The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1870-10-12
(From the Ledser.)
DIR. FRANKLIN AND HIS INVEN-
TON OF CIRCULATING LIBRA
RIES.
BY JAMES PARTON.

BY JAMES PARTON.
j have sometimes thought that a
proper history of the last century
could be written without SO much as
meisSicssing the name of Napoleon Bo-
j naparte; for nothing is really worth
recording as final history except what
promotes the permanent welfare OF
man. Bouaparte founded nothing,
established nothing, suggested moth
ing, which our race will not gladly
dispense with, when we learn how to
make better use of our energies than
in destroying one another. He was a
tempest, He did not help France out
Of her difficulties, nor, make the fu-
ture easier for her. When he had
passed away, the beautiful country
! which he had dazzled and drained, fell
helpless into the hands Of poor old
man and few old women. To this
day there is no hope for France ex-
cept in forgetting Bonaparte, and ex-
tirpating nearly all that he left be-
hind him. .fs..s
But if the historian could pass by
do, am sure that no enlightening,
complete history of the last two CEN
turles could be written without rela-.
ting the origin of circulating libraries,
humble as that origin was, and only
preserved from Oblivion in the brief
memoirs of their inventor. Next to
the district schools, a good, selfsus-
tanning circulating library is perhaps
the most beneficial institution which
can exist in a town. It is useful
anywhere but in secluded country
places, good public library makes
the difference. in the long run, between
mental life and mental darkness-be-
tween the gloom of ignorance and
bigotry, and the cheerful light shed
abroad by knowledge and public spir
it.
This Invaluable institution we owe
to tie bcnevolcuee, ingenuity and
practical wisdom of that great bene-
factor OF his species, Benjamin Frank
lin. In that part of his autobiography
where he relatcs his adventures in
London as journeyman printer,
from his nineteenth to his twenty irst
year, the following passage occurs
awhile lodged at Little Britain, |
made an acquaintance with one Will
cox, bookseller, whose shop was
next door. He had an immense col
lection of secondhand books. Circu-
lating libraries were not then in use:
but i've agreed that, on certain rea-
sonable terms, which I have now for
gotten, / might take. read, and re-.
turn any of his books. This 1 es-
teemed great advantage, and l made
as much use of it as could"
In this passage we have, I think,
the germ of the circul ting library. ,a
Six years passed. Franklin had
returned to Philadelphia, where he
had set up in business as a printer,
and established his celebrated club,
called the Junta. At first this club
met in an ale-house but, after awhile
one of the members lent them room,
which he set apart for their exclusive
use.,. in their debates and CONVERSE
tions, the members often referred TO
their books, which, however, being at
home, could not be produced at the
.opportune moment. One evening,
Franklin proposed that they should
all bring their little stock of books to
this apartment, where they would be
Mt the service of the members at all
times and each would have the adj
vantage OF considerable library
The members consenting. the books
were brought and arranged at one end
of the room upon shelves. The col
lection was not large, for the MEM
hers were mostly young men, either
journeymen or Just beginning business
and books Mt that time-1731-were
ponderous, scarce, and high7priced.
The plan did not answer as well
as franklin hoped. Some Of the
books werc carelessly used and iE-9
jured. The owners was dissatisfied,
and. at the end of the year, each mem
ber took home his books, and SO the
collection was broken up.
Franklin, who was all his lite a
student, missed them from the club
roam, and he now conceived the pro-
ject of founding a permanent library
for the benefit of the whole town, and
one from which books could be taken
to the homes of the subscribers
Philadelphia at that time contained
but about ten thousand inhabitants,
and among them there were few who
had much taste for reading. The
project. therefore, was not easy OF
accomplishment. It demanded all of
Franklin's tact. perseverance, and
knowledge of mankind, i
First ne tells us, he drew a sketch
of the plah and rules, and requested
a conveyance :, member of the club
to put them in legal form to he sub
scribed, each signer engaging to pay
iorty shilllngs down for the first pur
chase of books, and ten shillings eve
ry year for the increase of the library.
1t was with very great difficulty, and
after MANY a weary tramp about the
town, and many an hours pursuasiee
talk, that he obtained fifty subscri-
bers. He lets us in to one of the Sc
crets of his 81 ccess in an amusing
passage, which the reader would do
well to remember the next time he has
any public object TO promote.
s'Ihe objections and rel,fctalfces I
met with, IN soliciting the subscrip !,
tions, made me soon feel the impropri,,
ETY. of presenting ones self as the pro-
poser of any useful project that might
be supposed to raise ones reputation
in the smallest degree above that of
ones neighbors, when one has need, of
their assistance to accomplish that
project. / therefore put myself rs
much as I could out Of SIGHT, and sta