Smyrna times., 1857-12-31

SnaIl III no case uellter u DOok u any meinue
until the name of such member is registered
he shall therein preserve an accurate accoun
of the number of every volume delivered b!
him. the name of the person to whom deliver
ed, the time of taking and returning the same
together with the forfeiture arising from every
default. '..i
The officers of the Association are elected
annually; the President by seperate ballot, the
other officers by general ticket.
The total number of volumes in the Library
May l, 1857, was 47,904. And among the
list of Donors, of which there were one hun.
dred and sixty-three, may be found the names
of ID. Appleton & Co., Hon. N. P. Banks Hon.
John r. Bartlett, Hon. Orison Blunt, Chas.
Dana, Hon. Hamilton Fish and many other il
lustrious names; besides donations from the AL
bany Institute, American and Foreign Christian
Union, American Antiquarian Society, Ameri-
can Baptist Home Missionary Society, Anti
Corn Law League Council Manchester, Eng
land, and a host of other Unions, Societies,
Leagues and Institutions.
The number of Works of Reference called
for in the Reading Room, is 6,398, and the
number of visitors to same, I32, ,537.
Glasses are organized for instruction in
French Language, Spanish, German, Bathing,
Gymnastics, Horsemanship, Education, PEN
manship and bookkeeping, and the best Pro-
fessors are employed for giving instruction.
During the fall and winter, Lectures are given
for the benefit of members and others, and ustl-
ully we'll attended The Lecturers are usually
men of learning and distinction, and rarely
ever fail to instruct as we'll as amusc the mem.
b"rs and attendants present,-fSr how could
such men as Everett and Benton face an audi
ence to address them upon " The Character of
Washington" or upon "The Union," without
lmparting knowledge Of Jhe character of the |
former, and principles and laws governing the
latter =! , .'.
The list of magazines, periodicals and news
papers is very extensive, comprising seventy
:wo American, slxty-eight British, and twenty
one French and German magazines, besides
hfty-sx American newspapers from all parts of
the United States, and forty.seven of the prin-
C pie ones from all parts of Europe.
II may be safely said that no institution in
this wide world offers SO many inducements
and advantages for acquiring knowledge and
general information, for so small sum, as the
Mercantile Library Association and if the
towns people of Smyrna will only take the
right sort of interest in establishing Public
Library and Reading Room, they will find in
The course OF five years, yes, three years, ma
lerial change in the general intelligence and
character of the people. The merchants me-
;hanlcs and apprentices will all be materially
benefited by it. Husbands, wives and daugh-
ers will all feel its beneficial influence, while
/ few grogshOps, desecrators of the Sabbath,
Ind fifty per cent. NOte-shavers, will alone de.
Drecate its existence and beneficial influence
Let the merchants, mechanics, apprentices and
armers, all lend their influence and assistance
n establishing a Public Library and Reading
Room in our town, and then, instead of seeing
he sheriff visiting the town weekly or semi
weekly, for the purpose Of selling up by auc.
ion some hard-working. honest, industrious
mechanic, One-third of whose liabilities were
created for what are Familiarity known as
Bonuses, will find their shops open,
md look inside will exhibit to the spectator
number OF workmen with honest faces and
'uddy cheeks, and stalwart limbs, all busily en-
gagged in various pieces of work, aud the differ
INT noises made by the use oftheir tools sound
ng like music, Keeping time with prosperity
Ind the Union: f..ss R.HC.