subsists among us can only be surmounted by superior attainments; and those who do not take the roads of wealth or politics in pursuit of these, will follow that of literature.

Perhaps it may be found that literature will derive facilities from the unfettered state of opinion among us. In some countries education is in the hands of particular classes of men, who give it a bias subservient to the views of government, or their own order. They are too apt to have a morbid fear of novelty, and a tender toleration of existing abuses. Their system is founded on proscription, with a strong reluctance to admit any change, even if that change be improvement. They themselves went through a certain routine, and they seem loath that others should escape from its irksomeness, lest their acquisitions should be undervalued. There is a strong disposition to subject every mind to one method; their plan is the bed of Procrustes, and the mind must be stretched or contracted to fit it. In the freer countries, there are some exceptions, but they are all modern or all private institutions; the public establishments still wear the livery of the 15th century. Many minds are thus exercised in trammels, until the natural freedom and spring are lost, and they ever after move in the required gait, that never oversteps the ancient paths. In this country, when we shall have a body of instructors with equal ability, and less subject to the influence of prejudice, less bigoted to antique forms, because they are antique, we may hope for greater facilities or fewer obstacles to the developement of talent. A boy's case will not be desperate, though he cannot make Latin verses; if he can comprehend a problem of Euclid or a moral of history, it will

be received in commutation for an exercise in prosody; and if his mind can soar, the course will be left in some degree to his own choice, and not be dragged back to earth, to flutter in one, for which he may feel nothing except repugnance and inaptitude.

There is one circumstance which has, in some respects, a favourable, in others an unfavourable tendency for literature, and which of these aspects preponderates, is uncertain, though I am inclined to think the latter; this is the wide circulation of newspapers, and their extremely miscellaneous character, which furnish great variety of reading, and tend to encourage desultory habits of it; of course, they offer a receptacle of speedy publication, open to almost every one's communications. This gives an easy opportunity to young writers to try their pens; but it also wastes the energy of many minds in disconnected essays on subjects of temporary interest, the fleeting topics of the day. The facility of publication, in this ready mode of occupying public attention, is very attractive to those who want to express their thoughts without the labour of correction. Opinions made up under immediate excitement, commonly exhibit great rashness of judgment and a strong tincture of prejudice: a loose and careless style is adopted, in which violence and exaggeration supply the place of correctness and strength; where the effect is from "the venom of the shaft, not the vigour of the bow." There are many persons who probably would not write at all, if they were obliged to write with more care and effort; but there are some who have in this way got rid of their thoughts as they occurred, without the trouble of maturing them, and have frittered away

powers of intellect that might have produced works of permanent utility.

We derive great satisfaction for the present, and entertain strong hopes for the future, from the advances we have made within a few years; while, from the steps that have been taken, we may presume upon a developement, a few years hence, that will exhibit a very high ratio of increase. The standard of education has been enlarging, instructors are more able, and students more accomplished. This is not only shown in the number and character of the books we have published, but is very obvious and striking in most of our journals and periodical works. The transactions of our learned societies exhibit very gratifying proofs of this progressive amelioration. The volumes of the Historical Society, though they might be supposed to have exhausted the most interesting papers, still continue to publish, annually, a mass of documents, invaluable to the American historian. The Transactions of the American Academy have been constantly improving, and will now compare with those of almost any learned Society in Europe. None of these labours are paid for ;-every thing of this kind is gratuitous, and these productions are the voluntary efforts of individuals, in the moments of leisure from active business, either in public or private life. Indeed, it may be considered as one of the advantages of modern literature, that the race of mere authors is almost extinct. The character of literary men stands higher. It is not considered in Europe, as it formerly was, degrading to a man of noble rank or in high employ, to write a book;-it now adds to his consideration. Men of learning and science have been discovered to be capable of various kinds of public em

ployment, and talents now are not thought incompatible with performing an active part, either in public or private concerns. There is less encouragement in this, than in any other country, for a man to confine himself to authorship. This I think a great advantage; it prevents genius from degrading itself by unworthy subserviency, and it gives servants to the public of greater capacity. It brings men of learning and men of the world. more into contact; it blends the business of life and its instruction more intimately; it destroys pedantry, and enriches literature.

LETTER VI.

Fine Arts.

MY DEAR SIR,

We agreed so fully in the opinion, that our country was destined to acquire a glorious reputation from the successful cultivation of the fine arts, that I very cheerfully answer your inquiries as to our prospects in this respect, and what has been done here for encouragement. On this subject there is much prejudice, and it is so often considered under very narrow and false views of its importance, that I shall, at the risk of repeating many ideas which may be already familiar to you, presume so far on your patience, as to give an outline of the reasons which should influence us, rationally and individually, to promote the growth of the fine arts in our country. I think my observations will be capable of general application, but I request you to bear in mind,

that I am writing under the impulse of local impressions, and my allusions will be principally to facts existing in this vicinity.

It is impossible to avoid very confident expectations of future glory from the arts, when we consider the numerous indications that we have given of aptitude for their cultivation. Surely, the eminent artists produced in this country, during the last generation, did not spring from mere accident; but we shall continue to produce others in constant succession. If we claim as our countrymen those who pursued their profession under every disadvantage, from the strong instinct of talent alone, and who were obliged to expatriate themselves at periods when revolution and poverty prevented their employment at home, we may calculate on having an increased number, when we are beginning to get models that will serve to awaken and guide the efforts of genius; when wealth has given us the ample means of patronage,when the circle of taste is widening every day, and when the feeling of national policy is beginning to call on the arts to promote it.

On this, as in some other cases in this country; in almost every thing but patriotism and virtue, we are obliged, after admitting present deficiencies, and pointing out the remedy, to console ourselves, by looking forward. The difference between this and some older countries, is the difference between anticipation and retrospect; ours are the pleasures of hope, theirs the pleasures of memory. We do not expect a harvest without having planted the seed, and proved the soil to be fruitful. Accidents may retard the growth, disastrous seasons may blight the expected fruit; but these will be transient disappointments. A people, enjoying the