£32 
then becomes an eafy facrifice to the hatred 
and jealoufy of contending nations. The 
fimerican congrefs early fhowed a thirft 
for it, when, after having been fuccefsful 
in the reduction of Ticonderago and 
Crown Point, they refolved to purfue 
their defign of penetrating into the very 
heart of Canada; thus at once changing 
the ground upon which they had taken up 
arms when they declarcd they fought for 
hiberty, not conqueff. They nave purfued 
this {ch-me of aggrandizement ever fince, 
by purchafing for trifles the Indian lands, 
or driving the aborigines further wefiward, 
and by the acquifition of Louifiana. Pro- 
erefing thus, tre Floridas, Canada, 
Mexico, the whole American continent, 
and even'the Weft Indies, may be wanted 
to give them eloow-room. This needs no 
comment! ; 
Lafly comes a foreign foe, which every 
enterprifing nation is to a declining em- 
pire unable to repel infult, and agereffion. 
Divifion, effeminacy, and extenfion, fap 
the outworks and weaken the defence, 
while foreign aggreflion prepares to ftorm 
the citadel. Happy will the United States 
be if they know that ia a confederacy of 
ftates, fome potent, others weak, the am- 
bition of individuals is to be reftrained ; 
divifion avoided ; due bounds fet to their 
love of dominion ;- and proper regard had 
to religion, laws, and manners! As they 
avoid or negleét this beacon, the United 
States muft fall under either one or the 
other alternative mentioned in the outfet 
of this paper. Q. 
: SRE 
Io the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR, 
HOPE you will have received hefore 
this time, from fome of your able Cor- 
_ refpondents, a plan of the Society for Sci- 
entific Information. I cannot flatter my- 
felf fo far as to think I am capable of giv- 
ing fuch a plan as will meet with approba- 
tion ; but perhaps one or two of the hints 
here offered may be ufeful. 
I have fometimes thought it might be 
practicable to attach iucn a Society as this 
propoled to fome already eftablifhed ; fuch, 
for inftance, as the Mineralogical Society, 
the Lendon Philofophical Society, or the 
Royal Inftitution. If this could be done, 
I conceive there would be mutual advan- 
tages arifing from fuch anunion. JI be- 
lieve few of the country-members of the 
Society for Information would defire any 
other advantage than fome of the privi- 
leges of a member of fuch Society,to which 
- it may be united, for the few days they 
2 
Plan of a Society for Scientific Information, 
[Os. 3; 
might annually fpend in town. On the 
other hand, thefe eftablithed Societies, by 
having Correfpondents diftributed over 
every {pot of the kingdom, wouid acquire 
fuch a complete knowledge of the whole 
as mult be very defirable. But taking 
it up on its firft grounds of a feparate 
Society, I can fee but fmail difficulties to 
furmount before a beginning might be 
made, as it requires no inveftigation of 
principle ; for true {cience knows no par- 
ties; and it refts with the individual who 
wifhes to become a member, to clafs him- 
felf as he pleafes. It will generally be a 
reciprocal advantage to the members, as 
there are but few perfons who are willing — 
.to communicate, but are defirous of infor- 
mation ; and they who are in no want, 
are moft likely incapable of giving any, 
and will not be likely to offer themfelves 
asmembers. The moft effential thing is a 
beginning, as there can be no doubt of 
its meeting with encouragement. Would 
there be any thing amifs in appointing, 
through the medium of your Magazine, a 
place to receive, free of expence, the 
names, &c. of thofe who would become — 
members, and at the fame time any hints 
that appear worth notice ; or would it be 
better to circulate propofals more pub- 
licly, for all who wifh to encourage fuch a 
Society, to meet at a given place and time 
to agree upona plan, &c. and leave the 
event to fuch mecting ? 
If the former of thefe flould be prefer- 
ed, you may place my name as one; and 
there are few perfons but have frequent 
occafion to write to London ; and it would 
take but a fmall corner of their letter to 
fay under what clafs they would with their 
Correfpondents to have their names, &c. 
entered. . 
Tf thefe names, as faft as they arrived, 
were printed in the Monthly Magazine, 
and other {cientific publications, the So- 
ciety would be ready to a&t immediately, 
even fuppofing the whole arrangments not 
made. 
It muft be underftood, that under what- 
ever claffes perfons may place their names, 
it will not be expected that they are com- 
plete mafters of fuch fciences, but that, 
having fome general knowledge of them, 
they are willing to anfwer fuch queftions . 
in it, according to the belt of their leifure 
ani abilities. 
Suppofe a lift of all thofe feiences in- — 
tended to be included in fuch Society — 
were prinied in your next Magazine, and — 
numbered in the alphabetical order of theit 
initials, chus : : 
1. Agriculture == 2, Antiquities — 3. 
Architecture 
a 
