The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1876-09-30 00:00:00

FREE LIBRARIES.

It would perhaps be hard to determine what ig
the most charasteristic virtue of this age. De-
spite the pessimists who would insist that the
world is going so rapidly clown the hill that
there is no such thing as a stoppage tu he looked
fur ; despite, also, the optimists, who would
have us believe that never existed such enlight-
ened ee noble people as at the present day, it
may surely be held that this generation has its
virtues to redeem for its many glaring faults,
but as to which of the former is the most pro-
minent it wonld be rash to declare. If, however,
this, cannot be stated with any amount of
certainty, there is no presumption in asserting
that of the tastes of the age that for reading is
the foremost and perhaps the most praiseworthy.
The causes which have helped this have natur-
ally left a great effect upon the history of the
time. A reading people must become an intel-
lectual people, end in these days of severe
struggling for existence, mind must win the day.
To reeisC the love of reeding, which grows
rather than diminishes has be en the aim of several
philanthropists, and various plans have been set
forth to accomplish the end. One of thee e which
has fonn‘i much favour in some parts of the
country what meeting with uncompromising
opposition in others, is the establishment of a
free library cut of the rates. An act was passed
a few years since allot Ting this to be done at the
consent of the majarity of the ratepayers in any
!.own, and the argtiments for and against its ad-
option have been threshed nearly bare in the
heated discussions which have attended its pro-
posal or its adoption. There is, however,
enother way which has been found to answer
very well, causing no opposition on the ground
of lavishing public money, and only requiring
some practical benevolence to carry it out. In
several towns free libraries and in some others
libraries to which admission is gained at a small
cost, have been established by subscription.
Those who give towards such are almost neces-
sarily those to whom the institution would be,
comparatively speaking valueless, as they pos-
ses an abundance of books, periodicals, and
newspapers in their homes. Their donations
are, therefore, all the more praiseworthy, and
even the sturdiest, political economist can
scarcely contend that they are aiding to pauperise
their fellow-men by giving him the benefit of
cheap or free readily,. In some eases a single
individual has started the library and in one
which has very recently been made public, the
donor only lays down the following conditions:-
1. That, as the library is to be under the coo.-
trol of the School Board, no works on theology
shall be bought: and 2, That all the novels of
Sir Waiter Scott, Charles Dickens. Captain
Maryatt, and J. Fenimore Cooper, shall first be
purchased, suitable works in general literature
being procured with the residue of what was
given. Those who object to novel reading on
principle are likely to demur to the second con-
dition, but one would scarcely be found to say
that the former is wrong as the library is to be
fctr the use of the whole population in the midst
of which it is placed, Such an act as that just
mentioned deserves emulation elsewere. There
are many towns and villages in this country
where resources for reading ought to ho found,
but are not. It is not much good teaching
people to read if they are not given matter
worth reading afterwards. Those of limited
incomes have a great difficulty in procuring
literary food, the outlay daily for a penny news
paper being severely felt by some who would
like to master its contents, and who wouid be
the better for doing so. And it is not only to
penny papers that this applies but there are
magazines and periodicals which ought to be
read by the masses but which, under present
circumstances, are inaccessible to them. It can
scarcely be expected that much knowledge can
be imparted to those in humble positions of life
without providing it for them cheaply. It has
been lamented again and again, with what
meaeure of truth it is not for us to sa,r, that the
Engliele, as a nation, ale falling behind the
people of some countries of the Continent in
general instruction. If that be true, and there
seems much reason to believe that it is so,- it is
a lesson that no time should be lost in remedy-
ing what must prove an evil to the country.
Perhaps never was,the saying , "Knowledge is
power" truer than to-day, and if this country
once be allowed to go backward in the educa-
tional race, the lost ground may never again be
puked up. Thus those who would not give to
such an institution from motives of philan-
thropy, may be induced to do so from these of
peufit. 'rime once lost in this way is more
dinieult to regain than elmost any other, for
ignorance grows much more rapidly than it can
be conquered if once left to itself. But in ad-
dition to this consideration, which some may
reject ae pnrely mercenary, there is that of
moral and eeellectual progress to be thoneht of.
Such libra-,::es as have been mentioned must
greatly tend te the development of the mental
faculties, and Leeerefore must improve those who
make Use of them. Besides that they remove a
tetnntation to waste valuable time, a sin, for it
may well beicalled so, which works incalcuable
evil in this Icountry and especially among the
young man. In addition to this there are other
snares awaiti4 the idler which need not be par-
ticularised, but are well-known to all who watch
the course of daily life with all observant eye.
How many have fallen behind their fellows, how
many have sunk below their fellows, for the want
of some intellectual, accessible, and cheap place
of recreation, no one can guess. It is suilieient
to show that a danger exists of a great many
having met with this fate to cause people who
desire to leave sonic footprints on the sands of
time in faveur of the nroeress of their fellews,
t') think Over this inaitcr'ilnd perhaps to nil in
thc et sblishinont of such insiitutions as have
been . montioned The taste for
reading ,
rightly diren!nl, must 119 nnich good individa.
sty tul U tonilly, aad it hshoves those who
have the power to 800 it, • ,
toe.; Lot degener-
ate into a liking for that which is pernicious,
morally and mentally. As long as there are
those in Eng:and wan have tl o Alt to help all
ni0.„0„,,,ne:, there is no fuar that such in-
i;.uti4ni as free lihearies will die oat, and the
matter only wants to have more public aVention
strewn to it, in order that more may be done in
this direction. From what has been done, many
gold rusints have tlowod ; from what will be
dune much 'oenefit to the counitry may fairly be
ax.pec tee%