Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-12-20
The Augusta Library.
To the Editor Of the Journal;

~ Hc LQGOT " HS COEfHIl.
Without taking part in the movement for a
public library which occasioned some discus
sion in your paper last winter, 1 watched the
progress Of the effort with good deal of in
terest. | confess that while l sympathiZed
deeply with the object, had some doubts in
| regard to the result. l was not informed of
the details of the plan and thought it might
| end in failure to raise the amount required
to start the library, or that the money might
be spent in the purchase of works of fiction
! which considered of doubtful utility.
Very few towns in New England are with
out libraries, but nearly all of them are COM
posed chiefly of novels With small percentage
Of history, for the greater part obsolete
editions, containing views widely at variance
| with the state Conformation on those subjects
at the present day. The reason of this is that
care has been taken only to get as many vol
unles as possible with the money appropri-
ated. w
1t ia common notion that books are books
and that a number Of volumes, of whatever
character they may be, having some proportion
to the reading popul alton, is sufficient. 1t is
| true that all books have some purpose to
perform in the general growth of liter
| AZURE, but 1t is safe to say that after that
purpose is fulfilled nine-tenths of them
may be set aside for the more healthy
and recent outgrowth. Since the Au.
gusta Library has been opened to the
public have frequently visited it and made
profitable use of 1t, AMI am glad to admit
that, SO far, the experiment has been sue
cessiul one. The money has been raised, and
what is moro important, has been judiciously
expended. The Library ought now to have
the support and patronage of all persons
lnteres SIT Il in literature and education.
There are in Augusta a large number of
thoughtful, reading people who know the
value of good books and the habit Of reading
them, and can safely call the attention OF
such critics to the character of this new
library. The department of science contains
the latest works OF the celebrated scientists
Tyndall, Darwin, Faraday, Figuier, Wood,
Humboldt. Hooker and the lamented Agas-
sig.
In art may be found such authorities as
Mrs. Jameson, Ruskn, Hamerton, Lubke
Eas,lake, rane and kugler.
In history, Hame, Macaulsy, Knight,
Gibbon, Carlyle, Buckle, Draper, Kohl
ransch Parkman, Leeky, Mommser, Froude,
Thierry, Martineau, Grote, Prescott, Free
man, Losing, Motley, and Bancroft.
In fiction Dickens, Scott, Geo. Nc
Donald, Bulwer, Cooper. Reade, Lever.
Thackery, Gait, Yates, Collins, Mayne Reid;
and in the miscellaneous department host
of brilliant names.
Many of these books and notably the Illus
trated ones on natural history and arr, are
very rare and expensive; many of them
costing ten dollars a volume. 1t is evident
that those who have had charge of the selec-
ton of books have spared no care or expense
in furnishing the best Of everything, with q
right view to educating and elevating the
taste of those who may seek information
here. From large acquaintance with pub
lie libraries, l can say that it is very unusual
to find such books in them. 1t is a rare priv
ilege to be able, for the trifng charge re-
CURED, to read and refer to books that are
usually TO be found only in the we'll endowed
libraries of literary institutions or large cities.
What the library now needs is more books
more money and more patronage; without
these it cannot be maintained. New and
valuable books are being published every
day and the funds should be sufficient to buy
them as they appear.
The expense Of keeping the library open
and comfortable for those who visit it, is con-
siderable and should be derived from its pat
ronags. The long evenings of winter have
come when leisure for reading is more
abundant than in the summer months. How
do we spend our evenings? Do we devote
our leisure to mental improvement, or do we
sit out the idle hours in a state of mental in
antion?
"Otium sine literis mors est says the
classic proverb which literally interpreted
means-Leisure without books is death; the
mind without extraneous nourishment can no
more survive, than plants, and if left without
it will consume itself and die. The present
age is remarkably fruitful in discoveries in
science and improvements in the social arts.
Do we keep ourselves informed of these dis
coveries and Improvements
When we were boys at school we learned
few principles of science, such as gravita,on,
atmospheric pressure, that there is a force in
nature called electricity, that planets move
with regularity, and that the orbits of comets
are eccentric. From these few meagrc
memories of our school days, we derive e
knowledge of natures laws. What wonder
full discoveries have been made since we left
our rudimentary studies! The whole face OF
the suite has been changed The range of
chemical atfinities has been vastly Increased
The telescope has revealed new worlds. Ge-
ology has established fixed laws of the earth's
growth. The principle of the correlation
and conservation of forces has given KEY and
common language to all the phenomena OF
the organic, inorganic, intellectual and moral
werld. The great temple of nature, if not
thrown open to the broad light of positive
knowledge, has been illuminated with thous-
and lamps Of Silence. A library furnishes a
means of continuing our education and should
not be neglected. G. Il.