his

power to become poffeffed of the work of any particular author he may judge deserving a fuperior degree of attention; and the members at large enjoy the advantage of a continual fucceffion of different publications, instead of being reftricted to a repeated perusal of the fame authors; which muft have been the cafe with many if so rational a plan had not been adopted.

I am informed that when circulating libraries were first opened, the booksellers were much alarmed, and their rapid increase added to their fears, and led them to think that the fale of books would be much diminished by fuch libraries. But experience has proved that the fale of books, fo far from being diminished by them, has been greatly promoted, as from thofe repofitories, many thousand families have been cheaply fupplied with books, by which the tafte for reading has become much more general, and thoufands of books are purchased every year, by fuch as have first borrowed them at those

libraries,

libraries, and after reading, approving of them, become purchasers.

The Sunday-Schools are fpreading very fast in most parts of England, which will accelerate the diffuffion of knowledge among the lower claffes of the community, and in a very few years exceedingly increase the fale of books. Here permit me earnestly to call on every honest bookseller (I trust my call will not be in vain) as well as on every friend to the extension of knowledge, to unite (as I am confident will) in a hearty AMEN.

you

Let fuch as doubt whether the enlightening of the understandings of the lower orders of fociety, makes them happier, or be of any utility to a state, read the following lines. (particularly the laft twelve) by Dr. Goldfmith, taken from his Traveller.

"These are the charms to barren states affign'd,
"Their wants are few, their wishes all confin'd;
"Yet let them only share the praises due,
"If few their wants, their pleasures are but few
"Since every want that stimulates the breaft,
"Becomes a fource of pleasure when redrest.

Z3

;

"Hence

"Hence from fuch lands each pleasing science flies,
"That firft excites defires, and then fupplies.
"Unknown to them, when fenfual pleasures cloy,
"To fill the languid paufe with finer joy ;

"Unknown thofe powers that raife the foul to flame,

Catch every nerve, and vibrates thro' the frame;
"Their level life is but a mould'ring fire,

"Nor quench'd by want, nor fann'd by ftrong defire;
"Unfit for raptures, or if raptures cheer,
"On fome high festival of once a year,
"In wild excefs the vulgar breast takes fire,
""Till buried in debauch, the blifs expire.

"But not their joys alone thus coarsely flow,
"Their morals, like their pleafures, are but low:
"Nor, as refinement ftops, from fire to fon,
"Unalter'd, unimprov'd their manners run;
"And love's and friendship's finely pointed dart
"Fall blunted from each indurated heart;

"Some fterner virtues o'er the mountain's breast,

May fit like falcons low'ring on the nest,

"But all the gentler morals, fuch as play

"Thro' life's more cultivated walks, and charm our way;
"Thefe far difpers'd, on timorous pinions fly,
"To fport and flutter in a kinder fky."

It is worth remarking that the introducing hiftories, romances, ftories, poems, &c. into schools, has been a very great means of diffufing a general tafte for reading among all

ranks

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ranks of people, while in fchools, the children only read the bible (which was the case in many schools a few years ago)-children then did not make fo early a progrefs in reading as they have fince, they have been pleased and entertained as well as inftructed ; and this relish for books, in many will last as long as life.

I am,

Dear Friend,

Yours.

LETTER

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66

LETTER XXXIX.

Happy the man that has each fortune try'd,
"To whom the much has given, much deny'd,
"With abftinence all delicates he fees,
"And can regale himself with toast and cheese.”
Art of Cookery,

"One folid difh his week-day meals affords,
"And added Pudding confecrates the Lord's,"

DEAR FRIEND,

THE

HE Public at large, and bookfellers in particular, have beheld my increafing ftock with the utmost astonishment, they being entirely at a lofs to conceive by what means I have been enabled to make good all my payments; and for feveral years, in the beginning of my bufinefs, fome of the trade repeatedly afferted, that it was totally impoffible that I could continue to pay for the large numbers of books that I continually purchased; and ten years fince, being induced to take a journey into my own. country, with a view to the restoration of

my