The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1850-04-04
THE REASON WHY.

THE REASON WY.
Elihu Burritt-the Learned Blacksmith
--thns quantity acquaints the world why he
left the anvil for the quill:
see il: you would ask me what have
to say for myself for dropping the hammer
and taking up the quill, as member Of your
profession. will be honest now, and tell
you the whole story. | was transposed
from the anvil TO the editors chair by the
genius Of machinery. Don't smile friends
It was even SO. had stood and looked for
hours on those though.less, iron intellects.
those iron fingered, sober, supple nutoma-
tons, as they caught up bale Of cotton,
aud twired it in the twinkling Of an eye
into whirlwind Of whizzing sbreds, and
laid it at my feet in folds Of snow-white
cloth, ready for tho use Of our most yoIup-
tuous antipodes. They were wonderful
things, those looms and spindles, but they
could not spin thoughts; there was no at
tribute Of Divinity in them, nothing more.
They were excessively curious, but could
estimate the whole compass Of their doings
and destiny In finger power; SO am away,
and left them spinning-cotton.
One day was turning my anvil beneath
hot iron, and busy with the thought that
there was as much intellectual philosophy
in my hammar as in any Of the engincry a
going in modern times, when most un-
fearthly screaming pierced my ears; step
ped to the door, and there it was, the great
iron horse. Yes, he had come, looking for
all the world like the great dragon we read
Of in scripture, harnessed to half living
world, and Just lnnded on the earth, where
he stood brey ing in surprise and indigna-
ton at the sbnse use' to which he had been
turned. saw the gigantic heap move
with power that made the earth tremble
for miles. Isaw the army ofhuman beings
gliding with the velocity Of tine wind over
the iron track, and droves Of cattle travel
ling in their stables at the rate Of twenty
miles an hour toward their city slaughter
house. I. was wonderful. The little busy
bee winged machinery Of the cotton factor,
dwindled into insignifcance before it,
Monstrous beast Of passage and burden! it
devoured the intervening distance aud vel
dcd the cities together! But for its furnace
heat and iron sinews, it was nothing but
beast an enormous aggregation of-horse
power. And went back to the forge with
unimpaired reverence for the intellectual
philosophy Of my hammer.
Passing along the street one afternoon
heard noise in an old building, as Of some
one putting pair Of bellows. So, without
more ado, stepped in, and there ia q cor
ner Of room, saw the chcEd'9uvre of al!
the machinery that has ever been invented
since the birth Of Tubnl Cain. In its con-
struction it was as simple and unassuming
as cheese press. !, went with lever
with lever longer, stronger, than that
with which Archiinedes promised to lift the
world.
81, is n printing press said boy stand
ing by the ink trough, with cueIess tur-
ban OF brown paper on his head. a print
ing press? queried musingiy TO myself
"A printing pressg what do you prinir |
asked .Prin,?' said the boy, staring at
me, doubtfIlly, swhy we print thoughts
print thoughisr slowly repeated after
him; and we stood looking tor moment al
each other in mutual admiration; he in the
absence Of an idea, and ! in pursuit Of one.
But looked at him the hardest, and he left
another ink mark on his forehead, from
pathetic motion Of his hand, TO quicken his
apprehension ofmy meaning. sWhy, yes
he reiterated in tone of forced confidence,
as il passing an idea which, though having
been current hundred years, might still
be counterfeit, for all he could show on the
spot, I'VE print thoughts, to be sure 'But,
my boy asked in honest soberness, what
are thoughts, and how can you get bold Of
them to print themr Thoughts are what
come out Of peoples minds he replied
Get hold Of them, indeed? Why minds
arn't nothing you can get bold Of, nor
thoughts either. All the minds that ever
thought, and all the thoughts that minds
ever made, wouldn't make n ball as big as
your fist. Minds, they say, are just like
air; you can't see them; they don't make
any NOISE, nor have nnv color; they don't
weigh anything. Bill Deepcut, the sexton.
says that man weighs just as much when
his mind has gone out Of him as he did be.
fore. No, sir, all the minds that ever lived
wouldn't weigh an ounce troy
sThen how do you print thoughtsg J
asked. 'If minds are thin as air, and
thoughts thinner still, and make no noise,
and have no substance, shade or color, and
are like the winds, and more than the winds,
are anywhere in moment; sometimes IN
heaven and sometimes on earth, and in the
waters under the earth, how can you get
hold Of them? how can you see them when
4 courht ~ ebou, thavr IN nfhersV
Ezekiel's eyes grew luminous with a
new idea, and pushing his ink-roller proud
ly across the metallic page Of tine newspaper,
he replied, 'though.s work and walk in
things what make tracks; and we take
them tracks, and stamp them on paper, Or
iron, wood, stone, OF what not. That is
the way We print thoughts. Don't you