Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1842-12-30
A.DDR E S S.:
Delivered before the Burlington Mechanics
Institute, December, S42.
BY THE RIGHT REV. BISHOP HOPKINS.

.
to diflse the knowledge of science and the arts in
popular FORM for general attainment And in nothing
perhaps, so much in this, does the mind of true phi
hnthropy mark with pleasure the influence Of those
democratic principles, which have spread abroad in
all directions from the Government of the United
states, The time has been, when science boarded her
treasures with such jealous care, that the few who
possesseda larger share of them than usual, were
thought TO be dealers in sorcery, or magic. Next
came long period, when science cas-, of her mystic
~. and sought 10 come abroad but still thought nor
Of any region wider than select aristocracy. Phi
losophcal societies organized and their tran
sactions were duly published, and the distinguished
professors of each branch correspondent diligently
with each other; but certain measure of rank, or
education, scientific fame, expected of all who
were admitted into these privileged circles; and the
idea of making science popular and its chief practical
results atainable by the general mind, was held TO be
an idle dream, absurd in theory and impossible in
practice.
1t was reserved for our own age to attempt this
new experiment. by the institution of societies, COM
posed Of the people and designed for their benefit, in
which science should be brought down to the average
capacity and take her station, hand in hand by the
side of agriculture and the mechanic arts. In the
service Of this, her modern patron Philosophy has la
bored to become popular The chemist has made his
searches accessible the farmer the astronomer has
illustrated the motions Of the planetary system by d.
agrams and mechanism, until mixed assembly of all
ranks and ages might take delight in their conten,.
platon the mathematician has learned how to en-
terrain ordinary audience, upon the doctrine of the
tides the expansion of steam, and the laws of magnet
ism: the physician has constructed an artificial body
by which the chief of anatomy can be present.
ed to the eyes and intellect of all in public lecture;
and the people, whose political sovereignty has formed
the characteristic proposition of our times, have thus
gone on TO assert their equal right 10 the dominion of
knowledge; since it seemed to be manifest princi-
pie OF jus ice that WIN. for the benefit o.
all, should be placed within the reach Of ALL as ir as
possible
The direction given to the stream of science bv this
late but powerful impulse, is assuredly one of the
most remarkable phenomena of modern history and
every instance in which behold effort to appro-
pirate its advantages is subject worthy of congrat-
uation For this reason, the formation of the Bur-
lingon Mechanics Institute afforded me sincere
pleasure and the kind invitation which your Board
ofDrectors gave me to deliver the first address was
accepted with prompt cordality; not because felt
myself as competent many others do credit 10
the occasion, but because was glad to manifest my
interest in its success, by the only method my pow
er. That may perform the duty assigned to me,
shall ask your attention to few plain observations
upon the mechanic arts in general, their conncxion
with the prosperity of the social state and the infiu
snce which proper spirit, among those who carry
them on, must needs exert to raise themselves and
the community in which they dwell, on the scale of
moral and intellectual dignity.
Mechanics in the ordinary sense of the term, sign-
fees the class of workmen employed in the various
branches Of the useful But in its higher sense,
itsignes the science which treats Of forces and Of
ton being derived from Greek word (nr/mr)
meaning machine contrivance. And in this, its
proper range il is not only science but one of the
most comprehensive of the sciences. Laying its
foundation in mathematics, by the principles of which
it is of necessity directed throughout its course it
nevertheless makes of the whole circle of knowl-
edge, so far he properties of matter concerned
in the structure Of machinery And hence the science
Of mechanics takes universal sweep in its nnumeIa-
bic operations since there is hardly anything indie
pendent of it, which belongs TO the life OF civilized
man. ...- p. ...f .t
Look, for amoment, at the condition of humanity
without the mechanic arts. The poor savage clothes
himself in SKINS fastened with ishbones or with
thorns or at best, with the sinews of the animals,
the hunting of which forms his chief employment.
His fra canoe, constructed with stone Ratchet is
his only means Of transportation the waters.
And his slight wig wam, covered with bark, with an
open space in the centre for fire place. and hole IN
the roof for chimney, his only protection from the
storm. To the savoury food, the comfortable gar
mens, the convenient habitaton, the various furni.
ture of civilized life he is total stranger. For me-
chanism of some Sort is essential to all of these and
therefore man. deprived of the mechanic arts becomes
brutalzed of necessity, and sinks down into an ex.
istence hardly more elevated and assuredy less hap.
Ply, than that of the beasts that perish
We can, indeed, conceive of condition, in which
existence would have wants ofinfrmity to supply
condition. for instance of angelic life, Of the frs
man ia paradise. But soon the work of sill
brought down upon him the sentence of expulsion
and he doomed 10 eat his bread in the sweat o
his brow,-with care around and death before him
then came the knowledge of the mechanic arts, Il
supply his need, and alleviate his misery. Nor maj
we doubt that these were taught him by the goodness
OF the Almighty; for in the book of Proverbs the wis
dom Of God is represented as saying. ~ ,cisdom
dpeH Nth prudence, and find out knowledge Of ,ri
inrentions." And when we read how soon the pos
terity Of Adam learned the working of metals, tn
making of musical instruments, and the art of archi
lecture, and then reflect upon the total want Of ad
vancement for centuries in the condition of the Hot
tentots, the Esquimaux, and our own Indians, W
shall see at once, that the mechanic arts were not
many suppose, the offspring of unasssIed human in
gsnuity but proceeded like every other blessing, fror
the mercifu appointment of the Creator and Redeem
er: that not only in the highes, respect, but in
respects, he is "the true Light qohich lighteth Gu.
ny man that cometh into the world.
In order to have complete view of the immens
circle occupied by the science of mechanics shout
have to contemplate every instance in which the
material furnished by the bountiful hand of Prov
dence, is shaped into some form of use or beauty b
the industry of man. Ills mechanical skill. for il
stance, which fes the lofty forest and converts it ir
to boards and timber for the work Of the carpente
II is mechanical science which constructs his tool
and prescribes the complicated rules of architecture
tits mechanical art which LASTS the solid rock f
our Foundation stones and moulds the clay for II
brick work Of the superstTucture which fills OF
sooms with convenient and luxurious furniture, vine
prepares our food with all the apparatus of cooker
and serves it up in the elegance of china ware. 1t
mechanical art which takes the fax and the cote
IL GolJ ID ,ba, fror, tbaa ocL and