Thus silently, it may be, and unconsciously, prejudice succumbs to reason, party strife is mitigated, and argument, not force, enthroned the constituted arbiter of conflicting wills. Hence arises the desirableness of a Newsroom in every populous place, in which each phase of opinion may be represented by its own peculiar organ. Few private establishments enjoy this privilege—most persons confine themselves to a single journal, entertaining ideas precisely identical with their own. They have consequently nothing but a reflection of themselves. They lose the advantage of filtrating their notions through other minds. Of old it was said, “beware of the man of one book.” But the man of one paper is infinitely worse. He usually fails to rise above the natural tendency to a contracted sphere of thought, and rapidly subsides into a state of one-sided conviction, as illiberal, as it is irrational. This is a trial to which no sensible inquirer after truth would willingly subject himself. On the contrary, he will concur in forwarding any plan to obviate its danger. The Parochial Institute embodies such a plan. Therefore, he will enrol himself upon its list of members. It must not, however, be supposed that facility of access to the ephemeral publications is either the sole or the main intention of this Society. For whatever necessity exists for affording to the industrial and operative bodies opportunities of consulting periodicals of approved ability, morality, and loyalty, it can only be subordinate to the study of more substantial literature. Experience demonstrates that the habit of reading once acquired, is seldom lost. No obstacle ought consequently to be suffered to interfere with its attainment. The incipient student should be free to range the entire field of knowledge. All that its ample page contains, should be unfolded for his choice. And though his early flights be wild, his attempts discursive, he will gradually contract his circle, and settle down at last. This has been instructively verified by some of the quarterly subscribers, whose thirst for light reading was at first excessive. Three sets of novels per week scarcely sufficed to satisfy this eager craving. Now all this is changed. The catalogue of books procured from Churton’s, for 1852, shows a most remarkable diminution in works of a romantic character. Even those demanded, are of a higher and better description. But the staple orders consist of travels, biographies, histories, and treatises on religion. Such facts throw light upon the probable working of free libraries. They bear out the belief, that if judiciously selected, and kept up by successive additions of modern writers, a numerous attendance and issue might be expected. Nor would such an enterprise be attended by any ruinous expense. Excellent histories are now published for three shillings a volume, while the pamphlets on miscellaneous subjects,