no trouble with books not their own, 
they do not even show them unless 
asked for, and hide them in lofty 
shelves. Their desks are filled with 
novels and trash, good and rare 
books are kept out of sight. 
12. Few booksellers have any 
capital, they deal chiefly on credit 
or commission, yet pay high rents 
