The United States Literary Gazette

Published on the first and fifteenth day of every month, by Cummings, Hilliard, & Co. No. 1 Cornhill, Boston.-Terms, 35 per annum, payable in July.
VOL. I.
BOSTON, APRIL 1, 1824.

No. 1.

PROSPECTUS.

occasionally inserted. In freely admitting of every month. Each number will con

prose or poetry of a miscellaneous charac- tain 16 quarto pages-one or two of which We have determined to publish a new ter, we shall not depart from our leading may be used for advertisements and will periodical work, and as many are now principle of making the Gazette a national be printed on paper of superior quality. published in this country, and many more work, because, we may thus assist the de- It will be sent to distant subscribers on the have been attempted and abandoned, we velopment and cultivation of domestic tal- day of publication, by the mail of that day, shall endeavour to state at some length, ent, and the articles we publish will give or in any other way they shall prescribe. our purposes in commencing another. some indication of the strength and charac- Terms—$5 per annum, payable in six

We are perfectly aware how difficult itter of the intellectual power already exist- months from its commencement. Subscripmust be to overcome the indifference, works ing and exerted amongst us.

tions received at our Bookstore, No. 1 Cornlike that we propose, encounter at their We shall not aim at giving a value to our hill. CUMMINGS, HILI & Co. outset. We do, however, expect success, Gazette by profound researches into science Boston, Feb. 1824. because we are confident of our ability to and philosophy, or by lengthened and intrimake a Literary Gazette, which shall be cate speculations. Our numbers shall not The editor of this paper is perfectly senhighly useful to the reading public of this be filled with literary gossip; neither shall sible of his inability to sustain alone the country, and to all who are interested in they be composed of articles which are not burthen of such a work as, it is hoped, this matters relative to literature, either in the to be understood and appreciated but with will become. But his extensive and very way of business or amusement. We have a degree of labor almost equal to that re- satisfactory arrangements with gentlemen long seen and felt the want of such a work ; quired for their composition, and cannot be who stand high among the scholars and we hope to supply an existing demand ; to enjoyed without a singularity of taste and writers of our country, encourage him to offer to a large portion of this community, mental habits. We shall endeavour to avoid believe, that the Literary Gazette, he is a gratification suited to their tastes and not with equal care both these extremes, and about to conduct, will be a valuable addinow provided for them.

we now offer our first number to the public, tion to our periodical literature. We shall endeavour to give to the United that by it they may judge of our plan, and No existing journal, at least none in this States Literary Gazette, a strictly national of the means we have provided for its exe- country, actually performs the uses of a character. If we do not fail in executing cution. We however ask, what in common General Review; and it will be a leading our intentions, it will communicate a dis- equity must be granted, that the difficulties principle in the conduct of the Gazette, to tinct and accurate impression of the literary of making a beginning should be duly con- maintain this character. It is obviously and intellectual condition and progress of this sidered. Many gentlemen have engaged impossible that any individual should critcountry. A large proportion of our pages to contribute to our pages, and in justice to icise justly books of every sort; the editor will be filled with reviews of works publish them it is proper for us to say, that among certainly would not think of undertaking a ed here, either of domestic or foreign ori- them are minds as highly gifted by nature, task so far beyond his ability; but he has to gin; every book which issues from the press and as well nurtured and disciplined by thank many who honour him with their of this country, and comes within our reach, habits of study and composition, as those friendship, for the kindness, which has promshall receive from us such notice as its employed in the support of any periodical ised to this work the assistance of such a character and pretensions deserve. We work in this land.

variety and extent of talent and knowlshall also publish whatever interesting in- Some pages of each number will be filled edge, as may almost ensure to all the classes formation we can gather, concerning our with Literary and Scientific Intelligence of the reading community a just account national literature, education, and public Great care and assiduity will be used to of every work, which is offered to them opinions.

ensure to this department of the Gazette, and is important enough to deserve any Books intended to subserve the purposes interest and value. It may be well to re- notice.

T. P. of education, have, within a few years, been mark, that our extensive connexion with greatly improved and multiplied. Much of booksellers, at home and abroad, will enable the best talent and skill of this age has us to supply our editors and contributors

REVIEWS. been employed upon mere school books; promptly, with almost every new publicaand histories, travels, tales, &c. calculated tion of every kind.

Course of Instruction in the Public Schools for the tastes and requirements of youth, No injury to the established Journals, can

in Boston. Boston, 1823. 8vo. have been written with great power, print- be involved in the success of our proposed This pamphlet is filled with valuable ined in the cheapest forms, and circulated work; many of them are useful and hon- formation. The public instruction providthroughout the community with strenuous orable to the literature of this country, and ed by the city of Boston for all her citiindustry. Such works must exert a power- we should deeply regret to impede their zens, who are disposed to avail themselves ful influence, either of good or evil; we usefulness or lessen its rewards. We be- of it, is an almost unexampled instance of think they have not received due attention long to the same class of literary works, that true wisdom which is one with just libfrom the journals professedly devoted to but our paths lie in different directions; erality. It is not the effort of individuals reviewing the current literature of the age; and.it cannot be doubted, that literary pub- to build an asylum for resourceless poverty, and shall endeavour to supply this deficien- lications profit each other, by increasing or to establish permanent relief for the cy by making our readers acquainted with and confirming the appetite which demands wretched ;—but it is a magnanimous detertắe true character of all books, written to and enjoys them. A successful work, al- mination and endeavour of a body politic, aid them in a work of such importance as most of necessity, enlarges the circle of to prevent the severest evils which embitter the education of their children.

those, who are prepared to read with pleas- life and render it useless; to remove the Notices of foreign works, which lead to ure another work of a similar character. efficient and fertile sources of misery and topics or considerations applicable to the The United States Literary Gazette will sin, by substituting the unspeakable good of affairs or interests of this country, will be be published on the first and fifteenth day education, for a childhood and youth of un

taught, unreclaimed, and unsubdued igno- child. In these schools the children are tinct school, of the system of mutual intrucrance and wilfulness.

taught to read and spell correctly, and thus tion with very satisfactory success. One The attention paid to education in most to fit themselves effectually for the higher hundred and sixty children, who were too parts of the civilized world, is a striking schools. Pupils are first received at four old for the primary schools and unqualified characteristic of this age, and a proof that years of age, which is quite as soon as the to enter the grammar schools, were receiyman is beginning to be blessed with a bet-discipline and instruction of a school can ed and instructed in the same branches as ter discernment of the true end and uses of be applied to advantage. These schools are taught in the other schools by one maslife, and a greater willingness to regard are numerous, because experiment has prov- ter at a much less expense. moral and intellectual good, as more valua-ed that fifty or sixty children are as many The English Classical School was estabble than any thing beside. In England the as one mistress can successfully instruct, and lished for the admirable purpose of providefforts of many prominent men, to institute because it is important that the schools ing for lads intending to become merchants a system of general education, are well should be as near as possible to the homes or mechanics, means of more extended and known. The discoveries of Lancaster and of the infant pupils. Their object and effect complete instruction than they could obtain Bell have applied to the work of instruc- is to bring the first rudiments of education at any of the other public schools. There tion, principles of great efficacy. In the near to the doors of all who are wise enough are four instructers, and no scholars are adbest parts of Europe schools of various and kind enough to their children to avail mitted under twelve years of age. The kinds have been established, which in most themselves of them. All the Primary Schools course continues during three years, but instances are supported by the strength of are under the immediate care of a board, the branches of most importance are made public opinion, and, in many, also receive consisting of fifty members, who are divid- to fall within the first year, as many of the princely or royal patronage. Of some of ed and subdivided into various committees, scholars are unable to remain in the school these institutions, the object is to give to armed with proper powers and charged with after they are old enough to do something the highest ranks suitable education; of corresponding responsibilities. The great for their own support. The studies in this others, to reclaim the lower classes from est care is taken to secure, by mutual, school embrace Intellectual and Written reckless and irregular habits, by the power ceaseless, and exact report and supervision, Arithmetic, Geography and the use of the of discipline, and to give them useful knowl- a faithful and efficient execution of this well globes, Grammar, History, Book-keeping, edge for utter ignorance. These indica-organized system. The monthly, quarterly, Elements of some Arts and Sciences, Comtions may be fallacious,—they may promise and semi-annual written reports are made position and Declamation, Geometry, Algeless than we think they do, this progress every year with unvarying regularity and bra, Trigonometry, Natural Philosophy and and tendency, if it exist, may be checked or equal in quantity more than a thousand pages. History, Chemistry, Moral Philosophy, Natmade to retrograde ;—but assuredly it is Each child is faithfully examined at least ural Theology, Rhetoric, Evidences of Chrisright for us to rejoice in an unquestionable twelve times a year, and many, much of- tianity, Intellectual Philosophy, Political growth and improvement of important hu- tener.

Economy, Logic, and the French Lanman institutions, and to expect therefrom From these schools, scholars who are pro- guage. extensive and valuable influence upon hu- perly prepared, go to the English Grammar The Latin School is the last which we man character.

and Writing Schools, which are in two rooms; shall have occasion to notice, as it comIn this improvement the city of Boston the two branches being kept entirely dis- pletes the course of public instruction. Our takes the lead; we are justified in saying tinct. Each room has a master and assistant, limits will not allow us to speak of this so, because nowhere else has a large city and accommodates three hundred children. school at much length. The Grammars are made an universal and strenuous effort to From the middle of April to the middle of first thoroughly learned, and the course of awaken in her youth a love of knowledge, October girls attend these schools, spend study makes the scholars familiar with seand to fix in them habits of order at that peri-ing half the day in the reading and half in lected parts of Cicero, Horace, Juvenal od of life, when those impressions are receiv- the writing room, and alternating with the and Persius, Xenophon, Homer, Wittened, of which the successive development in boys. It is supposed girls would not attend bach's Greek Historians, and the Greek some sort constitutes the character. The during the inclement season, and in the Testament, together with Geography, Arithwork is begun as soon as it can be with any half year in which they are excluded, the metic, Geometry, Trigonometry, and Algeprospect of advantage, and is continued un- boys are divided between the rooms; the bra. Very considerable portions of the til that age when the education of schools first and lowest classes being separated best Latin and Greek poets are committed must give way to the business of active from the intermediate classes. The read-to memory. life. The system of public and universal ing schools are subdivided into four classes, One very useful, valuable, and, we beinstruction, in operation in this city, has of which the upper two are peculiarly un- lieve, rather peculiar improvement, is adoptbeen gradually improved as experience and der the master's care, but he is strictly re-ed in this and in the English Classical the sagacity of the directors suggested al- sponsible for the whole. Geography is School. Every one who has had any conterations. It is now in most successful taught only to the highest class, but less is cern with a school, either as a scholar or operation, and a pamphlet has been printed effected in this study than might be with master, is perfectly aware of the great for the purpose of presenting to the consid- more apparatus and greater facilities. A hindrance arising from the classification of eration of the public the various parts of selection is annually made from the best boys according to the studies they pursue, this system, connected as they are into one boys of the first class, who are transferred to and not according to their disposition and orderly and admirable whole. We shall the English Classical or to the Latin Gram- capacity for making progress in them. The make a brief extract of the information this mar School, to perfect the studies which they intelligent and quick are thus made lazy by pamphlet contains, certain that, while many have begun or to pursue those of a higher the necessity of imposing only such tasks as even in Boston are ignorant of the great character. In the writing schools the ex- the dull can learn, and the few who aremost good that is among them, to residents of ercises are few and simple, and a very ju- industrious are retarded by the indolent other towns these facts must be new, and dicious use is made of the system of mutual many. In these schools this difficulty is alto all, everywhere, interesting.

instruction. In July, 1823, the average most wholly obviated. As the boys reach The Primary Schools, instructed by wo-number of boys in each school exceeded two the top of the class they are taken off by men, receive all children of either sex be- hundred, and of the girls, one hundred and ten or twelve and formed into a distinct tween four and seven years of age. In seventy. The salary of the master is $1200 class by themselves. As scholars are ad1823 there were forty such schools for the and that of the assistant $600; the expense mitted but once a year, they soon get sorted white and two for the coloured population, of tuition is about nine dollars for each in this way with great accuracy; those and the whole number enrolled was 2,205, scholar; there are in this city seven schools boys finding themselves together who are giving an average of 52 to each school, and of this description, besides one in South able to learn about the same lesson. an average of expense to the public of Boston and one for the coloured population. All the schools-excepting the primary $4.72 per aạnum for the instruction of each In 1821 an experiment was made, in a dis- schools are under the superintendance of

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The United States Literary Gazette, Volumen1