Weekly national intelligencer., 1851-07-26
MECHANISM, No. xIII.-Br JOSIAH HOIsRoox.
ron THE NATIONAL rurxLLrsrxcrn.

foR THE NATIONAL IHTELLIGEHcER.
Next to making surveyors instruments by young hands
would be excursions for using Them Such excursions would
combine instruction, amusement and heshn way un-
fitted for girls, and for boys Of the substantial benefit
matter what their future vocations An acquaintance
with sttng the compass ascertain the direction Of fence
road, stream Of water, other object carrying the chain TO
determine the distance length Of certain line, keeping
fedbook, and sundy other operations in practical
ing, could be rendered familiar by very few excursions
which would OF course be entered into with great spirit by
any company Of boys or girls in the world.
With surveying instruments, hammers, chisels, and bags
for examining and collecting minerals would in play
most opportuney To these might be added pencils and
paper for making sketches in different departments Of natural
history Of natural scenery of buildings, public works,
any interesting object which might under view. An
afternoons excursion for these several Objects all combined
would furnish ample and profitable work for the day
indeed, TO fill up the leisure time for week preparation
for another occasion Of the same character.
Among the exercises on mechanism furnished by such
opersons would be penmanshp drawing skstchng routes
plans and other designs for business purposes both private
and public, and almost innumerable kinds of work directly
connected with farmers and mechanics, indeed every body
whether In business scientific pursuits either Of the
lowest highest Of human undertaking. The farmer, by
science thus reduced to practice would use more skill and
economy in dividing and fencing his fields in sppoonng
his grounds to their respective uses in planning and
structing bis buildings. indeed in every department Of his
most noble occupation. Not only farmers but merchants,
and all classes wishing for the erection Of buildings could be
their architects far certain to avoid fraud and
be furnished with such houses they desired and expected
than under the system common in building operations.
II all the boys and girls too in all schools could be in
sructed entertained and nvgoraed by excursions for geoo
gy, botany surveying, pencings drawings &c. the whole
race would have sounde minds in sounder bodies and few
from the whole would become skul and professional artists
engineers naturaists, and amateurs and patrons Of pac
cal science thus to be extended without limits Grounds for
complaints common indeed almost universal. by parents
and other patrons Of schools that very small returns are re-
ceived for the outays for them in tme tuition books
and sundy materials woul in great be removed
The immense expense incurred simply from the change of
bosks now felt severely, would in great measure be
avoided If varied, systematic, and thorough lessons were
taken from the book Of all would mat
ter but little what other botks were used as aids
EIrERmEsTs.-For several years past the amusements
Of August hoydays have been greatly enriched by scIEs
TIFIc ExcURsIoNs." Those hand may doubtless by
such occasions be richer han any which have preceded them
Nearly every boy and gil in Washington, New York; and
many other places is hmar with the minerals composing
the elements of mountains, rocks, and so with many ad-
mred ior their beauty, readily to form collections take
send to their friends acquainted with these important
elements Of knowledge Aids science thus rendered would
enable pupils especially those going into the country topro-
cure valuable addits for their school cabinets large
portion of such cole ons in schools have been
ibuted by the pupils especially reassemblng the close
Of August holydays