The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1846-04-17
ADDRESS TO MECHANICS.


knowIeJge-knowIedge which you alhaye
the means TO purchase and the capacity to
comprehend. Why doa'' you read some
good periodical which s aIs semitic light
upon the trade. bv which yol u,4 your
bread and sustain your stal dir society
The Scientific American" contlues its
weekly visits TO our table, sustaining its
original usefulness and spirit; lis abundant
and valuable practicable suggestions ena-
bic US TO perceive what you loose by not
keeping up With the mechanical improve
ments OF the age. There Is more useful
information for the artzan IN one number
Of this little Shee, than can be found IN
whole CARLOAD Of the Dragging mammoth
" lterarles" Of the North, The latter, VIC
admit, subserye the purpose of their pub.
lcatioa-thal is, 10 Xii time ) the former,
e ;-I,-1''- It.
Our mechanics must culuyaIe their
minds, particularly in those branches OF
science connected with their calIlngs, or
they never can obtain that stand and lullu.
ence in society which they ought always
to command. They are hardy, honest,
and industrious as a class" the bone and
sinew" and the very foundation of society
in our towns but they have not that de.
gree Of intelligence to which they might
readily attain, aud consequently lack that
! dignity and power in the community 10
which their numbers and the intrinsic re.
/ speciality Of their trades otherwise emit.
, tie them. 1t is with themselves TO elevate
themselves. They must employ their heads
as we'll as their elbOus. There IS wide
field for the useful and beautiful display Of
mind, taste, genius, IN the mechanic arts,
as well as in the fine arts and learned pro.
LESSONS. The pIoddng hand, who does q
piece Of work merely as he had been made
to do it at the apprentices bench, without
the application Of a single Original idea in the
process-need not expect to succeed equal.
Iy with the energetic, inqulring artlzan,
who studies his sutJect, and takes adyan.
tage Of the suggestions he eau command in
this progressive age. Superior mind and
superior cultivation are exhibited as palpa.
biy-as honorably and proftably-and al.
ways quite MS innocently, IN the mechanic
''N73 "a III uiig O'ICl iIClu VI Hulluu cllOGI
or human ambition.
Mechanjcs-do not depend upon you
trades to elevate you. Keep your shops
and your shops will keep you" The law
yer, the physician, the divine, are not hon
ored by their profession; if they have no
capacity and requirement to enable them t.
act up to the standard Of their profession
, they, and not their profession are dis
! graced. Epamlnondas, the greatest patrio
and law-gyer Of Thebes was once appoin
! ted by his enyious enemies, who happene,
TO be in power, to clean the streets Of tn,
CITY, with the design 10 bring disgrace anc
rldtcuIe upon him by this mean occupation
The wise Thebdn remarked, that It va
not the Office which conferred honor o
fixed disgrace upon the man; but the ma
4 had 1t in his power to honor the office
= however low, or to disgrace il howeye
exalted. lie forthwith set about the exer
> else 81 his new functions with such judg
. ment and energy, that, in short tino, tn
r streets Of no city were to be compared wit
those Of Thebes for cleanliness and beauty
, And for long period thereafter, the olIic
= Of street scavenger was one Of the mos
: honorable Of the Greensboro Pa