New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-12-04
THE AMERICAN MIND;
A LECTURE,
BY p. WHIPPLE, ESQ, OF BOSTON.

BYE.P. WHIPPLE, ESQ, OF BOSTON
We were in error in stating that we had given
sketch of this Lecture--the one which we gave
was on 8" Character. We avail ourselves OF an
excellent report in the Broohlyn Eagle:
The first of the Winter Course of Lectures be
fore the members of the Brooklyn Institute, was
delivered on Wednesday evening oy u T. w MP
po, ESQ, on the subject of The merlcan Mind.
The lec.are room was well filled with an appte'
ciative and highly intelligent AUDIENCE whose lh-
terest continued throughout, without abatement.
Mr.. Whipple commenced by saying, that IN
studying literature and history, we are at ilrst
attracted by particular events, aud Individual
minds and we rise gradually to the conception OF
nations and national minds including, OF course,
all the great lights of the nations times. Thus,
the laws of nation are but the thoughts of tho
people. We cannot, indeed, from correct Ideas
of nations, events, or individuals, without taking
into consideration their age and their country, asa
expressive of the national mind, form whose vltall-
ty they draw the pale of their character. Greece
saw IN Percles the mirror OF her plastic strength
and influence. So England Recognized III Chatham
Swift, the child who had drawn honesty and pride
from her own arrogant breast. Thus, when We
would include in one comprehensive term, the In
fuence OF Rome, we always speak OF the homan
mind And now, on this occasion, would ask
your attention to the question whether there be all
American mind and, II so, what are It's charac'
terstlcs And, as in view Of the variety OF races
included under our Government whether we can
assert the existence of an American mind w e
say there is, in the same sense IN which we
say there is an English mind The utmost that
we can say is, that the character of the heroes
of Plymouth has been for two centuries, infused
into the national mind OF our country; and 1t is
growing into a powerful mind. AT present, we
can discern little more than tendency to the
strongest force to which the other elements are
drawing-that is the Saxon element. The Eng
lishman can exist here only by parting with his
nationality He must be melted down into an
American mind. The American mind with every
fresh infusion Of foreign mind, adds an element
to its being, which penetrates into It's substance
and elevates ordeprayesits lnmost life. The balm
or pOison steals into him from the press, from COM
MERGE; and in the very air ne breathes comes
new hope to cheer or chill his individual llte The
American mind thus promises to be composite
mind Its two original elements were the Eng,
Isman who came here to increase his estate, and
the Epglishman who was driven here to escape the
prosecutions of his own country. NOW, thls purl-
ian Engshman had great strength OF mind, CHAR.
acter, energy, courage, and persistence the
strongest and most exclusive man thar the seven
teenth century produced From him has sprung
the Yankee, who is neither Engllshman, freshman,
nor Scotchman He can conform himself to any
society; but he is always homesck IN the prov
nces and Jack Wildfre IN Kentucky. IN every
cline he is to be found pushing forward with the
same indOmtable perseverance and energy Whlcn
Let him drop down beneath the genial cline OF
Italy, or on Southern plantation, and he seems
to exclairn-" B ehold the smartest man IN all Gre
alton" We have not time here 10 discuss the
question, bow national mind, Tor general a7au-
ableness had its root under such circumstances.
But it seems the Puritan had MS mind open 70
receive the influence of others. As regards po!l-
tics he had no European equal and ne eventual,
" undermined his despotic theology. Inns mind
we must consider as having its expression IN the
nation everyday life. But this mind seems TO
scorn analysis. We may say its results are plau
sible and glorious. But perhaps It's two grand
characteristics are impresslbIIlty and energy
Liturature and Art, remarked M. Whippie, are
not the only expression OF nations intellect IL
is not generally admitted that mind, creative
mind is as much implied in this abstract lntelh-
gence, as in the fine arts. Reason and imagination
are mental powers which do not lose their nature
in ideal objects. Look az the imagination o!
merchant speeding, with me velocity % 'ns iGi
egrauh. from London to California. Look at Dis
general force Of mind behold how comprehensive
is his glance over thar ever shifting Eea Of com.
merce: and behold with what subtle certainty Of
insight he pepetrates beneath the lnner-c!ay, and
clutches the laws There is, indeed, CONNER
cial genius, Just at much as there IS poe1cai &C.
nius. Wealth nav be often insolent, and un!eel-
inc hnt still ia frequently less laundering than
| artists are wont TO believe it. National excl0-
siveness is national suicide. IL speaking o! me
! various reforms Of the day, Mr. W nipple remark
ed that there is no danger that, the transcen-
dental and beautiful will overwhe!lm our arts;
bat there is danger of their destroying and cor
gPng the very Gre Of q bDa a9 9bob rm nG the
organic body ofAmerican tfe, with economics has
aroused the attention of Two classes, viz the class
ofyiolert reformers and the class Of radical re-
formers. The first class, commonly called come
cutters" have pushed the doctrine free will into
! individualism. They protest against the whola
lifesd society, condeaniDg its morality and re-