The insufficiency of the prisons in the eastern part of the State, became the motive to further applications to the government; and in the year 1821, an act of the legislature provided for the erection of a State Penitentiary, at Philadelphia. Mr. Haviland again entered into the competition of architects, and was successful in obtaining and maintaining the direction of the work, not only during its early progress, but until the completion of the last block of cells. As it is by this institution, that his reputation has been most widely extended, it may not be inappropriate to recall some of the peculiar circumstances in which his skill was exerted. We are here reminded of the just observation of an English author, that “innumerable are the services to truth, to justice, or society, which never can be adequately valued by those who reap their benefits, simply because the transition from the early and bad state, to the final or improved state, cannot be retraced or kept alive before the eyes. The record perishes. The last point gained is seen; but the starting point, the point _from_ which it was gained, is forgotten.” This remark is the more impressive when applied to human works upon any subject which, from its nature, tends always to an improvement keeping pace with the special experience, and with the general enlightenment of a community. That which costs an effort to the most enterprising inventor of to-day, will shortly become familiar; then the basis of new reforms; and finally, will rank only as one of the earliest of a long series of developments. The tendency to generalize, and to mistake resemblances which are easily seen after a contrivance has become familiar, for the real succession of ideas by which a reformer was led to his discoveries and plans, has always had the effect to conceal from posterity the true difficulties of any achievement in their behalf. Hence the influence properly attributable to the intervention of an individual in the affairs of society, cannot be accurately judged, unless there be first considered the state of the case as it appeared to his immediate predecessors, and his contemporaries. It will of course be impossible, within the limits allotted to this sketch, to do more than indicate the topics to which the reader’s attention is invited; yet enough may be said to lead him easily to the principal grounds of the conclusion which the writer has in view.