Constantine republican. [volume] (Constantine, Mich.) 1836-1838, 1836-10-05


these and similar discoveries, is in giving to
chance all the credit, to the exclusion Of
every other claimant. Now, without the
remotest wish to prejudice the reputation OF
this queen of casualties,-especially since
she is held responsible for so much more
evil than her good deeds can fairly cancel,
still are we constrained to assert, that all
her demonstrations, in the instances above
alluded to, would have been utterly thrown
away, had it not been for the Intervention of
certain other contingency, to which she
can rightfully claim no blood relationship,
and the honor of whose exertions she is,
therefore, not entitled to participate, on the
score Of genealogical pretensions. And
this contingency is the presence, at such
demonstrations, of some enlightened and
inquiring mind.
In proof of this assertion, and passing
over the other lucky accidents, let us look,
for moment at the reputed origin of the
momentous doctrines of gravity. Had the
acorn fallen on the head of some Indifferent
and illiterate man, fact which doubtless
ly transpired thousands of times, what
would have been the effectl Why, he
would probably have bestowed a pettish,
though pertinent and pathetic rub upon
the invaded spot, hastily inserted the out
ragged member into his hat, and, if he were
gifted with the usual share of useless ina
gination which is apt to characterize such
minds, marvelled in bitterness of heart, and
soreness ofhead, why acorns could not hang
peaceably on their stems. Nay, more
had some benevolent intelligence compress
sed within an acorn.shell the entire theory
of gravity, written out at length and COM
pletely legible to the brains eye, and in this
form, transmittedit to earth for the benefit OF
man, but by instruction buried it in the
Uranium of some dull and stupid wight
what would the world have then gained? A
headache, to be sure,-or perchance, a mos
anomalous vertigo, in the subject of such
miraculous visitation.
But to quit hypothesis, and levity at the
same time, it can hardly be pretended thai
any part of the preceding sketches is exag.
gerated or unnatural. Nor can it be doubt.
ed, that many obvious phenomena are fire.
quently and repeatedly occurring in the
common avocations of life, but unnoted anc
unvalued by the apathy and ignorance tina
surround them, when the cultivated mine
would readily derive from them subjects fol-
profound contemplation, and, in some cases
the elements of scientific discovery, and the
impulse TO groat and noble invention
Indeed, it may be we'll remarked, in clos
ing our observations on the practical Deepen
dence of the arts on physical science, tina
between them exists community Of in
terests, so intimate and constant, that M
considerable progress can be made il
either, without communicating to the othe
some answering advance. Because, on tn
one hand, the observations of skilful an
intelligent mechanics often lead to the deve
lopement of qualities and elements in ma
ture, which prove of the first moment to tn
phlosophic student; and on the other, it j
the business of physics, to search out an
explain those principles and powers of tn
material economy, upon which many OF tn
arts are solely dependent, and all OF then
to greater or less extont.
on human cnaractor the study Of thes
sciences has most marked and benign ell
feet. 1t gives power and compass to tn
intellect, and cherishes the best affection
of the heart. Ii introduces man into tn
rich and varied and spacious domains of ma
ture, and lifting the veil from her h Ode
operations, discloses to his view a scene G
unsupported energy and activity, wonderft
for the ingenious mechanism OF its respec
tive parts, and captivating by the harmon
Gus order and the transcendent beauty {
its magnificent aggregate. From the cor
temptation of this picture, so interesting
lovely and sublime, the philosophic studeI
turns away with mind well disciplined
provide against the contingencies, enter W
on the pursuits, and appreciate the EMO,
ments, of life,-with heart all disposed
properly estimate and revere that Omnipt
tent goodness, which has willed the existenc
! of these valuable and systematic and bea,
, tiful wonders, and with soul, which ii
quires, in the pure enthusiasm OF devotion
who can
: "resst
The rising thought,-who smother in its oirth
The glorious uth,-who struggl,to be brute
And fight the proofs of immortality y"
III