Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Mass.) 1828-1830, 1828-09-23

The following letter from gentleman who visited
this town the past summer, to one Of the editors,
was perhaps not intended for publication but as it
is calculated more for the readers of our paper
than ourselves, we take the liberty to print The
writer is perhaps rather extravagant in his enco-
miums, but we could not take it upon ourselves to
cuftail any of his Communications
DEAR FRIEND--In the visit made your
good town of Lancaster, some time since, /
was highly gratifed; for nature and art APP
peared to have SO happily combined as to
strike the most careless spectator with plea
sure. Nature in her works. treats man as
confident and as friend, leaving parts I'M
finished, by which he is. excited to exert his
skill and to CRAFTY the honest pride of his
active soul. Though it may appear sole
cism, natures very imperfections render her
more perfect, for were all things complete,
finished In every part, poor man, without
occupation or call for activity, would vege-
tate, not live, and be a mere child of eanui
in the midst of creation that he now a.
dorns. can say of your Lancaster, and
with truth, go where you will you see marks
of industry and enterprise and the we'll
titled soil draws forth willing tribute of
praise for the good management of the hus-
bandman.
Your publick Improvements, too, speak
volumes in your favour the noble ranges of
trees that you have recently planted with so
much toll and expense, tell every visiter
that your good people, not contented with
the improvements at home, with the true
spirit of an enlightened and benevolent pat
riotism, have allowed their warm hearts to
go abroad, to seek the means of doing GOOD
to all around, and, what is yet more praise
worthy, to provide source of comfort for
posterity.
Your schools were another source of plea
sure. The happy union of innocence and
intelligence seen blended in the smiling
faces of the children, gave new spring to
my blood, and recalled to my mind the
snirthfll hours of mu childhood Erara 4he
chubby urchins around l found their school
was their delight. and on enquiry / learnt
that the best books, without reference to
price, were used in the schools, and that a
benevolent policy of the town freely sup
Piled what poverty otherwise would have
denied to the INDECENT; and have no doubt
that the reward will be tenfold.
I shall not easily forget the visit made
with you to the bookstore, then kept, I be-
lieve, by two gentlemen Of the name of Car
ter, with which establishment believe YOU
are now connected. 1t accounted to me at
once for the high marks of intelligence so
observable in the audience of your church ;
for that gentleman-like dress, equally free
s=em the snical show OF the spruce dandy Of
our city, andNthe awkward clownishness
that pervades many of our country towns.
The reason Of all this at once was plain: in
the bookstore found town library, pos
sesing a choice collection Of historical, phi
losophical, and miscellaneous books. On
viewing it, my attention was called to anoth-
er library, being collection of modern lite
nature, lthe literature mean of the day. J
Thinks to myself men of common minds
never formed, and never would support, such
collection as this. With such spirit any
town must prosper; but, my dear friend,
was still more pleased when informed that
there was valuable and judicious collection
of juvenile works for the use of the young,
regularly and gratuitously distributed to
them. May you go on and prosper; with
you the spirit Of improving the minds of all
pervades all. recollect, as I was expatiat-
ing on the blessings of education, while in
the bookstore, I was informed that a gem
tleman, who had just left us, in an grafton
on the fourth of July, had made education
his theme. Had known it before. / would
have given him as hearty shake as lover
of enlightened liberty could give.
Religion opens the mind, and expands the
heart of man. Religion is the mother Of
education, and education is the father Of
liberty. Let education and religion, then,
be combined, and man will be free; and he
who pours light on the human soul does
more for man and liberty than host OF
noisy brawling patriots ever did or ever can.
Let your good town go on as it has be-
gun, and the result cannot fail to be answer
able IA fho ex~,.+