Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1838-03-14

To the Editor Of the Vermont Tslsrraps.

~ S'S A-oitoE Vi AiS vermont teiaTrapA.
Slr,-The proverbial shrewdness Of the
good people Of New Englnrra IS usually
associated with consideration and caution.
They are accustomed to look before ,bey
leap. Il is natural to them TO inquire, ex-
anime and compare before they decide &
it IS on this trait in their character that
rely for favorable regard to the few brief
letters which hope to forward to WOW
for publication, if you will do the society
the favor to admit them.
The people of New England have the
reputation of being reading as we'll as
thinking people; aud hence it is reason.
ably supposed that the number of good
substantial books read among them is far
greater than the number read in any 9th.
er part Of the country.
Born and bred in New ENGLAND. and
for ten or fifteen years in active business
there, and nearly all that time intimately
conversant with her systems OF education,
both religious and literary, it would be
strange if l were ignorant of the charac.
ter Of her population, (adult and iuyeniIe,)
or OF the means and opportunities of H.
structIon they Ell Joy, or of the kind of in-
| teHectual and moral culture which is most
appropriate to their circumstances.
BY singular concurrence of events,
was unexpectedly removed from New
England to this city. in the year 1929, &
charged with the editorial supervision Of
the publications Of the American Sunday
School Union. Since have occupied
this post, upwards of three hundred differ
ent works have been issued, embracing BY
far the largest aud most expensive part of
all our present publications. The char
acter OF these, without single exception
is perfectly known to me. A wear or
two since 1t became my duty to prepare .
Descriptive Catalogue Of all the pubIics.
tlons OF the society IA copy of which, in
pamphlets Of 63 PIP. 8Vo., is herewith trans
mItted To this end examined with
critical care each book, pamphlet, card,
or other publication issued from their press
before my connexion with it, Knowing
thus the circumstances of New England
on the one hand, and the character OF these
books on the other and fully persuaded
that the latter are admirably adapted TO
the former, and would be SO rega rded up
on lar unprej udiced examination. it has
| been subject of regret and modification
4 to learn from various sources, that cor
4 paratively few Of our publcationsare cir
q culated north and east of the Hudson; that
many people are inclined to doubt their
high evangelical character; that an i'm
preston prevails that they are not sufi'
ciently elevated in style or matter for the
favored children of the NORTH, and that
! New England people are disposed on tho
}, whole to supply their own wants in their
t own way. That these impressions are
I general I never have believed, and YET
there is no doubt that the circulation Of
/ our books is very limited in the schools &
Il families of Massachusetts, Connecticut,
/ and Rhode Island and still more so per,
5 haps in Vermont, New Hampshire, ami
E Maine, and there must be some adequate
: cause for It Perhaps the difficulty Of OBJ
aiming supply, or the absence Of sul'a'