Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1816-05-29
VIRGINIA ARGUS.
Ne dispne- jamais, ct sOuvent disc
Richmond. Man 90. 1915.
THE CITY OF RICHMOND

We frequently hear it asserted that the PEG.
pie OF some towns in Virgins, and the Jnhabi
tants OF various parts of the Country, view with
jealous eye the rapid increase and brilliant
prospects of Richmond We are reluctant to
edit such assertions Are he links of the chain
that connects the best interests of the State. in
General, with the destines of its MetropoI;s
OF SO minute and so impapable Il texture as to
escape The sight and the touch of rejecting in
dVluuals We think they are not Common
sense is sufficient to convince even superficial
observers of The reaction which large cit Ies exer
else on the industry, the enterprise, the prospe.
riV Oh whole nation.-lt IS not our intention,
n TINS place TO descant on what every Body
all eady knows, VIZ: on the advantages of place
where the Agrculturist and the Manufactures
are certain TO find a market for the articles of
which they respectively may have to dispose !;
and whence, as from an inexnaust BILE reservoir
the whole Country may be supplied, on easy
terms, with foreign commodities we mean to
present the subject under a different aspect, and
me that will, we trust, be found worthy of at
tention.
We know too much of the populous, over.
< own cities of Europe-we have seen there
immortality and misery in forms too hideous-to
wish that Virginia, or any part of the Union
should ever be cursed with city enumeratnp
one million of Inhabitants, OF even more. But at
the same time that we deprecate that compress.
sion of the human species which destroys eiasti-
city both of body and mind-we are intimately
convinced that cities of certain size are necessa
fy-ind pensably SOTO he perfection of civilized
lie. Man IS by nature gregarious anlmal-his
faculties grow langud, stagnate in insulated stu
ations-Days, years of solitary research are not
worth one hours converse with fellow.mortal
whose mind is stored with multifarious know
edge.-There is in the constant friction of ideas
10 the ceaseless exchange of sentiments which an
extensive social intercourse usually produces, a
power that ELECTS the latent sparks of genius.
and calls forth the hitherto dormant energies of
intellect.-To be on level with the enlightened
and the refined, becomes an object of eager iu-
venile ambition. Literature aid science are sp.
grandized in the estimation of all. A considers
bic portion ofpublic and private wealth, is de.
voted to their cause. The means of instruction
are multiplied and increased. Colleges and u.
Universities arise: public Libraries are formed :
able Professors are appointed the Press dis,ri.
butes light in every direction. The impulse ;s
felt at an immense distance III is no longer a
feeble, uncertain, crepuscular light; it is the ef
fulgence of the meridian sun. Self.conce;ted
ignorance, and presumptuous quackery, unable
10 bear this splendid irradiation, hide them.
selves, like the disgusting birds Of night. The
reign of mediocrity is over--A consolidated mass
of knowledge results from efforts and research
IS that tend to the same point, and mutually as
5ist each other.-The illumination is not com
Jlete, it is true, because perfection is not the lo
jf man-but, in the state alluded TO, men con.
'tantly approximate towards that plenitude of
ght and improvements which consists the ca
'Sence OF social greatness and felicity.