Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1833-09-05

ANTIQUITY OF MECHANICAL SCIENCE.
We read in Genesis, that ships were
a. old, even on the Mediterranean, as
the days Of Jacob. We likewise read
that the Philistines brought thirty thou.
sand chariots into the field against Saul;
40 that chariots were in use 1910 years
before Christ. And about the same
time architecture was brought into Eu-
rope. And 1880 years before Christ,
Ammon built long and tall ships with
sails, on the Red Sea and the Mediter.
ranean. And, about 80 years after,
the ship Argo was built; which was Il e
first Greek vessel that ventured to pass
through the sea, by the help of sails,
without sight Of land, being guided on.
ly by the stars. D@dalus also, who
lived $50 years before Christ, made
sails Tor ships, and invented several
sorts of tools, for carpenters and join
ers to work with. He also made Sc.
veral moving statues, which could walk
or run Of themselves. And, about 800
years before Christ, we find in 2 Chron.
xv., that Uzziah made in Jerusalem,
engines, invented by cunning men, to
be on the towers and upon the bull
warks, to shoot arrows and great stones
withal. Corn-mills were early invent.
ed; for we read in Deuteronomy, that
II was not lawful for any man to take
the neither or the upper milestone to
pledge; yet water was not applied to
mills before the year OF Christ 600,
nor wind.mills used before the year
1900. Likewise, $50 years before
Christ, we read III Jeremiah xviii, of
the potter's wheel. Architas was the
frs, that applied mathematics to me-
chanics, but LEFT no mechanical writ
ings behind him: he made a wooden
pigeon that could fly about. Archi-
modes, who lived about 200 years be-
fore Christ, was most subtle geome-
ter and mechanic. He made engines
that threw up the ships of Marcellus at
the siege of Syracuse; and others that
would cast a stone Of prod'gious
weight to great distance, or else seve-
raj lesser stones, as also darts and ar
rows; but there have been many fabu-
lous reports concerning these engines.
He also made sphere which showed
the motion Of the sun, moon, and plan
cts. And Posidonius, afterwards, made
another which showed the same thing.
In these days, the liberal arts flourish.
ed, and learning met with proper en-
eouragement; but, afterwards, they be-
came neglected for long time. Arls-
totle, who lived about 900 years be-
fore Christ, was one of the first that
writ any methodi:al discourse on Me.
ehanics. But, at this time, the art was
contained in very little compass, there
being scarce any thing more known
about it than the six mechanical pow
ers. In this state il continued till the
sixteenth century, and then clockwork
was invented; and about 1850 were
the first clocks made. At this time
several Of the most eminent mathema
ticians began to consider mechanics
and by their study and industry, hav,
prodigiously enlarged its bounds, ant
made it a most comprehensive science
II extends through heaven and earth
the whole universe, and every part c
it, is its subject. Not one particle c
matter but what comes under its laws
For what else is there in the visibl
world, but matter and motionl and tn
properties and affections of both thes
are the subject Of mechanics. Emerson