New-York tribune., 1891-02-20
SELECTIONS FROM THE MAIL.
FOR A GREAT NATIONAL LIBRARY.

RATHER THAN ANOTHER UNIVERSITY
10 the Editor Of The Tribune
Sir: | am strongly inclined 10 the belief that il
senator Edmunds, while advocating his Dill 10 proNuo
National University in Washington, were 10 eathe,
the Views OF the learned men Of the country, ard OF
'hose Intelligent persons who have some reason '"
nope that they may be learned. he would ma among
them the overwhelming consciousness OF one deIeo'
IN tile life Of the United States, which whole whuc'
ness Of universities cannot make AMENDS lor n0
would find that there are many people, scattered mere
ana there throughout the country, who' II they oouu
ma on this side Of the Atlantic the materials ior sts
Would be well satisfied to the poor wits they haVo
in the effort 10 Get along without overmuch teaching
The college and the university must necessarily oe
limited to youth one is obliged TO walk alone some
tme If he is To DO man, and this is true In matters o
learning as well as in every other human ahar 10,
should Ike just fu curIosity's SAKE 70 KNOW
therc Is single OF learning in thiS country ",o
has been able invariably find all the DOCKS INA. n'
wanted in the libraries of this country. Is IL ho' '"o
that in almost every line of study. the worAilan'
sooner or later though he search in all our cues WIN
pain, finds that nothing to be done except 10 uepe
on foreign collections Is not that point reacheu dill
too soon?
In our anxiety to teach tho young idea how 20 Soo.
up to dOctor's degree. why not eApehu lno'o
on the needs of those who have passed thc pe'S ''
Of doctorate! The time ought to be haSVeheo' no'
retarded when every work Of the human mind wOuiu
In some form or other, be accessible, eaSuy acceo
In this country, without journey hal "fo'u INV
globe after IT. OF course, the Congressional LloS
may reach such dimensions in course OF tlme' III ''o
meanwhile, may wait, and those who 1oiio" Us n''
wait, and rich men, and the states, ana even lhc
may so on founding universities for boys anu sliN
and continuing TO look to the Old World for every te
Ike original scholarship. -, .
II seems to mc-and am pretty wei cOhVlhocu ','
Others would say the samc-that universities arc w
coming IA glut in the market aud that much hio'o
crying need would be met by expenditure OF soIic VI
these millions upon libraries. ly All means @ ~
those already founded. Thcrc ought 70 be hol1! a.. m
Washington the rival Of all other libraries p1I ~ W
gcther. IL should have an adequate lOtce %. ,iu
ploycs % that demands upon IL could be met pVnpo'S
whether those demands were in person or by cor
rcspondencc. IL should be possible lor man M Va ",
leaning, who happened to be Obliged 10 nv III III
O,kosh or Little Rock, to have copies OF paoSases
rare books and slange authors made iOr MN dC
expense. Then, In his poverty, nc lor one "ou' %
have no occasion to envy the man OF wealth Mho t ~
have every thing he wants, but VINO hd'ulS WI ~
anything worth having. .,,..,,o ,,,ruh
The originals or q copy OF every attultDlo uuPSDD
lislcd manuscript that /, Of value IN any hcpl oi StS
example Of every book printed WhalcNer lls fl f..
or language these should be Included III INC 10
~ a library 10 which the OF learning anu astI m m
the nlfcd states could have access We cOulu "i"u
to barter a great number Of the university
VIC already have, for an adequate logeshduo
% such a library.
New York, Feb. l., lSol.