Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1843-07-21

the Intermediate parts being cut AWAY, and the
block is mixed and printed in the same manner ms
common type. Some may be engraved with the
gtnvcr, and printed rom like metallic plnes or
the lines mny he left in relief, and the spaces cor
roded, in which case ii is mixed and printed like a
wooden block, OF lastly, rs in common photography,
the drawing or writing may he made upon the
stone with crayon or fluid OF peculiar conpo-
lsilion. The printing ink adheres to The lines on
Us, leaving the intermediate spaces clean, and thus
the impression is in fact taken from plane sur
face. The most remarkable improvement con.
nected with these arts is that OF Perkins. BY this
plan, an engraving is mnde IN intdgtio upon soft
STEEL which is then hardened. From this plate
an impression is taken in relief on the surince Of
II soft steel roller, and the roller being hardened
will give impressions in intdgiio again, on flat
plates of soft steel copper. In this way the
original plate may be many times multiplied, aud
extensive use has been made OF this invention in
bank-noie engraving
The portion of your time which have thought
myself at liberty to occupy, has allowed me TO
give but Il very hasly and imperfect sketch OF the
history of lew of the principal arts, and | have
been obliged To omit all notice of many, of almost
equal interest and Importance loerably com
+piee account of the rise aud progress of any
OF them would require a volume, anu have aim
ed not to crafty, but excite curiosity, by such
hints, as might lead the members of the Institute
to further investigation upon subjects, which TO
them must possess much interest. ] shall now
trespass upon your patience but few moments
longer while endeuv0r to notice The distinguish
ing characteristics of modern mechanic art, aud
some OF the economical principles, which are pc
cuar 10 it.
The most striking characteristic of modern art is
the vast extent 10 which machinery is substituted
for human strength, aud even human manual deX-
terity. That the nuciens used tue mechanical
powers in various combinations, Tor raising heavy
weights and moving heavy bodies, for batierlng
walls aud lnpelling military proectiles, for grim
ding grain and other similar purposes requiring a
mere accumulation OF power, Is well known, and IT,
is certain, that they employed the lathe not only in
pottery, but for turning in wood, and possibly
metal, the lapdary's wheel, the bellows, the loom,
and many other simple contrivances for ablidging
or facilitating labour. They are moreover said to
have constructed automala, aud the mechancian
Archytas is reported to have made pigeon of
wood aud metal, which was not only supported,
but moved forward in the air, by machinery con-
cealed within it. Archmedes is related to have
displayed wonderful mechanical skill in conriving
great variety OF engines OF defence, at the siege
OF Syracuse, and to have set OH fire the ene-
lmys fleet, at considerable distance, by means o.
Il compound concave mirror. But the ancients
TO not seem TO have employed machinery for any
purposes, which could he easily accomplished by
manual skill such as cutting or shaping the raw
material, nor do machines Of any sort seem TO have
been employed TO any considerable extent in their
public works or IN manufacturing, II we except
lsuch simple cOHrIVanceS as cranes ana pulteyS,
the lathe and the loom. Of complicated machines
they bad none. The steam engine, that wonder
fuI combination of mechanical capacities which
has introduced new motive element into practi-
cal mechanics and which, after doing its marvel
lUus work for little more Than century, is per-
laps to be superseded by the newly discovered
power of clecrO-magnetisnl, is altogether modern,
as is also that miraculous machine the chronone-
ter, whether clock or WATCH which when con.
slider the extreme smallness Of lis parts, The deli.
cacy Of its adjustments, and the precision Of IFS
movements, IN spite OF the numerous disturbing
causes that interfere with the regularity Of its op.
Grafton, may well he regarded as the instance in
which mnn has most successfully initiated the me-
chanism of nature, approaching on the one hand
to the microscopic mnueness OF the clemens of
organized lite, and the other TO the unerring
lainiy Of planetary motion, and OF course Is The
browning triumph OF human ingenuity.
Among o:her modern machines we may mem
ton as peculiarly valuable, that modification of
The lathe, hy which objects of almost any pven
regular irregular form lnny he Produced the
hydraulic press and other presses OF greater pow
er, the fire engine the endless varieties of the WA.
Ter wheel, by which the weight OF falling water
the force of Il moving current, power known 10
the anceuts only in its rudest forms, may be nude
subseryient TO AN infinite number of mechanical
purposes, the saw MILL the circular saw, the inn
provements in the Touring mill, and the multi
Jude of machines and parts OF machines, which
ting the manufacture of cotton and wOllen fabrics
OF new contrivances applicable TO different
machines, may be noticed the various modes OF
changing the direction, character or speed OF mo-
tion the many devices for reducing friction, the
employment OF fly and balance wheels, as accu-
mulaors of power aud regulators OF motion, the
most ingenious instrument the governor or me
chanic regulator, which not only measures, but
controls The speed of machinery, and the modes
of registering the amount of work done, fluids
distributed, or fuel consumed.
The origin of these Improvements is TO be rs
cribed to two causes. The one is the progress of
the natural and exact Sciences The other is the
necessity of increased facilities OF produclion.-
The principal nations of antiquity, from density
of population, the practice of domestic slavery,
the want OF extensive foreign commercial rela-
tons and the consequent limited demand from =
broad for manufactured wares, had always at hand
Il large surplus Of human strength and manual
deXterity, and could therefore well afford 10 en-
ploy that strength and that dexterlty in services,
which the iow modern manufacturing nations,
who have the world TO supply with their wares
arc obliged TO perform by The moro efficient aud
economical means OF mechanical conrlvances.
am inclined to think, thai the influence OF the
existence OF domestic slavery, in checking the
progress of mechanical improvement in the prin
cipal nations OF antiquity, modified aud sonened
MS il was by tie sympathy, which necessarily eX-
lists between the master aud The slave, where both
are OF The same color aud Of the same race, has
been in general much moderated. Slavery is EN-
nenlIy hostile, not only to mans morals, but to
his intellectual development, and though one born,
bred. and taught as a slave sometimes displays u
good shnre OF manua dexlerity in those opera
lions, which depend upon the patient and long
continued repetition of simple set of movements,
yet the ingenuity OF combination is rarely or new
err found in slaves. The uncienls accordingly EN-
ployed their slaves in all those coarse aud simple
labors, the performance OF which is readily learned,
aud once learned, is repeated aud continued ha-
bilualy, aud almost unconsciously. But all those
works. the execution Of which requires active
and calculating intelligence have in all nges been
accomplished by free hands, directed by free heads
Now, the kind Of labor ancenty performed by
slaves is precisely that which is now executed by
machinery, The dead unconscious engine being