1804.] Information refpecting Emigration to North America.’ 
which his pofterity are the fortunate heirs, 
will furvey with pride and pleafure the 
eafy means of acquiring information, and 
the numerous inftitutions for fpreading 
ufefuk knowledge among us, While he 
fees the whole tending to the point of 
utility, he will prize thefe living monu- 
-ments of his country’s fame far above 
the {plendid names of the profound phi- 
lofophers, abfrufe metaphyficians, and 
enchanting poets of elder nations, who 
have fpent their lives in laborious idlene/s ; 
bewildered, or amuied, rather than en- 
riched the minds of mankind ; and orna- 
mented their countries only by the gar- 
lands which a falfe admiration has piant- 
ed round their tombs.’? The fame writer, 
perfonifying America, makes her addreis 
the tribe of authors in the following 
words: * At all events my ftores mutt 
be replenifhed ; as fcon as I am able, my 
library fhail be enlarged. The laboricus 
pouchman and the hardy failur, who ex- 
pefes his life on the ocean for my intereft, 
muft be honourably paid, in preference to 
thofe who voluntarily wield the pen for 
my amufement. If your writings have a 
manifeft tendency to increafe the happi- 
nefs and advance the honour and dignity 
of my citizens, you fliall not regret the 
time you have devoted to my fervice. I 
refer you to the patronage of thofe works 
which have fimplificd and improved the 
European fyftem of inftru€tion, and fa- 
cilitated the education of youth; to thofe 
Jaborious and uleful productions which 
have furnifhed my citizens with the geo- 
graphical knowledge of their native foil, 
the hiitory of their particular ftate, and 
the fpirit of the laws and policy conge- 
nial to their habits and intereit. From 
thele you may judge of the paft: my fu- 
ture patronage fhall not be lefs generous. 
When, in more advanced age, the pro- 
duce of my affiduous labour has put me 
in poffeffion of affluence and eafe, I wiil 
then confer an ample reward not only on 
the laborious and u/efu/, but the amufiag 
writer. But, remember, at prefent I pledge 
myleif only for the ufeful, If I occaficn- 
aliy purchafe the works of fancy and the 
flowers of tatte, it is from the impuife, 
perhaps the whim, of the occafion. It is 
out of my ufual line, and ought to he con- 
fidered as a gratuity. I muit thercfoie be 
candid, and tell you plainly that, in my 
prefent fituation, if you continue to draw 
your extravagant bills upon me fcr your 
mere fancy-ware, I fhail in no cafe bind 
myfelfto anfwer them. If another coun- 
try affords a better market for your fine 
Commodities, you are at liberty to offer 
Mon TuHLiy Maa, No. iig. 
wt 
109 
, 
them for fale, and I advife you to quit 
my tertitory.”” ; 
«This (continues the writer, fpeak- 
ing in his own perfon) appears to be the 
emphatic and rational language of Ame- 
rica. She pledges all that penerofity can 
afford, and that prudence would juftity. 
Perhaps it would be better for the world, 
and as well for the writer, if his hopes 
were {till more circumfcribed, and the 
idea of pecuniary emolument entirely ex- 
cluded. It is the fimple nutritive a'i- 
ment of the mind that invigorates the 
man, and ftrengthens the bonds of fo- 
ciety. For my own part I fee, or fancy 
I can fee, mech more evil than good 
ariiing from the Juxuries of learning. 
Authorfoip never flourifoes as a profefion 
till idlenzfs beccmes a trade!” 
A man, therefore, who depends folely 
on the efforts of literary genius for fub- 
fiftence, may perceive what he has to ex- 
pect in the United States, where the 
claims of the laborious ploughman and 
hardy failor mu be preferred to his, and 
will icarcely expofe bimielf to the hum:- 
liation of being deemed an idler by trade. 
Thofe who have carried an independent 
fortune and a lierary reputation with 
them from Europe to the United States, 
have net even been able to add a poor 
{prig of laurel to their brows. ‘The late 
Dr. Jofeph Prieftley experienced all the 
mortification of talents buried in oblivion. 
He was abfolutely ‘¢ gravelled,”’ not for 
‘* lack of matter,’’ but of an opponent 
worthy of his attack. He was rejoiced 
to hear of Volney’s arrival in the United 
States. A formal introdu@tion took place 
between the two literati; but the do¢tor 
(as Volney obferves) at the very moment 
he profefled himfelf happy in Volvey’s 
acquaintance, meditated a violent attack, 
acaintt him on account of fome of his 
opinions. The doétor’s challenge came 
out, but Volney refufed to break a lance 
with him, and turned his Quixotifm into 
ridicule. Voiney’s monchalance was {e- 
conded by the mo mortifying indiffe- 
rence of the Americans, who could net 
fee the wtzlity of the proposed argument 5 
and the doctor was obliged to defilt from 
his vain purfuit of gathering Jaurels 
where they did not prow. 
As to artifis, an architect may find en- 
couragement, as the Americans are fond 
of fplendid public buildings and elegant 
private houfes. The buil jings in the new 
city of Wafhington, and the banks of 
the United States, znd North Americs, 
and the aquedué in the city of Pnila- 
delphia, evince in tiem atafte for archi. 
Q. tefure ; 
