Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-03-19

mdICu mas Deen onward ana upward.
Yet, withal, the one advantage of
public library has never been supplied.
In this respect she stands far in the
wake of many Southern cities.s In
Atlanta, Ca, for instance, library
has been established by the exertions
OF her young men alone, which con-
tains many thousand volumes, and
with some $4,000 in its treasury.
The institution is amply self
sustaining, and its librarian receives a
salary of $500 per annum. This ex-
empllties the fact that library can be
established and be made self-sustain
ing. The only thing necessary is that
some OF our prominent men would
come to the front and start the ball
in motion. Our young men need only
to be instructed hoW to act, hoic to Law
the foundation and by iohat means.
and we may be assured that they will
not be wanting in the will and energy
to put in practice the plan. Such an
organization can only tend to a good
ana laudable purpose, if, for none
other reason than diverting young
men from the influences of bad asso-
Citations and vicious habits, and turn
ing their minds to more profitable
employment. We we're formed to be
active beings; active about something
and there is no happiness in inaction.
SO deep and irresistible is this yearn-
ing tor activity, for something to fill
the passing hours, that if we (I am one
OF them) are cut off from virtuous
and ennobling employment, we
are urged sometimes to frivolous
and vicious activity and "driven
to seek happiness in life of pleasure
and sensual indulgence, the great
maelstrom in which are engulfed all
the intellectual and moral energies
that are the main elements of happi
ness"
1t is easy to speak of the necessity
Of labor and the uselessness of spend
ing time in ought else than a practi-
cally remuneratiye occupation, Toll
and labor are the heritage of humanity,
but for that very reason there should
be blended with the sterner duties Of
life, hours of rest and recreation, to
refresh the iaded mind from the cares
and anxieties of the day. The abb
stractiOn of the mind from the every
day pursuits of life gives also to a
young man what he too rarely values
at It's genuine cost-time. " "All my
possessions for one moment of time.
were the last words of Queen Eliza
beth, who put no estimate upon its
value until the shadows of death were
burying it in eternity. We are willing
slaves to ceaseless toll, both day anc
night, to accumulate an abundance
We are willing to sacrifice home anC
everything-traverse the desert waste,
Of continents, wear out the body, ex
haust every energy, to bow at the shrin,
of mammon-we shirk no labor anC
| falter at no sacrifice to obtain posi-
ton. H }
| The. utilitarianism of this day ha
attempted to stamp the wealth of coli
as the great lever, ignoring literatur
and its grand aims to material devel
opment. The libraries of the British
museum, containing upwards Of a mil
lion volumes of books and manu-
scripts, attest the rise of that strean
Of literature, which has overhowe,
England with an almost regal indie
pendence There can scarcely be
doubt but that the names of Miltoi
and Shakespeare have contributed a
much to the glory and growth of Eng
land as the Golfers of her Rothchilds
Around the throne of Elizabeth Their
gathered a coterie of men, who's
names have figured in the fields O
science aud unbarred the portals o
learning, and the maiden monarcl
graced her court with the flower ant
chivalry of her realm.
The name Of Burns is dearer to
Scottish heart than the possession o
a continent. The name of Moor,
glows with imperishable splendor il
Irish history. The name of Shaks
peare sparkles Ikea diamond in Eng
lish memory. Spain would sever hel
empire sooner than surrender the fam
? of her Ceryantes. The daringexploit
Of the hero of LaMancha now furnisl
the world of youth and old age wit
amusement. Wealth has always fol
lowed the literary glory Of people
What would be the donation of fe,
thousands by our moneyed men Of til
city toward the establishment of libra
y,compared with theinestimable bene
fits it would produce in stimulatinJ
literary pursuits among her people
A The benefits of such an institution ar
/ incalculable in awakening the literar
elements Of our community, We cal
not expect to accomplish wonders a
first, but by jealous and energeti
effort a respectable library can easil
be started. There is species o
economy which is tenfold worse thai
extravaganza itself, and contains al
the pestilential effects of a disease
Let us then turn our attention /,
( such a temple of literature and stimu
late desire for reading and informa
ton whose influences will be felt il
every household, and though re
quests may not fall on the ear lik,
music, they may be successful on tn,
line of duty A. j. NJ.
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