Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1843-06-09

The auroclous expressions Of tie ieudal lords
IN tho middle ages led to the formation OF what
were called Guilds, among the artisans OF Eu
rope. These were associations OF tratlestnon lor
the purpose originally OF mutual aid and defence
but afterwards embracing vnrious Objects such as
the regulation of the terms Of apprenticeship the
prices of mechanical labor, the reciprocal rights
and duties OF masters and jourueymeu, the relief
of the sick and the poor, aud other matters Of
special interest to those who exercised the me.
chanic arts. They proved powerful means Of
protection and Improvement to their members
as well as OF progress in the nrts, aud an impor
tant instrument in the maintenance of order at \
period when the majesty of the law, being con
temned by the great was scarcely reverenced by
the humble. The guilds frequently acquired. by
fees from members, and by donations and lega.
cies, considerable funds, and when the Romish
Hierarchy, and that accursed plan Of misgovern-
ment the feuda system, which had been such
faithful allies TO each Other fell together before
the Reformation, the guilds were dissolved and
these funds, being no longer required for the uses
for which they were originally accumulated, were
generally appropriated to The establishment OF
schools, many of which still subssi, and bear the
names OF the guilds by which they were founded
The most important sUbsisng memorial of these
associations IS the practice OF giving legal exs-
tence TO organized societies for private purposes
called corporations. which forms so prominent a
feature in the modern legislation Of England and
America. These corporations are by the most le-
gal anquares traced TO the guilds, though the
opinion that they nre derived from some of The
ecclesiastical establishments OF fopery, is not
without probability.
According to The theory Of our government,
and our civil institutions, the social position of the
Individual has no necessary connection with or
dependence upon the arr lie exercises, auu tiere
is hardly post OF honor, trust profit, military,
legislative Judicial or executive, under The gener-
eral or our own state government, which has not
81. 4
mentally proved themselves able TO swing the
eledge TO drive the plane, orto ply The awl. The
man here should, and to greater extent than is
any where else practced, actually does take rank
according to his moral virues his Intellectual
power, and bis acquired knowledge. Neverthe-
less, though The professors Of the different arts
individually rank according % the crera just laid
down, yet there is ground for claim Of prece-
dence among he arts themselves, and that art
should clearly rank highest, for the exercise of
which, the greatest amount of knowledge, inte.
gence and ingenuity is required
In tracing the rise and progress Of the mechan.
ic arts, purpose TO sketch the history of few
OF the principal branches in succession, from heir
earliest origin to their most mature developemeni,
and think 1t convenient 10 arrange the different
arts chronooglcay, or according to their proba
BILE priority of origin, though shall occasionally
deviate from this arrangement, where the close
relation between The different arts, in respect 10
cesses employed, Or other considerations of con.
Nenience shall so dictate. The relative priority
OF the different mechanic arts is indeed not with
certainty determinablc. No authentic profanc
historical records reach back to so early period,
and scripture throws little light on The subject
The fragility of clay and stone, the perisable.
ness OF wood, bone, leather, and even of the
metals, have spared few Of the works of primitive
man, and priori probability must here be our
CHEF guide. 1t is hot unlikely that the order Of
succession was different in different countries, as
the varying necessities of man, conditioned by
Climate aud natural productions, called the re.
spective arts into being or according to The album
Ounce or quality OF the raw material. But aliho'
the extant remains OF ancient art do not enable us
TO decide this question Of priority, yet the means
foi Judging OF lie actual condition OF the mec han
lc arts in most counties all periods from the
earliest historical records, are abundant.
aBesides the scattered implements, funeral monu
ments, architectural remains, the ruins of great
and populous cities, in various parts Of Europe
and ASIA which have been destroyed by war,
earthquake or political revolution, aud the reas-
ures Of ari ononlbed in these, there are ~ o rn.
cipa sources Of Information this topic, which
have long supplied, aud doubtless will long con-
tinue 10 yield the richest harvest 10 The abors oil
the aniiquary. | here alude to the buried cities
of Hercuaneum and Pompcii, md the sculptured
and printed temples and caacombs of Egypt.
The cities Of llcrculaneum and Pompeii were
oyerthroWu by an eruption Of Vesuyius about The
year ~ Of our eara-too suddenly to permit the
emoyal Of furniture aud other moveables, but
not sufficiently so 10 prevent the escape of most
OF the inhnbtun;s The former were discovered
near the beginning Of the last century and Tho
latter few years afterwards.
The discovery of these cities excited Il lively
interest throughout Europe, and excavations were
soon commenced, and have been since continued
with more less spirit, and with most important
results. They have pat us in possession OF every
article ol ornament or us0 employed by the ital-
inns Of tina! time and region, and have not Only
revealed TO US the of most of their trades,
but have laid open TO us the whole mystery OF
their domestic economy and private life.
The paintings of the Egyptian tonbs, though
leg instructive, because no pictorial representa-
ton can be so Ineligible as the objects depicted,
are yet more comprehensive in their character,
embracing not only representations of mUsl OF
the processes employed in the arts, but also OF the
details of their agriculture, their fisheries and
other industrial employmenis, together with
scenes from their warfare, their domestic life, and
the ceremonies oi their government ana rcl.-
gion.
These various classes of remains embrace the
period when the arts were in many respects at an
acme OF perfection, which has never been sur
passed in the results, though with regard to the
means of production, and ingenious variety of
application, the moderns have made important
improvements. But shall take occasion 10 refer
10 this part of the subjecI at length hereafter
and therefore waive its further discussion for The
present
TO be continued