The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1851-07-16
MECHANISM.
No. |.
BY JOSIAH HOLBRoOK.

No. |.
BY JOSIAH HoLBRooK.
Simplicity and vastness mark the works
OF God. These are especially the strong
features in the mechanism of the universe.
The term mechanism, in the largest and
minutest sense of the word, presents a
vast idea-a subject inexhaustibly rich,
inexpressibly beautiful, and illimitably
useful. A telescopic and microscopic
view OF the subject is indispensable even
10 limited comprehension of it. The
mechanism of the heavens is so vast as to
require a telescope even to get glimpse
Of it. The work of infusoria, or micros-
copic animals, is wholly beyond the pow
er of the naked eye. Vegetable mechan-
ism, in thousands of forms, is inexpressi-
bly, minute and beautiful, when viewed by
a powerful microscope. Within square
inch of surface in certain leaves OF plants,
a microscope has shown a hundred and
seventy thousand openings or mouths for
receiving carbonc acid gas from the air,
to form the substance of the plant-an i'm
portant fact for farmers.
The animated universe, or living, NOV.
ing things, exhibit mechanism inexpressi-
bly, varied, rich and beautiful, both in their
forms and motions. A fish never moves
a fin. bird wing, centipede loot, a
quadruped limb or human being ting
er, without an exhibition Of some princi-
pie or form Of mechanism. The infinite
ly varied forms Of natural objects, embrac-
ing animal, vegetable and mineral crea-
ton, are far beyond the comprehension OF
any human being within the period OF the
longest natural life. Able llauy, OF
France, spent his whole life on the subject
of crystallography-the forms and rela-
tons of mineral substances. The most
finished human architect, either in ancient
or modern times, though producing works
to be admired through ages, is mere
point. we'll nigh dark speck, when com
pared with tine Great Architect Of the Uni.
verse. When compared with the vastness.
the richness, the beauty, the submity, the
glory of the architecture Of the heavens
and of the earth-the orbits of the planets
and the structure OF leaves, and the mi
croscopic work Of insects, human archi-
lecture is poor indeed.
While mechanism. in the broadest sense
Of the word, has a stretch too far. and
division too minute. for any human power,
during any human life, to comprehend, the
elements of the whole are entirely within
the reach of the child Of five. or even seven
years old. The most important element
is the most simple object OF human obser.
vaton-a simple three-siGed figure. or
equlateral triangle. Such figure every
pupil in any school of five or five hundred
scholars may form, at least approximate.
any moment when the opportunity should
be afforded by their teacher, simply by
placing before them states and pencils.
with permission to use them. Several OF
these figures combined exhibit the mechan-
ism of the snow flake. Combined in
different form, they show the crystal of the
diamond, of gold, OF iron, of lead, and Of
nearly hundred forms Of mineral crys;aFt
The next most simple figure. the square,
is the next most rich and varied in its COM
binations. For human mechanism, it is
even more important than the triangle, and
scarcely less within the skill Of the child.
By short series of short articles on the
subject Of mechanism, an attempt will be
made to show the importance with It's ele-
ments; and its entire fitness for practical
exercises in the primary instruction OF eve
ry pupil the moment he enters school.
. .-., .. No. 2.
The most simple object which can be
broughtto to view probably is the equilateral
figure with three equal sides
and angles. 1t is as curious as it is SIM
ple, and because it is simple. 1t is per-
haps the most important element OF mate
rial forms, and the most powerful instru-
ment for measuring the heavens and the |
earth. 1t is the element Of snow flakes,
in their greatly multiplied forms; of the
and Of very numerous mineral
substances: OF the honeycomb, and OF in.
sect architecture, greatly extended; OF the
structure of numerous leaves Of plants, of
fibre, and of the mechanism OF
under different notifications;
Of mountain architecture, as sometimes
exhibited; and of natural mechanism, SO |
produced by the hand of the Creator, in
Iorms too numerous 10 be described, and
loo beautiful to be conceived. The work |
of human skill, in greatly multiplied forms,
has also this same most simple figure Tor
It's element. The paving Of streets, the
structure of floors, the forming of bed
quilts, the work Of the engraver. the en-