The news & observer., 1901-01-25

| conferred on them much greater favor
| than by the gilt OF large sum of money.
/ inasmuch as you have put them in pos
| session of the principal of all legitimate
prosperity. Sir John Herschel said:
| Were | TO pray for a taste which should
| stand me in stead under every variety OF
| circumstances end be source OF happf-
ness ands cheerfulness during life and
| shield against it's ills, however things
might go amiss and the world frown upon
me, it would be taste for reading Give
| a man this taste and the means of graft
| flying it, and you can hardly fail Of making
| him a happy man. You place him in con-
tact with the best society in every period
of history. with the wisest, the wittiest,
| the tenderest, the bravest and the purest
characters who have adorned humanity.
| You make him a denizen of all nations. a
contemporary of all ages
Thine only will develope and tell the
| good results of The establishment of this
Library-the influence for good it will
exert in the uplifting of the intellectual
and moral tone of our people of all
classes. not only of the poor and the COM
paratively ignorant or uneducated. but
also of the partially educated and even of
| those who are rightly supposed to have
been thoroughly educated at the seminar
les and colleges. In respect to the latter
class, especially, l wish to say that it is
to be regretted that the mistake is so
commonly made of believing that a course
at college with 4 fairly good standing
is the end of ones education or literary
pursuits For proof one need but consult
the results of ones own observation.
! How many who, with jealous endeavor
and commendabe ambition mastered their
college studies and seemingly deserved
the predictions of future usefulness and
renown, have instead of progressing either
refrigerated in intellectual power or pur-
sued a path of mediocrity in life! How
many resting satisfied with the laurels
which commencement day brought to their
brows have achieved none from the
world! Look abroad upon society and you
can count upon your fingers those who
have continued to pursue the studies to
which they were introduced, and in which
they made c0mmendable advancement at
college. This is true, not only of those
who have proved to be failures in life,
but &C those who have been reasonably
and even highly successful in the voca-
tions they have followed. 1t is in some
ly practical tendencies of our age and
country that no further progress is made
in those departments of knowledge and re-
search that do not relate strictly to ones
particular vocation or profession. Ameri-
cans are so engrossed in business and in
money making-in physical progress and
the development of the almost untouched
resources of their magnificent land, that
Tb at In bo y
cient care for intellectual Improvement
and progress. They are like young
man just coming into his inheritance rich
indeed, but consisting of boundless acres
of virgin forests Trees must be felled,
roads opened, fences made and houses
built Res augusta domi renders il
necessary to pay most attention to those
arts which will make the earth yield its
increase for the support of life and to
neglect those which are less useful in a
practical sense. What the Germans call
the bread .apd hqtter sciences Broden
Schaften"-are in higher esteem with us
than those which lead the mind on the
highway of Intellectual research and dis
covery. The older countries and civiliza-
tions have the advantage of US in this
respect their fortunes are made, their
their income IS established and hence
they have more leisure for cultivation;
and hence again, they surpass us by the |
learning and scholarship of their people.
With them private and public libraries.
societies for encouragement of literature.
arts and sciences flourish because they
are patronized by all classes of people
by artisans tradespeople and professional
Ill bxt a, utbn MI ftO1.
is wholly devoted to those studies; while
with rs but few societies of that nature
exist because the tastes and habits of our
people do rot create a demand for them |
This comparison or contrast is exhibited |
not in the spirit of raillery or complaint
or with a lack of proper appreciation of
or admiration for the people and institu-
tions of our country. Ours Is a great |
nation, of mighty vigor, superb achieve
ments and yet grander possibilities, and |
am in full sympathy with the most ard |
ent euogist of It's power and grandeur |
In many respects we surpass the old |
countries and civilizations, but in respect |
OF fondness for learning and intellectual |
progress they excel us beyond measure. |
AS before s2id some reasonable excuse !
for this inequality has perhaps hereto |
IOfc GAISlGQ, Dule II lS time lHtGe SHOulu i
be a change in our ideas and habits. We |
have long passed the century milestone |
in our existence as nation, physical de- |
velopment has advanced so far that its /
own weight and the impetus it has re-
ceived will carry 1t forward. Man does |
not live by bread alone" nor does a ma |
tion's greatness consist entirely in the |
splendor of it's internal improvements, its |
giant physical power or the richness and
extent of its material resources. The |
true measure is the Intelligence and virtue
of its people, the prevalence of learning, |
the refinement of society and the growth /
of Christianity
Let us hope that the establishment OF |
this splendid Library, the ample supply |
and variety of books on all subjects, the |
attractiyeness OF the rooms, the thought J
full attention of the liberal and tasteful |
founder to every detail that might con- /
tribute to the ease. comfort and con.
venience Of those who visit the Library
will induce our people-all of us, young
and old. Of all stations in life and all
ayocations-to make use of the oppor- L
tunity offered to increase broaden and /
perfect ourselves in learning, not ouly in
the l:ne Of our particular business but