The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1856-02-18
For the Journal
The Evansville Library lssociation.

should continue writing. I was almost sorry
at the end of the article. 1t seemed to me,
that it was now too late in the day for such a
subject to be introduced, at any rate, with
special reference to the E. L. A, as prelimin-
aries and all necessary arrangements have al
ready been made However, as am a lover
of books. love to write about as well as read
them.
Libraries are important not only as they
contain the materials for composing history,
but also as they contain or afford the means of
verifying its statements. The history of Eng
land by Macauley, has occasioned much dis
cussion bosh in this country and in England;
the cause Of which was some statements made
by the historian, whose fame has filed both
Hemisphere, respecting VIM. Penn. Large
portions of Pennsylvania and other States
engaged in the discussion. This matter, pro-
ducing so much excitement, could only be
brought to final and legitimate decision, by
which the historian protested to have drawn
his narrative. If after this shall have been
done,and the original authorities, and libraries
have all been examined, no evidence be found
corroborating the statements made respecting
/ Penn they must fall to the ground, whatever
celebrity may have attached itself to the man
who made to appear from undoubted authority
that the charges alleged against him are true,
then all his piety and charity, and the devotion
Of his followers, can never wipe out the record
or erase syllable of the faithful annals Of
the past.'
i 1t would be impossible to decide such a
literary contest at this time in the United
States; an undertaking of this kind would have
to be abandoned in hopeless despair
Our country, comparatively speaking, is yet
in its infancy, and on this account perhaps, we
are not well supplied with such libraries as
are desirable. Many of them may be consider
ed as merely the germ. We are in this re
spect far behind some of the most magnificent
States of Europe, A few years ago Chief JUS
tice Story was solicited to deliver an address
before the Phi Beta Kappa Society of Cam
bridge, with which request the learned gentle
man complied; during the course of his remarks
he astonished his auditors with the declar-
alton, "that there is not single library in
America sufficiently copious to have enabled
Gibbon to verify the authorities of his immor-
tai History of the Fall and Decline of the Ro
} man Empire" This was considered bold and
extrayagant statement when it was made,
} Notwithstanding the man who uttered it, but
upon examination, it subsequently appeared,
that the distinguished jurist might have pre-
sented stronger case
Again, of all mere human influences, per-
haps the influence ofliterature is the most per-
manent and important. Thus the most elo-
lquent discourses that ever thrilled and absorb
es and electrified an audience from the forum
or the pulpit, produced but a temporary effect.
When the speakers voice has ceased to fall
upon the ear the impression of his impassioned
oratory fades gradually from the mind Elk
ample, all powerful as it is does not uniyer-
sally strike so as to influence. Many eircum-
lstances combine to weaken its influence. But
a what's traced, is traced. Books are sort of
tangible lesson-a fixed oration-an embodi-
ment of sentiment They neither awaken
lenvy nor excite indignation by their admoni-
tions; for who would be so silly as to take
umbrage at q book? They speak to US when
our reason is unbiased our passions uninfu-
enccd, our hearts unagitated. Their influence
is not resisted, because neither feared, suspect
ed nor hated The spirit and sentiments of
Fl the author are transformed and Incorporated
INTO our own. Books possess species of i'm
mortality. Those who penned them may die
and moulder back to their original element,
and the membranes of their faces and char
acter vanish from earth, but though dead they
still live-succeeding generations catch their
Opinions, their principles, and their influence
lives palpably enshrined
: Who can estimate the rich treasures that arc
to be found in well selected library p
They are the scattered gems of the worlds
history collected together-arr and beau
tifed and brought in so small compass that
a few steps may bring you within the reach of
everything intellectually great We may lay
; our hand on the works and labors of those who
have preceded us-not only the work of a few
men who have lived as beacon lights to adorn
the age in which they liyed-but we may have
r the works of a succession of men who have
tried to bring to perfection what their fathers
began. Hence, we may have the past with its
developments, discoveries and inventions
which have vastly fariIitatad all tho onara tionc