The following resolution was offered by Rev. Mr Lindsley of Boston: Resolved, That it is an imperious duty, devolving upon the citizens of the United States, as patriots and christians, to provide schools for the multitude of children who are destitute of instruction, especially at the South and West.

He observed that it seemed superfluous to speak in such an audience of the importance of instruction, or the duty of providing it. The duty devolved on this Society was not to furnish schools, but to induce others to furnish them; and he did not know how it could be accomplished but in the very way they had adopted. Prejudice had existed in regard to agents; but, he asked, what benevolent object of importance, had ever been effected without agents. It was abundantly proved that the voice of the living teacher was far more efficacious than the press ever could be, alone. He hoped the Society would go on, and extend and increase their efforts.

The motion was seconded by the Rev. Mr Shipherd, of Ohio. He observed, that in coming from the midst of a region where schools were rare, and adults unable to read were numerous, he felt deeply the importance of this Society. He stated many facts in detail, which we cannot recollect with sufficient accuracy to repeat them, abundantly showing the need of immediate exertion, and urged the Society to increased efforts.

It was also stated, that from recent calculations, it appears that there are from 1,000,000 to 1,400,000 children south and west of New-York, destitute of instruction, and that even in the State of New-York itself, there were from 50 to 80,000, of whom 13,000 were in the city of NewYork.

The following resolution was offered by Mr Barton, of the Teachers' Seminary:

Resolved, That the experience of the last year furnishes abundant evidence that the employment of agents to ascertain the wants of the community, to excite interest on the subject of education, and to diffuse a knowledge of the best methods of instruction, is of the highest importance to the interests of our schools.

Mr Barton confirmed the remarks of Mr Lindsley on this point, and exhibited with great clearness the indispensable necessity of sending agents, into those places, where a book on education would never penetrate. He observed, that there was, in many towns, a total ignorance of what had been done in other places, at no great distance from them, on this subject, and that it could be removed in no other way.

Mr Beman, one of the agents, confirmed these statements; and stated the neglect of many important points in schools, resulting from this ig

norance.

Mr J. O. Taylor, who spent sometime in the State of New-York, as an agent of the Society, offered the following resolution:

Resolved, That the Society find abundant evidence that the community have begun to feel the importance of this subject, and are prepared to encourage and sustain measures of this kind; and that in view of the success which has thus far attended their efforts, they have great occasion for gratitude to God, and every encouragement to go forward with increased energy.

He observed that surprise and curiosity were everywhere excited by representations of the wants of our population and the defects of our schools; and after describing some of the evidences of this, he stated, that so important did some of the most intelligent people of New York consider this Society, and so much did they approve its plan, that it was proposed to form a similar association there, to be devoted to their own

State. Should this society be so organized in Boston, as to inspire public confidence, he did not doubt that it might have auxiliaries in other States. Mr. S. R. Hall, the principal of the Teachers' Seminary, then offered the following resolution:

Resolved, That in order to secure more prompt and extended effort, it is expedient that the seat of this Society's operations be transferred to Boston, and that a committee be appointed to call a meeting on the 23d of August, to present the subject for their consideration; and that the Report now made, be accepted and referred to them, to be enlarged and presented at that meeting.

He observed that it was never intended to fix the Society at Andover, but only to commence its operations there. That the practicability and usefulness of the plan had been abundantly proved; but that it was now important that it should be removed to some point of operation more central, and where a greater number of individuals could engage in its manage. ment. We regret that we cannot repeat a number of interesting remarks on the general topic. He observed that some modifications were necessary in the Constitution of the Society, and some changes in its officers, which it was thought best to refer to those gentlemen who should engage in the cause in Boston.

On this resolution, Prof. Emerson, of the Theological Seminary, observed, that he fully concurred in the importance of removing the Society: that it was not at all an indication that it was not prosperous; but on the contrary that it had become too important to be stationed in a place so retired. He believed it capable of producing great and important effects; and hoped its officers would go on with courage.

Mr. Barton then offered a resolution, which, after some alteration, was passed, as follows:

Resolved, That as this Society has never been concerned in the circulation or recommendation of school books, and as its objects are entirely unconnected with any private interests, the agents should be enjoined to abstain from acting as the agents of any publishers or authors of books or apparatus for the use of schools.

He observed that much jealousy existed, and much prejudice had been excited on this subject, and he deemed it important for the Society to disavow and forbid all agency of this kind. Its object was simply benevolent, and it ought to avoid the appearance of evil. It was remarked by others, that the resolution was not intended to restrict the agents in expressing their own individual opinion; but for this the Society could not be responsible. It must, however, forbid their acting as commercial agents of any works. It appeared that many agents to whom books had been sent with this view, had never even shown them to others; and it was stated that no agent of the Society had ever been thus engaged, while in their employ.

These resolutions were passed unanimously. Messrs. Hall, Woodbridge and Lamson, of the Female Seminary, were appointed a committee to call a meeting in Boston, on the 23d of August, and the Society was adjourned to that time.

We earnestly hope the friends of education in this city will unite, in carrying on a work so happily begun.

We add the following account of a meeting held in the city of New-York, and a subsequent one in Brooklyn, as showing some of the results of the operations of this society, and its practical tendency.

A meeting of unusual interest on the subject of Common Schools was held at Chatham Chapel, in the city of New York on the evening of

Tuesday, July 23, and that large numbers attended. An Address was delivered by Mr. J. O. Taylor, an Agent of the American School Society of Massachusetts. This gentleman has spent much time in traveling the country, and collecting facts in relation to the condition and wants of common schools. He gave a very striking picture of the incompetency of teachers: the indifference of parent; and the general neglect of primary education.

In the progress of his own observation, and the careful examination of such documents as have come within his reach, Mr T. felt authorized to state, that there are in the United States 1,000,000 children of a proper age to attend school, who have never yet attended one. Of these he remarked 250,000 are in Pennsylvania; and, surprising as it may seem, he supposed the number of uninstructed in New-York amounts to 80,000. In Indiana are reckoned 22,000, and in Illinois 20,000 children, who cannot read; and about as many adults. In New-Jersey, according to the best means of information, there are 11,566 who receive no instruction. In Kentucky, in 1833, about one third of the children are in the same deplorable condition.

The Mayor of the city presided at the meeting, and made an address. Addresses were also made by several other gentlemen. The following resolutions were adopted unanimously, and the meeting closed at a late hour.

Resolved, That in the opinion of this meeting the Common Schools of this State are greatly deficient in good teachers, and that as an unavoidable consequence of this defect, the benefits of which the Common School system is susceptible are very imperfectly enjoyed by the youth of this State.

Resolved, That a committee be appointed to prepare a Memorial to the Legislature, praying for an endowment by the State of a central institution for the education of teachers, upon a scale co-extensive with the public wants.

Resolved, That it be also the duty of the said committee to adopt measures to procure the cooperation of the people of the other counties, in forwarding the object proposed in the preceding resolution.

Resolved, That this meeting highly approve of the measures adopted by the American School Agents' Society, and recommend them to the encouragement and support of all those who are friendly to the diffusion of knowledge.

A meeting of a similar kind was also held at Brooklyn on the evening of July 29th, where Mr Taylor repeated his address, and similar resolutions were adopted. Measures were also taken for the speedy organization of a Lyceum in that place, among which was the appointment of a committee to form a plan. The importance of cooperation among the friends of education of all classes, for the improvement and multiplication of common schools, was strongly insisted on; and the happy tendency of lyceums among children, was illustrated by the following novel exhibition, the account of which we copy from the New-York Advert er.

'A delegation had been sent from the Juvenile Lyceum of Pulic School No. 3, in New-York city, consisting of two boys, with various specimens of their ingenuity, which excited general surprise. There were several figures of deer, lions, horses, &c, cut in wood with penknives, and surprisingly like nature, considering that they were copied from mere drawings by the eye. The principal object was a wooden steam engine, about 18 inches high, complete, and working with a crank, presenting every part well proportioned, most nicely adjusted, and closely imitating a large one, even to the date, ornaments, &c, the astonishing production of a lad of 14. The Society was formed in May last, and now possess a cabinet consisting of the following articles, collected and made by the VOL. III. NO. IX. 36

members: Specimens of mechanic art, (shoes, sleighs, buckets, &c.) 861; shells, 2,215; minerals, 240; insects, snakes, &c, 115; combs, 162; reptiles, 5; pencilled and painted drawings, 250; engravings, foreign, 24 — total, 3,878.”

We believe no meeting on this subject has excited greater interest, or done more to rouse the community from that unaccountable apathy which prevails, than this meeting in New-York. We doubt not that similar results may be produced in every State in the Union, if the Society can be enabled to employ judicious agents in sufficient numbers to extend its operations throughout the country.

ART. IV. - DISTORTION OF THE FEMALE FORM.

THIS topic is one of such deep and thrilling interest, that we have with difficulty refrained from taking it up long since. An article in the cheap magazine, published by the London Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge, was lately republished in the Ladies' Gazette. The subject has also been treated admirably in a recent work, by Mrs Sigourney; and after these examples, and the cordial reception of Dr Mussey's lectures on this subject, by some of the most refined circles, we trust that we shall be allowed to present it to our readers. The remarks made in the article on Physiology, present the subject generally.

The following appeal of Mrs Sigourney, will, we hope, fix the attention of mothers and daughters on a practice which affects so seriously human health and happiness.

TIGHT LACING.'

"It is not the lightest part of a mother's duty to superintend the physical welfare of her offspring. This complicated and wonderful clay temple, rendered so precious as the shrine of an undying spirit, is worthy of strict guardianship. The mother, appointed to watch its construction, to aid the harmony of its architecture, to rejoice in its symmetry, who perceives daily how much the mind is affected by the circumstances of its lodgment, should cherish and prize the mortal for the sake of the immortal.

Does she attach value to the gems of intellect? Let her see that the casket which contains them be not carelessly disarranged or broken! Does she pray for the welfare of the soul? Let her seek the good of its companion, who walks with it to the very gate of the grave, and returns to its embrace on the morning of the resurrection.

The

But a single modification of this extensive subject is at present contemplated. Yet, as it affects the health and life of our daughters, it ought not to be disregarded with indifference by their maternal guardians. injuries arising from compression of the vital parts are too numerous to be here recounted. Multiplied forms of obstructed circulation, nervous

disease, and organic affection, are in their train. A physician, eminently skilful in the melancholy science of insanity, asserts that tight lacing is a prolific source of mental derangement. Another medical gentleman, who has been led by philanthropy to investigate this point, assures the public that thousands die annually, from the severe discipline of busk and corset. The frightful internal ravages thus produced, have been too often illustrated by dissection, to admit of a doubt.

'Habits of tight lacing are the more dangerous, because no one will acknowledge them. Those evils that shun the light, and shelter themselves in subterfuges, are ever the most difficult to remedy. A great part of that energy which might tend to their reform is wasted in hunting them from their hiding places. Has any young lady been known to acknowledge that she was destroying herself, that she was even uncomfortable from tight lacing? Yet the suppressed sigh, the labored respiration, the suffused countenance, the constrained movement, confess what the lips deny. Pulmonary and spinal diseases, lunacy, and the grave, reveal the rest.

'But is it possible, that in these days of improved and diffused education, any young female can stake the well being of her mind, and the duration of her existence upon a circumstance of dress? Can she impede the functions of these mysterious agents, which the Almighty has put in motion, and make her shortened life a living death? Can she throw a blinding illusion over those who would save her, and, like the Spartan culprit, conceal the destroyer that feeds upon her heart's blood? We know that it is so! And who that has tested the omnipotence of fashion will doubt it? This is not the only sacrifice of health which she imposes. But is a prominent one, and let mothers look to it. Let them not be satisfied with testimony when demonstration is in their power. Let them possess themselves of the rudiments of anatomy. Let them at least be fully aware of the danger of stricture, in the region of the lungs and heart, especially during their period of development.

Yet let them not linger till morbid habits have acquired strength. Their ministry is among the elements of character. Let them teach, even over the cradle, "that this body is the temple of the Holy Ghost." Let them early root from the minds of their daughters, that frivolous and mad principle, that the healthful action of their mind, and the perfect use of the organs through which it speaks, are secondary to the vanities of dress. If they have received from the great Creator, the gifts of a "sound mind and a sound body," instruct them that they are to account for them. If they deliberately permit sin to enslave the one, or fashion to maim the other, how shall they answer it to their Judge?

And how shall the mother answer it, who, when the soul was put into her hand as a waxen tablet, suffered folly to deepen its impressions there, and vanity to trace its thousand likenesses, and fashion to puff out her feverish breath on the lines that virtue had written, until what might have been polished for Heaven, was sullied and melted away?

'Hartford, Conn. May 11th, 1833.'

L. H. S.

The London Penny Magazine, every article of which is revised by some of the most distinguished and philanthropic men in England, adverts, in a manner at once clear, popular and convincing, to the various kinds of derangement of the physical frame which