tice of frequent composition in the language which we are acquiring. It is not too much to say, that by the attention necessary to clothe a dozen sentences in the costume of another tongue, more minute and real knowledge of that language is acquired, and more benefit derived to the mental faculties, than by merely reading in the ordinary way, a volume. This is a daily exercise in European schools, and boys are thus taught not only to read a language, but to write it with facility; not only to run hastily over the ideas of others, but to think for themselves; and, what is of equal importance, to clothe their thoughts with ease and rapidity in the best selected expressions. The consequence is, that usually at the age of eighteen or nineteen, they are better classical scholars than our colleges produce at any age; and their minds have passed through such a course of discipline, as to qualify them for the speedy acquisition of any branch of learning to which they may turn their attention. Such, likewise, is the thorough nature of this discipline, that not only its beneficial effects, but the knowledge also which it gives, is usually retained through life.* Such effects are produced in the ordinary classical schools of Europe; and the inference is irresistible that these schools are of a higher order than most of our seminaries or colleges. Indeed, in our oldest and most extensive, Harvard, Yale, and Princeton, the knowledge of the languages that is gained, bears but a small proportion to that which is acquired at the schools of Eton, Westminster, and many others. In mathematics they can claim little more; for Enfield's Philosophy, the amount of their course in this department, was composed for the use of Warrington Academy. As for composition, it is but a shadow of the thing. It is, therefore, an obvious and lamentable fact, that many of our scholars receive their degrees, and leave our colleges, with less positive knowledge, and with minds far less disciplined and cultivated, than the freshman of an English university.

If these remarks may be made of our highest seminaries, and no one who inquires into the subject will fail to perceive that they are true, what shall be said of the long list of colleges, amounting to thirty-six, which have sprung up like exhalations, in every quarter of our country? Alas! like exha

*We find Cowper, at the age of 70, composing Latin verses as a pastime, though he had not made the language an object of particular attention for more than 50 years.

lations, the light which they shed upon our land is dim; and if it do not mislead the traveller, it extends but a little way, and ere he has ascertained the proper path, disappears and leaves him to grope his way in darkness. Some of our legislatures, in their sageness, employ the same means to augment our wealth and our wisdom. If our country is impoverished in the one, they create banks; if in the other, they found colleges. The result, in both cases, is nearly the same. The money of the one, and the literature of the other, in many instances, sink below par; the banks become the property of a few directors, who make them the instruments of their own accommodation; and the colleges furnish places for a few individuals, who have been partially selected, with the view to confer upon them a standing in society not before due to their exalted acquirements, and which is held without the trouble of extraordinary exertion.

The effect of this state of things upon our literature and on its estimation in the country, is deplorable. The multitude of halflearned graduates, who are yearly turned upon society-proud of their acquisitions in proportion to their slenderness-and really far inferior to plain men of good common sense and experience, in that discipline of the mind which it ought to be the great object of education to impart-produce an impression upon the public sentiment, altogether prejudicial to the pursuits of science. Many desist from the habits of study, which they ought to have acquired, and close their books forever. They are constantly outstripped, in the career of usefulness and reputation, by those who have never enjoyed their supposed advantages; and no inquiry is more common than this: What benefit did such and such a one derive from his college education? Truly, in very many cases, there would be infinite difficulty in giving an

answer.

In such a state of things, it would seem to be the duty and the policy of a great and powerful state, not to weaken her efforts, and dissipate her resources, by bringing home to every man's door a pigmy college; but either to do nothing, and suffer some of the colleges which now exist, gradually to work their own cure; or else, by a magnanimous and concentrated effort, establish a university that shall redound to the honor, and truly subserve the interests, of our literature. In the year 1734, the petty state of Hanover founded the University of Gottengen, which soon became distinguished, and is at this day, in some respects, the noblest in Europe. The simple means VOL. IV.

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by which this was accomplished, were to accumulate a library, and to spare no pains nor expense in procuring professors of great ability and high reputation. The effect of these measures has been, that the University now possesses a library of more than 200,000 volumes; and numbers more than 1000 students from every quarter of the globe. Similar causes would produce similar effects in our own country. For less than one third of the money which is annually disbursed in political intrigue by general committees, at Albany and elsewhere, the state of New-York might erect and support a university which would attract the youth and literary men from every part of America, and command the respect of Europe. She might allure to our shores the savans of the old world, until their spirit and energy, and those resources which give them their elevated standing, were transplanted to our own soil. Then would our colleges assume their proper level; then would our graduates perceive that they had acquired but the alphabet of literature;-then would New York attain to an intellectual supremacy, more magnificent than that which she now holds by her physical power and energy.

ART. VIII. The Christian and Civic Economy of Large Towns. By THOMAS CHALMERS, D. D.

A mere handful of individuals, guided by a truly wise zeal, and stimulated by a spirit of genuine philanthropy, undertook the publication of this work in our country: when only one number had issued from the press, they were obliged to abandon their design, on account of a want of patronage. The chapter printed in this number is upon the influence of Locality in Large Towns; in an especial manner as this local influence is found to amend the system of Sabbath Schools, by a more thorough investigation into the condition of the poorer children of the ag gregate mass of the people. As the reading of this chapter first led us into a consideration of the general object of these institutions, we thought we could not do better than to prefix the title of the book itself, as a kind of text, from which we could deduce such remarks as we may deem worthy the attention of our readers. We mention this circumstance, by way of an apology, for not attempting to give even an outline of Dr. Chal

mers' work: yet we cannot, upon this occasion, forbear expressing our sincere regret that its re-publication should have been discontinued; and it would, of a truth, be a matter of congratulation, if this present notice should awaken inquiry, and, in the end, excite the publishers to proceed with their original intention. As to the ability of the writer, it is a point not to be contested; and, if, at this time, we may be allowed to form a judgment of the whole, from a part, there is that in this work, of which the friend of the poor man, and the zealous promoter of education, will have a reasonable cause to be proud.

"The greatest and most noble function in the world is, to be the author of the happiness of mankind:"-One would imagine, in a moment, that a sentiment which partakes to such a striking degree of the spirit of our Divine doctrine, had fallen from the lips of him whose life was a practical illustration of its correctness. It was nevertheless written aforetime by a heathen orator and philosopher, but Heaven held his hand.' This sentiment, which, like a vein of ore, will be found to increase in value the farther it is traced, is well worth a moment's serious reflection; and insomuch as it introduces the subject of this article. In that masterly portrait of charity, which the apostle drew with no trembling hand, and with such exquisite exactness, we will discover the root of this matter:-'It seeketh not her own.' We are fully persuaded, that to the bulk of mankind we advance a repulsive and a strange hypothesis: one which is aimed, in the most pointed manner, against those preconceived notions of wealth and ease, in which the generality of men, even from earliest childhood, are perfectly well grounded. But this doctrine, heavy as it may fall upon the ear, and combatted, as it undoubtedly will be, by the biassed and the selfish mind, ought to be well learned and practised: otherwise, we need never indulge ourselves in the expectation of gathering up our feet in death, in the midst of great lamentation, or to have graven upon the marble which may distinguish the little green spot where we are buried, that most honourable of all inscriptions, The Benefactor of Mankind.

We straightway confess, we do not at this time stand forth, with the purpose either to interest the feelings, or to persuade the judgment, in behalf of the great multitude of charitable associations with which the whole country appears to abound. Neither do we desire to run to the contrary extreme, and con

demn them en masse. There are some institutions, in the midst of us, the moral and religious influence of which are so clearly apparent, that upon them no man can lay the finger of contempt, nor against them can the tongue of reproach be lifted. We would refer to one in particular: the Female Assistance Society. Nevertheless, from obvious facts, we are forced, even against our inclination. to come to the conclusion that our charitable institutions are radically defective. The root of the tree is rotten :-For, notwithstanding the very arduous exertions which have been, and still are, in daily active operation, we can perceive no declension of pauperism, no decrease of crime; and though many wise things have been written upon this subject; though able report after report hath exposed the causes, and proposed the remedy for these terrible maladies, still, all things continue as they were.'-Nay, the evil rages yet more and more.

With all our searching, we have been able to find but one weapon with which to match so powerful a foe. It is that of education and we are acquainted with no other method by which this education may be introduced into every hovel, no matter whether within or without the suburbs, than by sabbath schools established upon Dr. Chalmers' local system. It is the peculiar feature of this system of sabbath schools, that it renders education common to every class and condition of people, within its genial influence.

It is the substance of a remark of Johnson's, that those works which evince the deepest thought, and display the most extensive and elaborate research, have been accomplished by little and by little'; by short but frequent efforts, uniformly repeated. After this manner will the present system, provided it continue to be pushed into practice with unwearied diligence, gradually work its way into the admiration of all men; and, in the end, writes Chalmers, altogether assure the magnificent result of a country rescued from vice and violence, and placed conclusively beyond the reach of moral and political disorders." We will invite the reader's attention to a brief historical account of the rapid, we had nigh said, the miraculous advancement of these invaluable institutions. They have marched forward with a steady, unwavering eye, with a powerful arm, and with a gigantic step; and at this present period there is a goodly promise, that before many years have passed away, they will be found in active, useful operation through the greater part