The northern galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1844-1848, 1846-05-26

countr les, and you will perceive that this ap-
preparation so far from being extravagantly
large, will scarcely even suffice for keeping
up with the current literature of the day
Gottingen mean time will go OIL. Her 300, =
900 volumes will increase in seventy years
TO halfa million, and we shall still lag 2o0,-
000 volumes behind.
The utility of great libraries has been
cushioned, and il has been confidently as
serted, that all truly valuable knowledge is
comprised in comparatively small number
Of volumes. Ii is said that The vast coIlec-
tons of the Vatican, of Paris, of Munich,
and Of Copenhagen are, in great measure.
composed OF works originally worthless, or
now obsolete,o or superseded by new editions,
or surpassed by later treats es. That there
is some foundation Tor this opinion shall no;
deny; but after every deduction is made up
on these accounts, there viii. still remain in
any Of these Libraries great number of works
which have originally had intrisic worht; have
yet their permanent value. Because new
er, or better, or truer book, upon a given
subject, now exists, it does not necessarily
follow that the older and inferior is to be re-
jected. 1t may contain important truths or
Interesting views that later, q upon the whole,
better authors have overlooked-it may en-
body curious anecdotes of forgotten times
ii may be valuable as an illustration of the
history Of opinion, or as model Of compost
ton; or, il of great antiquity, il may pos.
sess much interest as specimen Of early
typography.
Again, because any one individual,
even the most learned, cnnnot in this short
life, exhaust all art, because he can thorough
ly master but a few hundred volumes, read,
or even had occasion 10 consult, but few
thousands, we are not therefore authorized
TO conclude that all beyond these are super
f1uous. Each OF the hundred authors, who
have produced those thousands of volumes,
had read also his thousands. The scholar
is formed, not by the book alone he has read,
but he receives al second hand, the essence
OF mulutudes Of others; for every good book
supposes and implies the previous existence
Of numerous other good books.
An individual even Of moderate means, &.
who is content TO confne his studies within
| somewhat narrow bounds, may select and
acquire Cor himself library adequate TO his
own intellectual wants and tastes. though
entirely unsuited 10 the purposes Of one OF
| different or larger aims, and by the diligent
use OF this. he may attain high degree OF
mental culture but national library can
OC W VI III
standard. 1t must embrace all scence-all
history-all languages. 1t must be enten-
| sive enough. and diversified enough, TO fur
nish alinent for the cravings of every appe-
| tie. We need some great establishment.
| that shall not hoard its treasures with The
Jealous niggardliness which locks up the H.
braries OF Britain, but shall emulate the
generous magni6cence which throws open
| In fIa ruOrlh Tho hOnndIacc If Efarn
wealth Of Germany and France-scme ex-
haustless fountain. where the poorest and
humbest aspiranI may slaLe his thirst for
knowledge, without money and without
price
Ofal. places in our territory, this central
heart of the nation is the fiitesi FOR such an
establishment 1t is situated in the middle
zone of our Systematically and cheaply ac-
ccssible from every quarter of the Union
blessed with mild, salubrious, and an E.
quable clmate--abundant in the necessaries
and comforts of physical life-far removed
from the din Of commerce, and free from mar
row and sectional influences.
Let us here erect such a temple of the
muses., served and guarded by no exclusive
priesthood, bui with its hundre dgaies throw
open. that every votary may enter unques
toned, and you will find it ihronged with ar
dent worshippers, who, though poverty may
compel them 10 subsit, like Heyne. on the
pods OF pulse and the pairing Of roots, shall
yet forget the hunger Of the body in the
more craving wants OF the SOUL
From the limited power of our National
Government, and The Jealous care will
which theirexercise is watched and resisted
in the cases where mere humanilv-not par
ty-are concerned, il can do little lor the
general promotion oil literature and science
The present is rare opportunity, the only
one yet offered, and never, perhaps. 10 be
repeated, for taking our place among the ma
liens the earth, not merely as pOlitica
society, but as patrons OF knowledge and the
liberal arts. The treasures of our nationa
wealthare, perhaps not AT our command FOL
this purpose; and it is only by the discreet
use of this bequest, and of the funds which
private liberality will assuredy contribute tc
extend the means of the institution. that we
can hope 10 kindle luminary, whose ligh
shall encompass the earth, and repay Il
Europe The illumination we have borrowed
from her.
The library Of Goitingen, OF which have
spoken, contains six times as many volume:
as the largest American collections ii hal
been accumulated within a comparatively
short period scarcely century and, having
teen selected upon fixed plan by the ables
scholars in the world, it contains few book:
originally without merit, few duplicates, ant
few which the progress of science and litera
iure have rendered worthless. And yet
though upon the whole the best library, it, il
many departments, does not approach Il
completeness, and scholars who resort TO i
are often oblige TO seek elsewhere sources
Of knowledge which Gottingen does not at
ford.
We shall perhaps be best able to estimate
our own deficiencies and wants by comparing
the contents oil our Congressional lihrar,
with the actual extent OF existing literature
The library of Congress contains more thai
10000 volumes, in general valuable and wei
chosen, with not many duplicates, not man.
books that one would altogether reject. Ii !
not composed, like too many Of our public
libraries, in abJ considerable degree. Of book
which have been giren, because the proprie
tor found them loo worthless 10 keep, but
has been almost wholly purchased and selec
ted from the best European sale catalogues
aud yet there is no one branch Of hbera