Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1851-10-30
lPROPRIETORE.

- =
-
plandits. when i has finished q row OF
urned corner df tho field. al IL i, were
some great living Hero or Copqueror
Mccormick himself has been ffed .
and when ia acknowledging soas,
with true Washing,ouian modesss and
Spartan brevity he said he was a,nor.
accustomed to working than speaking lid
preferred always that his machine ,5auld
speak for itself" he brought dc&n =
thundering applause ss ever greeted an
| orator in tho house Of Commons.
Every body in England now wonders
that . Machine 1t once 90 simple and %
effective. and SO precisely adapted u tho
wants Of British agriculture. should never
have been invented assd brought to perfsc.
tion by some Of their own people. and ,ha,
II should have been reserved ior snodcst
inhabilsnt Of the mountains Of Virginia.
more than three thousand miles distant to
conceive and execute and bring to them
what so exactly suited them. without their
having been able previously 10 form dis
tinct conception either ofits nature or i,s
practicabiliiy. What renders this the
more extraordinary tanl Il il circun-
stance which greatly enhances both the
merit and the glory Of the American in.
vention.) Is that the minds Of tho most in.
genious mechaniciaus in Great Britain had
been earnestly directed to tho same object,
for the catalogue ofthe Exhibition regis
terra no less than eight different but very
imperfect essays towards its accomplish
msns. My own observation last year at
the annual Injecting OF the Royal Agrirul-
tural Society Of England convinced me
lhata good Rcaping Machine was the
great drsideratum In British agriculture
In the immHnse and alihost Infinitely di.
vcrsi6cd collection Of agricultural implc-
'iicnts displayed there. no instrument of
that kind WAS seen, and yet II A,as ev;den,
that in climate 80 Humid aud uncertain
some accelerated and at The sari.e time eco
nomical process Of getting in their harves,
was a matter Of the highest importance
| Immediately wrote 10 our friend G. J.
Meriwcthcr. as he will. doubtless, recol.
lcct. that ifihe Virginia Reaper were sent
out To the Great Exhibition Of the next
year, for which the arrangements were
then commencing. It would make tho for.
tune ofits inventor. II has not only done
this, but it has rcdpeda harren of honor
and rcno%n FOR himself. his nntivc Sta,e,
and the reputation Of American genius in
general. which is rcsult far t;sors 10 be
priced.
With this encouraging example before
US are WE not strongly invited to Some
change III tho direction which has been
heretofore so exclusively given to the
youthful talent Of our Stafe2 AZ soon as
our young men leave College. they crowd
by hundreds into what are called the learn
cd professions. which are already filled to
repletion, or they devote themselves TO =
still more sterile and Improbable employ
ment Of their faculties. both for themselvc.
aud the country. in mere party politics.
HtEc sartic amount of mind and thcrgy
were applied to those useful practical pur.
suits, in which science is the auxiliary Of
art indefinitely multiplying tho results of
labor and unfolding the latent capabilities
Of natuIe. what a magical change would
soon lie manifested in the prosperity and
power Of our ancient tCommonwealth. c rich,
as all admit her 10 be. in every element Of
moral, intellectual and material wealth.
In rejecting upon this subject, as often
do with solicitude ever alive TO the hon
or and destinies ofIny native State. have
thought that some modification of the sys.
TENS Of education pursued in tho most Of
our public schools would greatly contri-
butte. and is perhaps Indispensable. 10 in
troduce the change which appears so de-
sirable in the active direction or our mental
RESOURCES. Could not that education be
made more practical, without abatihg any
thing from the high standard Of science and
learning which shoGd characterize it. sim
ply by giving inore development TO the
applications Of sc,etce. 10 the various
branches Of industry and art. as is done in
the admirable institutions of this country,
the Ecoie Polytechnique. The Ecoie dcs
Points ct Chaussecs. the Ecole dcs Mines
and lie Ecoie Centraie des Arts et Nan.
utacfkrts. from which England, with
her usual sagacity, has takon hint in the
establishment of her "Governmcnt School
of mi ines and science applied to the arts
not being able to engrait these new studies
upon the ancient dnd chartered systems OF
her Universities. Whether the object is to
be accomplished with us by some modif-
cation in existing Institutions or by the cs-
tablishmen. Of new and special Institutions,
is Question On which am. Hot prepared
to pronounte an opinion. Those who are
more competent than myself. recognizing
the utility Of The end, will. trust. devise
the proper means, and my prayers will be
for the success Of whatever they shall a.
dopt, as they ever are for the happiness
and prosperity. in all things, Of my native
land.
Most truly and faithfully yours.
w. G.. RIVES.