Page:Architectural Review and American Builders' Journal, Volume 1, 1869.djvu/196

 168 Sloan's Architectural Review and Builders' Journal. [Sept., of, naturally, one of the most favored lands on earth, Italy, it finds a cordial welcome in another, by nature no less favored, and, by Providence, greatly more, America. Fenimore Cooper, in his Water-Witch, makes one of his char- acters, Seadrift or Biidora, discussing the comparative climates of Italy and -America, yield the palm for "pearly light, rosj' clouds, and melting tints," to Italy, while allowing America to excel in '■' vividness of glow, depth of transi- tion, and richness of colors." As Italy is geographically a long, narrow strip of land, washed on three sides by two in- divisible seas, the charming softness of the atmosphere, the dreamy etherial lustrous haze, in contradistinction to the briskness and brilliancy of American air, possibly ma}- be owing to the corre- lative reflections interchanged and dif- fused by the skies and the seas. Were both virgin lands, the bard would make America the bridegroom and Italy the bride, because the one is ardent and the other musing. But Italy has her ro- mantic repute for the balmy airs of halcyon days, and the brilliant suns and beaming moons, in cerulean empyreans, nearly as refulgently reflected in ultra- marine, or in indigo ripples — j ustly at the expense of grey and heavy England : for no lover ever saw, no painter ever drew, and no poet ever sung, more buoyant airs, more azure skies, more resplendent suns, or more lustrous moons, than those of the United States. ODE PUBLIC LIBRARIES. TTTE are sorry to say, that Philadel- V V phia, once far ahead of our other cities in literary facilities, is now de- cidedly behind, at least two of them ; to say nothing of her not equalling an university or more. This remark is not in the spirit of emulation, which is well enough in its way ; but arises from com- munionship and experience. If a certain thorough course of study is marked out, or if such an one, inter- rupted at a previous period, is to be re- sumed, few private libraries will afford the proper facilities and not many per- sonal fortunes will — unless with the pen- alty of rapidly depleting their income by spending their principal — permit the costly and continued purchases required. The only safe means is association ; and the spirit of association is apt to flag, after death removes the purely indi- vidual influence, which gave it initial efficiency. The only way to render this spirit perennial is, for liberally cultured gentlemen of wealth, in that spirit of gratitude to Providence for their own advantages, which does not rest satis- fied merely with the verbal expression of thankfulness, but is rather disposed to have benefits pass around — and for wealthy gentlemen not thoroughly edu- cated themselves, who see the advan- tages of literature or science in others, and are willing to have more of those who come after, enjoy them — in the distri- bution of their means by will, to endow such neighboring institutions, as are already best situated to make their bequests most available to the general public. Among such established institutions, we name the Philadelphia Library, the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, the Academy of Natural Sciences, 'the Mer- cantile Library and the Franklin Insti- tute. But especially should the first be fostered, until it shall attain a first-class position. The scholars of Philadelphia and vicinity really need, and can be satisfied with, no less ; and the enduring influence of any community depends upon its enterprise being in the most intimate contact with art, literature and science at their very best.