The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1849-12-06
DAVENPORT, CO., THURSDAY DECEMBER ls4e.
INCONSISTENCY OF GENIUS.


INCONSISTENCY OF GENIUS.
OF the relations Of authors to social life,
their habits, manners dispositions in society
as contracted with those displayed in their
writings, great deal that is interesting
might be said. A man Of letters is often a
man with two natures, -one book nature,
the ether human nature. These two Of.
ten clash sadly. Seneca wrote in praise
Of poverty, on table formed Of solid gold,
with two millions of pounds let out as usnry.
Sterne was very selfish man; yet writer
unexcelled f"r pathos and charity. Sir
Richard Steele wrote cxcellently we'll on
temperance, when he was sober. DR..
Johnson's essays on poliieness were ad
mirable; yet his You lie, sirr and You don't
understand the question, sir! were too COM
mon characteristics Of his coIloquies. He
aud Dr.. Shebbear were both pensioned at
the same time. The report Immediately
flew, that the king had pensioned two bears,
a he-bear and she-bear. Young, whose
gloomy fancy cast such sonbre tinges on
life. was in society brisk, lively man,
continually pelting bis hearers with puerile
puns. Mrs. Carter, fresh from the stern,
dark grandeur Of the Night Thoughts, ex-
pressed her smazement at his fiippaney.-
Madam said be, sthere is much difference
between writing and talking The same
poets favorite theme was the nothingness
Of worldly things; his favorite pursuit was
rank and riches. Had Mrs. Carter noticed
this incongruitv, she might have added,
Madam, there is much difference between
didactic poems and living didactic poems
Bacon, the moot comprehensive and for
ward-looking ofmodern intelects, and in
feeling one Of the most benevolent, was
meanly and wickedlv ambitious of place.
WAipple's Lectures.
THE BENEFITS OF MACHINERY TO ALL
CLAssEs.-Fifty years ago wages, were no
better, 10 fact less than at the present day,
aud the comforts and luxurics Of life far
more difficult to obtain. Articles needed
by the poor man, cost in those days Of com.
par alive freedom from machinery, from
twice to three times what they do now, and
often more, and you will find that the great
est reductions are in those articles to which
machinery has been most successfully APP
Piled There is no article Of luxury or
comfort to which machinery has been ex-
tensively and successfully applied, Of which
the poor man cannot now get more for a
day s labor than he could get before such
application Of machinery. Sal. is now
less than one third, iron less than one half;
shifting and calicoes. and cloth generally,
from one half to one fourth. Pins, needles,
shoes, hats, every thing in simiiar proper
tons.
Forty years ago. such articles for use or
ornament as clocks, were scarcely known,
and could be afforded by the rich only.
Farmers wagons were chiefly sleds; their
houses cabins; their chairs, stools and
benches; bureaus, pins drove in the wall
or poles hung across; and their window Of
ten an old sheet or blanket. Nails and
glass cost money in those daye, and labor
commanded little!
Since machinery has heen applied
better roads, turnpkes, railroads, oil Of
which are species Of machinery, have
been constructed. Steam has been made
to propel the boat and the great ship, and
to give power to the mill, to the jenny and
the loom. Production in many articles
has been more than trebled, and every thing
the laborer needs has fallen, while his wages
have risen or remain stationary. The
clock, which the farmer bad not and could
not afford, now adorns the mantle Of his
poorest tenant, and summons him to his
meal.
There have been less improvement in
agricultural implements than in machinery
for manufacturing purposes-but this is
the age Of improvement. Let machinery
be applied TO husbandry also. Let bread
and meat be as cheap as clothing, and it
the distribution is not as equal as It might
be-, let us rejoice, that if the rich man has
more, so also has the poor man much more
The cottager has now By the MD Of ma
chinery here, what great kings have not. in
Africa, and what the kings of England had
not before the introduction of machinery.
The great Alfred sat upon n three legged
stool, while many an English or American
tenant now rcclines on glded sofa. II
the poor Of England and America are not
20 we'll off as they should be, machinery is
not at fault. tits machinery that has saved
them from much greater misery. and the
reforms which they need are chiefly gov
ernmental and social.
[Scient;fc American.
When will the Father Of Waters come
along 2 asked Mrs. Darlington, as she sat
looking al Stockwell's Panorama, in the last
hour Of its exhibition. The Father OF
Waterss replied the individual addressed,
why this is il that you zee before YOU
Goodness me is il 2 said she, why, I've
digested my specks to look after big man
with the dropsy, and it's nothing butt river,
after all. How I wish they'd call things
by their proper pames.' There was some
thing Of disappointment in the tone; but
when. afterwards. she remarked 10 herself,
q wonder il Tint water will wnshy il was