New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-01-06
Lecture bersrs' she Mercantile Library Asss-
o,ario. On ne Ur,lities OF Literature
rx an My BAY NOsn.

In
The Second Course OF Lectures before
the Mercantile library A ~ccisiion was opened iaa
evening a. Bcpe Chapel. ~ lecture nom Henry
J. RAYMOND. Bsqr.. on "Th,s Utilities OF lateia-
iUTe." Ia the commencement OF his Discourse, M.
Raymond alluded - the increass c importance 81
literature. a. eismon. Of society at the present
dav. lis ilacence ex;encs TO al clAssoF and one
can hope 70 arrive az eminence his particular De-
Parmeri, without an acquaintance witN The hsera-
ture OF written thought which relate to iv mango
inert and operations. The irmer the mschaDic.
The merchant, the professional man, are all obliged
to resort book, oIcer 20 obtain knowledge oi mo
principles on which the details Of their occupations
are founded. EVen the most intensely practical per.
SON. cannot dispense with tie AID Of theory, for sas
complete acc mplishment Of his purposes The WY
rage fcr The practical, which IS much the oriE
Of the day, demands an acquaintance With theory.
Tor the best practice cam Only be realized with the
most perfect theory. Not building caa be erected.
rot vessel can be nsvigsted, not a machae can 10
organized except BY a knowledge OF theory, the
principles OF which are to be sought in books
Mr.. K then went on with the discussion Of bis
subject in two points OF view, considering 6rss those
books which have an immediate relation with mate
rial utility. ard secondly, those which are valuable
Ter their elevaiIg, inspiring, and nounshing inau-
ence on the spiritual nature OF man. u ader the
last DIVISION OF HIS lecture, he offered some ad-
mlrable remarks on the nature Of the soul, as q
vital force, seed OF indefinite growth. an indie
pendent, eneig.zlng entity, instead OF passive re-
ceptacle Of outward facts, as represented by ~.
peyhcal and shallow philo'ophy. Defending ths
uanscendentsi view ofhuman nature, IN opposition
TO the empirical, sir. Raymond maintained that
an acquaintance with mere facts had been
greatly OVerTatod that books were to be Judged.
not by thtg facts but by their truth fact represent
merely what has been done truth is Justice ana
harmony OF thought and BOOK may DO rich and
glorious " tn truth, while Is presents perhaps not
single face. The Pilgrims Progress and Robinson
Crusoe are as barren of facts a. they are radiant
with truths and II Is tins latter quality, which both
confirms their utility and guarantees their immortal
iy Even ,be Bible It's ELI owes its inedable value
less to the temporary facts, which It records than ~
the everlasting principles, which II reveals.
The importance OF a moral and truthful literature
dw cit on al considerable length by the lecturer
Byron ara culver, with al the SpendOr OF their IN
ielect and the perversy OF their ethics, could not
but exert pemlc.OuS influence on the young, suS
ceptible. and growing mind. The amount OF injury
produced blythe writings Of George Sand. who un-
sexed herself, IN Oder to disgrace her own sex and
To outrage the other. could scarcely be estimated.
We could turn for relief TO Wordsworth Covpsf,
Dickens Scott and above all Shakespeare, who never
stocked our sense OF moral prOpnely. never sought
most glowing portraitures of human wIckeiness
always mInlStered to the love OF virtue.
Mr. Raymond closed his lecture. winch abounded
IN sound aud wholesome suggestions. with an el0
duent appeal in behalf of pure and ennobling liter
aiure, as an agency IN human progress tilSremsrks
were delivered In manly and forclb.e style. and OBJ
tanned the Undivided attention OF an intelligent AN
dlence.