The southern press., 1851-08-09
For the Southern Press.
Mechanism No. II.
ny JOSIAH HoLBRooK.

ny JOSIAH HoLBRooK.
Farming and mechanism are the two great pur-
suits Of human beings. Upon them depend all
other pursuits both for their success and their ex
istence. Merchants, lawyers, judges, statesmen,
eommodores, generals, sailors, soldiers travellers,
amateurs Of science and art, specnlators--men,
women, and children of every class and condition
can trace their operations, their success, and
their living, to the labors of the farmer and the
mechanic. The principles on which are founded
the operations and the success Of these two great
pursuits must be Of some interest to all classes,
and to those engaged in them of paramount i'm
portance. They are no more important to the
man than interesting to the child. To farming
wider range of science is applicable than to any
other pursuit. Neither the lawyer, physician,
clergyman, college professor, nor any person en-
gagged in any other pursuit, has so good oppor-
tunities, or so many occasions, to become men Of
sound extended practical science, as the farmer
Every farmer is geologist, chemist, and bota-
nist though he may not be aware that he is either
He also takes many severe lessons on entomology
Lessons on that subject cost Pennsylvania near
twelve millions of dollars in one year through the
ravages of the wheat fly. Every motion of every
tool, whether by the farmer or the mechanic, is
practical experiment in natural philosophy
Msteorology, exhibited in winds, raiBs, clim-
ates, elevations, and exposures, comes directly
home to the work of the farmer, showing to him
It's importance as subject Of knowledge. To
moral science his situation is pre-eminently favor
able.
Subjects of science coming directly to the aid OF
the mechanic, though less numerous than those
Oft farmer, still form larg circle. The remark
is sometimes made that all science resolves itself
into chemistry and geometry. Whether that re.
mark is strictly true or not, these two sciences
are especially interesting to mechanics. Mechan-
ism and practical geometry are virtually one and
the same thing. Mechanism is the modification
Of form which is geometry put into practice.
Mechanics also have constant occasion to use
natural philosophy is its various departments.
| Under the wise ordinance Of Heaven the
sciences most essential to human pursuits and hu-
man existence are most eagerly sought for by the
juvenile mind in its unadultsrated unsophisticated
state. Every child since Adam has been d "self
Instructor" in geology, chemistry, geometry, bo-
tany, entomology, and nearly the whole circle Of
natural science SO rapid their progress, and so
vast and substantial their acquisition in this kind
and mode Of instruction, as TO render the remark
common that we learn more during the three first
years Of life than in the same time during any
subsequent period-a severe comment on schools
Lord Brougham once remarked, "If we should
ha fved NJ hat az Act
years Of life, we should be the most ignorant be-
ings on the face Of the globe"
Though these facts must probably take from
the mouth Of any objector the argument or claim
that young minds are not competent to a compre-
hension Of natural science, the objection may still
be urged that the common mechanical exercises in
reading, writing, and spelling might be retarded
To that objection it may be replied that, under
the present six or eight years course of reading
lessons, a good reader is the rarest thing in the
world-almost and under course Of writing les
sons Of about the same length, very few write a
plain, full, legible hand BY courses in these two
subjects, founded on practical science, nearly
every one would be natural, good reader and a
legible writer. Both cases can be substantated
by facts, fully. clearly, and triumphsntly as can
the same truth in relation to any and every sub
ject Of fcommon-school instruction.
ExrsRfnEsr.-A lady in Pennsylvania once re-
marked that she should forever be grateful to
those persons who introduced the natural sciences
into the school Of her children. Previously she
had given no all hopes Of her youngest son ever
learning anything. Now his progress in his va
rious studies is more rapid and thorough than
that OF his elder brother, considered good schol-
ar. Changes Of bad scholars into good, the
worst into the best, from the same cause, are
without number.