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Since we penned the article on " Intelligent Mechanics," we have received communications making enquiries respecting the most appropriate books for reading and study. It is no easy matter to point out from among a great number of authors the best works fora small library. There is Tredgold, on the steam engine for engineers, and Scott's Millwright and Machinist Assistant, both very excellent works, but expensive, the latter being $2i, and the former much higher. There is a small work of Evans' on Millwrighting, (we do not know who is its publisher) and there is another by Hughes, published, by H. C. Baird, of Philadelphia a very excellent " little work ; it is however, more a millers' book than a millwright's. A first rate book for millwrights is still wanting. Lardner's Mechanical Philosophy is a good work, as it is written in an interesting style. Mahan, on Civil Engineering, published by J. Wylie, N. Y., is a good work on that subject, and Prof. Bartlett's Philosophy of Mechanics, published by Barnes amp; Co., this city, is the best work on the subject extant. The best way for every mechanic ar.d artisan to do in selecting a good library, is to choose works treating of the peculiar trade or calling of each one. In speakingof intelligent mechanics, we want it distinctly understood that each one should endeavor to possess a great amount of general information. A man cannot be intelligent who merely knows one thing well ; he should be acquainted with our standard authors of English literature, such as the works of the best English poets, historians, and men of science, also with the best authors of our own country, our divines, poets, and historians, and let us add, with the profoundest feeling of respect, our great law-authors. We want our mechanics to be men of profound intelligence respecting the processes and workings of their own particular trades, and to possess a general, sound, intelligence on other useful subjects. One branch of science and art is enough for each one, and along with that, general information. We are quite willing to give any correspondent all the information we possess about the best works relating to any branch of philosophy and science, but to specify all the books whieh we think should belong to every mechanics' library would occupy too much room in our columns. In our literary notices of books, when we say, " this is a useful book for mechanics," we mean it, when we do not say this, it may or may not be useful for mechanics.
