The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1850-02-05

THE ARTs.-The Patent-oflice Report is quite q
credhable production. Mr. Ewbank has given Con
gress poetioa description Of the origin and pro-
gress of invention, and the vast obligations man
kind are under 10 inventors and discoveries All
the real substantial prosperity in the world he at
tributes to the mechanic arts and looks for greater
progress in practical science under free institutions,
as in most parts Of the world philosophical inquiry
and stirring enterprise have been checked and
cramped by political oppression. Leave the arts
free, says he, and The world can never become
desert again, The following is a specimen of the
character of the report, and the facts and sugges-
tons it contains
The power inventors WELD is not less manifest
in the changes they have wrought in the habits
customs and occupations of females than it is obvi
Gus in the pursuits of the other sex, in the outdoor
world. They have not only broken up the time
honored arrangements of the kitchen, wash house
and dairy, but have invaded the parl0r and boudoir
A century ago the rock and spindle were common ;
in Europe are women who still twist thread with
their fingers. Fifty years since the wheel had a
place in every dwelling, and carding no less than
spinning, was adOnestcduly. With thrifty house
wives the shuttle, too, was not q stranger. Within
twenty years knitting was Indispensable; not few
of our farmers still wear homemade hose Then
straw plating, tambOur working, lace. making,
plain and fancy embroidery, with other delicate
operations of the needle, and are still taught
as necessary accomplishments. Such they will
hardly be held much longer, since these and various
other performances are now done by automatic fin
gers, with precision regularity dispatch, decacy
of touch and flush, that no human organs can
rival.
Most, il not all, the Fine Arts have been subdued
by mechanism. The lathe is still TO be met with in
It's primitive forms, in the poter's Wheel the spring
pole, and in the modern Egyptians arteOior-
Seated the ground, this artist employs one hand
to rsvove the object to be formed holds the cutting
tool in the other and presses it on the rest with his
tOes) Tie lathe, so long confined to shape articles
whose sections were circles, now produces oval
elptcal, epiCycloidal and eccentric work, copies
medallions, and even busts, in equal, enlarged or
reduced oportions-perfOrming the work of the
engraver, die-sinker, and statuary or sculptor.
The richest figured tapestry and damask in relief
are now produced by magic mechanism Looms
rival the palette and burin; beside gOTge9usly.cOl
ored carpets they weave landscapes eGu5l TO oil
paintings aud portraits after the finest line engra-
wings Then, from the increase in number of sew
ing machines the time would seem NOT distant
when the needle itself and thimbl, will be exhibited
in museums with ds'atiS spinning heels, knitting
wires, tambour-frames, hand-looms, lace-making.
hobbins, spillons and other antiquarian curOsties,
as evidences Of Imperfect civilization. In chrome
automatoR artists rival lhefnest touch
es of old masters and shortly will multiply by nil
lions their most esteemed productions.