Be it remembered, in honor of the they cheerfully, at the instance of Benjamin Francia Similar in character, and little inferior in extent the collection at the Philadelphia Library, is tha the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, freely acces sible to visitors, in the delightful Hall of the Scien on the Spruce street front of the Pennsylvania Ho pital square. This Society was organized in 1824 al incorporated in 1826, and is second to none of Philadelphia Institutions in its noble objects and a triotic achievements. Besides its library, marveling rich in priceless gems of olden days' literature in l pamphlets, and MSS., the whole inside wall is with portraits of the great and good who have ter eminent in our country's history, from the very tir historic days to the present time, and a fireproof chan ber is full of quaint, curious, precious relics of times past. The Hall is open to visitors every week-day from 10 o'clock in the morning to 10 o'clock in the evening, except during the summer months, wier the hours will be from 10 o'clock A.M. to 6 F.M. The Apprentices' Library, at the southwest corner of Fifth and Arch streets, was instituted in 1820, " for the use a HALL OF THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF PENNSYLVANIAFrom the Grounds of the Pennsylvania Hospital. occupied in October of the latter year. The library comprises one of the most valuable collections in the country, including hundreds of rare and choice old tomes whose value cannot be computed in dollars and cents. In 1791 the Loganian Library, with its rare and curious books in ancient tongues and its precious classics, was removed to the custody of the Philadelphia Library Company. The Loganian Library takes its name from its collector, James Logan, Penn's famous Secretary, who bequeathed it as a perpetual legacy to the citizens of Philadelphia. The combined collections are open to the public from 9 o'clock A.M. to 5 P.M. every week-day, and every facility is afforded to visitors to read and even to copy ad libitum from their invaluable volumes. During a period of nearly a hundred years, thousands have thus been benefited, many of whom have never entered the building, but have obtained knowledge from its treasury through the medium of newspapers, magazines, etc. In a niche above the door is a statue of Franklin, and the corner-stone bears this inscription: UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA-COLLEGIATE AND SCIENTIFIC DEPARTMENT. apprentices and other young persons, without charge of any kind for the use of books." It is one of the grandest developments of true benevolence, and the vast benefit to the entire community resulting directly and indirectly from its care of the boys and girls of our factories, shops and offices, cannot be adequately stated so well as it can be judged by the thoughtful. The building occupied for the past twentyfive years has itself an interesting history. The non-combatant principle of the Friends is well known; during the Revolution, some of the younger members of the Society actively espoused the patriot cause, were "read out of meeting." After the close of the war, these "fighting Quakers," having demanded and been denied restoration, formed a Society of their own, and erected this structure for their meeting-house. A tablet on the Arch street front reads: May 26th, 1869, and by his will left a sum estimated at $1,500,000, to be devoted to the founding and maintenance of a library; this bequest was to go to the care of the Philadelphia Library Company provided they would accept it subject to the restrictions in the will, and carry out the testator's plans, in which case, the new Library was to be known as "The Ridgway Branch of the Philadelphia Library." The new building, erected under the will, on the square bounded by Broad (on which the building fronts), Christian, Thirteenth, and Carpenter streets, is nearly completed, and upon "By general subscription, Erected A. D. 1783, and The Mercantile Library, on Tenth street north of Chestnut street, will well repay the visitor for a full inspection of its well-stocked shelves, ample reading-rooms, chess-rooms, and complete provision for the thorough fulfilling of its mission and the comfort and advantage of its large and steadily growing membership. Dr. James Rush, a son of the Revolutionary Dr. Benjamin Rush, died THE MERCANTILE LIBRARY. OLD UNIVERSITY BUILDINGS, ON NINTH STREET. its completion the Company must decide whether they will accept the trust or not. In any event, the library, with its reading-rooms, etc., will be an important addition to the educational accessories of our city. Then there are the Athenæum Library and Reading Room, Sixth street south of Walnut, founded in 1813; the Friends' Libraries, 304 Arch street, and on Race street west of Fifteenth-the former originating in 1741, largely augmented in 1794, and now comprising about 7,000 volumes, many very rare, some even "believed to be the only copies extant," the latter established in 1834 and embracing about the same number of volumes as the other; the Law Association Library, at Sixth and Walnut streets; the Mechanics' Institute, Fifth street south of Washington avenue; and a large number of other Libraries in all sections of the city. The census of 1870 credited Pr ladelphia with 3.700 libraries, public an private, containing 2,985,770 volumes. Philadelphia carry placed herself in the very front rank in the matter of pro visions for the edocation of young and old. Libraries are important accessenes to the thorough edu cation of the people, as are the almos innumerable Inste tutes," "Academies, "Associations," etc, devoted to scienz fic, art, and other spe cific departments of culture. But, besides all these, we have a complete and admirable Public School system, numerous institutions of learning maintained by various religious denominations and other societies, and an immense number of private Sem naries, Academies, Institutes, and Schools. But our world THE RIDGWAY LIBRARY. renowned and venerable University of Pennsylvania claims our first notice. On Fourth street south of Arch street, standing some 1/ feet or more back from the street line, there is a large el fr occupied by a shoe manufactory; it is approached by a w.le court, and upon a close view we discover that part of the structure is new and part very old, and we readily trace the outlines of the building of the "Academy," shown in the annexed engraving. Originally erected for George Whitefield, in 1749, it was occupied for some time by the Second Presbyterian Church, under the pastorate of Gilbert Tennant; but the first interest in the Whitefield Presbytenan movement having somewhat abated, there was found some difficulty in obtaining the money to complete the building or to remove a small debt remaining against it. In 1749-50, Frank lin and some others succeeded in organizing an academy, which in the latter year secured this edifice. This academy was successful, and in 1755 secured a charter under the te of "The College, Academy and Charitable School of Fhiladelphia," with authority to confer degrees. During the Revolution some of the Trustees and instructors came under suspicion of Tory proclivities, and the prosperity of the College was checked; the charter was annulled by the State Assembly, a new institution chartered, under the title of "The University of Pennsylvania," to which were transferred all the franchises of the college. After the war, in 1789, the annulling of the charter of the earlier institution was declared illegal, and it was revived; there were now two rival institutions, but in 1791 they wisely combined under the sanction of the Legislature. In 1798 the trustees bought a house which had been built by the State of Pennsylvania for the use of the President of the United States; this house stood on Ninth street south of Market street, with an extensive lot of ground attached. Here the University continued to flourish until, in 1820, the trustees tore down the house and erected the two buildings shown in our first engraving on page 458. In 1871-74 the new buildings in West Philadelphia were erected, the Ninth street property being bought by the United States Government for the purposes of a Post-office and Courtrooms, to meet the requirements of our city's largely increased and steadily increasing commerce and manufacturing business. We have not space, nor is it requisite, to describe the new University Buildings; visitors can readily inspect them, and satisfy themselves that the University of Pennsylvania is second to none in the country in its accommodations, appointments, appli ances, or in any other particular. It has deserved its wonderful success by faithful performance of its great work. We must not neglect to notice that the Second Presbyterian Church, which, as we have remarked, occupied the old Fourth street building before it became the Academy, have been prosperous no less in their sphere than the University. In 1750 they built a commodious but very small business here in 1769, became one of the most extensive merchants of America and one of the wealthiest men of his day. At his death, in 1831, he bequeathed $2,000,000 and "the residue of his property, after other legacies and bequests had been paid," for the support and education of "poor white male orphans, between the ages of six and ten years when admitted to the institution; giving the preference, first, to those born within the bounds of the [then] city of Philadelphia; secondly, to those born in Pennsylvania; thirdly, to those born in New York; and lastly, to those born in New Orleans." The boys must be bound to the corporation of Philadelphia, and are bound out from the College between the ages of fourteen and eighteen years. The College is admirably located on a large tract of ground of forty-one acres, extending from Ridge avenue at Nineteenth street and Girard avenue to Twentyfifth street, and from North College avenue to South College avenue; it is well and handsomely laid out, and the buildings are on a grand scale, the main building being one of the finest architectural productions in the United States, in the richest Corinthian style, III feet in width by 169 in length, and surrounded by a superb range of fluted columns, supporting a portico with architrave 21 feet wide; these columns are 9 feet 3 inches in diameter at the base, 55 feet high, and surmounted by richly carved capitals 8 feet 6 inches high. A sarcophagus in the south vestibule holds the remains of the founder, and upon it rests his statue by N. Gevelot, pronounced by capable THE SECOND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. plain church at the northwest corner of Third and Arch; this they enlarged in 1809, and in 1837 built a far more elegant marble church in Seventh street south of Arch, where they worshipped until their present beautiful house at Twentyfirst and Walnut streets was ready for occupancy; this edifice was commenced in 1869 and dedicated in October, 1872. Among the educational institutions of Philadelphia, perhaps the most remarkable is the Girard College. The institution takes its name from its founder, Stephen Girard, a native of France, who settled in Philadelphia, and, starting a critics one of the best pieces of modern sculpture extant, and remarkable for fidelity to life. Besides the main building, which is of marble, there are four marble buildings, The two on each side, and numerous other structures. laying out of the grounds and erection of the buildings cost $1,933,821.78. The Faculty embraces twenty professors and teachers, and there are twelve prefects and governesses. Visitors, clergymen alone being absolutely excluded, are admitted every week day, first procuring tickets, free, at the office of the Girard Trust, the Mayor's Office, or at the office of the Public Ledger. But the pride and glory of Philadelphia is her perfect Public School System. To do justice to our Schools, how THE GIRARD COLLEGE. ever, would require more space than we can devote to it this month, and we defer it. Important accessories to the education and culture of the people after they have passed the regular school period, are the Academy of Music and kindred places, the Academy of Fine Arts, the Academy of Natural Sciences, etc. The Academy of Music stands on our noble Broad street, at the corner of Locust, and is one of the finest structures of its kind in the country. Its front on Broad street is 140 feet and on Locust street 238 feet. The Byzantine façade is the most noticeable feature of the exterior; but, entering the building, the visitor is absolutely astounded to find a rich, elegant, superb and luxurious interior, of which the rather plain exterior affords no intimation. Directly south of the Academy stands the Horticultural Hall, belonging to the oldest Horticultural Society in the United States. On great occasions, when the Academy is not adequate to the demand for space, a temporary passageway or bridge is thrown across, connecting the two edifices. Of the Academies of Fine Arts and of the Natural Sciences we shall not speak in this number. Philadelphia was at one time the first city in the Union in commerce and mercantile traffic, as well as in manufactures; in the latter, she still retains the preeminence, but in the former she has been reduced to the second rank, in a measure by lack of enterprise on the part of our merchants, and in a measure by the situation of New York and the supen energy and shrewdness of her merchants. Recently, however, our merchants have given om mendable evidence of an awak ening, and have shown a degree of enterprise which must, in time, enhance the commer cial importance of the god old Quaker City, if it does not actually restore its olden rank To-day. Philadelphia has, in a most flourishing condition. the only American Line of Steamers afloat in the Foreign trade. The ships of this line are equal in their build, their capacity, their travelling fac ties, their speed, and in every particular, to their very best rivals-they have been built t American mechanics, entiress of American material, are manned, we believe, by Aner can seamen, with American officers to command, and the money invested has been contributed by Americans, chiefy Philadelphia capitalists. Messrs. Peter Wright & Sons, the Agents of the American Steamship Line, state that the saccess of the enterprise has far exceeded the most sanguine antic pations of its projectors, and the indications are most fattering for the future. Of course, we cannot essay to give illustrations or notices of the numerous stores and palatial edifices in our city de voted to the multitudinous departments of business. The visitor cannot pass along any of our central streets without being impressed with the fact that the city is fast losing as old Quaker aspect of row after row of trim and prim stores, looking so much alike that a person newly commencing bes ness in one of them must needs be careful to note has num ber to avoid blundering into a neighbor's or the delay of THE ACADEMY OF MUSIC. |