The Portsmouth inquirer. [volume] (Portsmouth, O. [Ohio]) 1849-1855, 1851-01-27

tcu Ol duBht fiSiDieoi POnueiupio-pOeh az
tanned. Indian runners hasten with infor-
nation through foods and foretst, over hill
and dale; but 10 carry II, they convey them.
selves as packages containing It, or as tablets
on which il is impressed. So also with the
contents of our mails-minds commune with
distant minds through the gross medium of
printed and written paper; whereas, by means
of artifcially enveloped lightning, a postal
system is established akin to the spiritual; for
by it, thoughts are made TO dart through
space unclogged by symbols and envelopes,
and consequently unretarded by carriers and
postmen.
The widest freaks of fancy have been
strangely verified in the telegraph, as outrs
bottle-imps and more attractive fairies; Civ
ing color TO the proposition that in NATURES
arcana are germs of every popular supersti-
tion, and that no prevalent delusionis is with
out its corresponding truth. Be this as it
may, the chiefs of modern Prosperos, by
means of a few strips of metal, release from
jars of acid spirits so agile and obedient,
that, on the slightest tap of its masters fin
ger, each one flies with messages over hun.
dred leagues of latitude, delivers them, re-
turns, and is in waiting for others before the
signals can be repeated, or the pulse beat
twice An ancient elf boasted Of putting
girdle round the earth in forty minutes
these modern spirits can really do it within
half u one. If art and science allied have
done such things, what is it they cannot do ?
If machinery don't think it does that
which nothing but severe and prolonged
thinking can do, and it does it incomparably
better. In the composition of astronomical
and nautical tables, accuracy is everything.
Many ship has been wrecked through wrong
figures in "Guides" to navigation; but alb
Solute accuracy, continued through abstruse
calculations that occupy months, and some
times years, is too much to expect even from
the most sagacious, studious and careful, But
suppose it attained; the next difficulty is TO
transfer the results, untainted with error, to
printed pages; source of mistakes which
few besides authors and printers can appre-
ciate. If other persons were told of the i'm
possibility Of copying from manuscript mill
ions OF figures without misplacing, leaving
|out, orlnverting more or less, they would
hardly yield their ascent. II is enough TO
say that perfection in elaborate and difficult
calculations is unattainable with certainty
by human figuring; nor is it to be expected
in the professional labors of the most expert
compositors. .rt
Now, automata have been made to work
out arithmetical problems with positive GER
tainty and admirable expedition; relieving
mathematicians and others of an incalcula.
BILE amount of mental drudgery-drudgery
that has worn out the strongest constitutions.
Moreover, they carry the use of numbers
further than the clearest intellects dare fol-
low--to an extent that language lacks terms
TO express. In human computations, minute
errors creep in and corrupt the whole, often
requiring months OF the closest ratiocinaton
10 lind out; but calculating machines detect
their own mistakes at once, correct them,
and then shutting out the interference OF hu-
man fingers as we'll as heads, and with them
the chance of marring the work, they print
their tables as well as compose them-thus
producing works 10 which entire confidence
can safely be given.
The power inventors WELD is not less man.
ifest in the changes they have wrought in the
habits, customs, and occupations OF females,
than it is obvious in the pursuits of the 9TH
er sex. In the outdoor world They have
not only broken up the time -honored arrange
mants of the kitchen, wash house, and dairy,
but have invaded the parlor and even boudoir.
A century ago the rock and spindle were COM
mon;-in Europe are women 'gho still twist
thread with their fingers. Fifty years since,
tile wheel had place in every dwelling, md
carding no less than spinning was domes-
tic duty. With thrifty housewives the shut
tie, too, was not stranger. Within TWEEN.
ty years knitting was Indispensable; not Q
few of our farmers still wear homemade
hose. Then straw-plaiting, tambour-work
ing, lace making plain and fancy embroidery
with other delicate operations of the needle
were and are still taught as necessary accom-
plishments. Such they will hardly be helt
much longer, since these and various othe
performances are now done by automati,
fingers with aprecision, regularity, despatch
delicacy of touch and finish, that no human
organs can rival.
Most, if not all, the fine arts have beef
subdued by mechanism. The lathe is still tt
be met with in its primitive forms, in TIN
potter's wheel, the spring-pole instrumen
and also as used in the modern Egyptian
atelier-(seated ON the ground, this artis
employs one hand to reyolve the object to b
formed, holds the cutting tool in the other
and presses it on the rest with his toes. J.
The lathe, SO long confined to shape article
whose sections were circles, now produce
oval, elliptical and eccentric work; copie
medallions, and even busts in equal, enlar
ged or reduced proportions performing tn
work of the engraver, die-sinker, and statu
al; Or sculptor.
The richest figured tapestry and danas
in relief, are now produced by magic mechan
ism. Looms rival the palette and BURN
: besides gorgeously colored carpets, the
! weave landscapes equal to oil paintings, an
portraits after the finest line engravings.-
, Then, from the increase in number Of sew
ing machines,* the time would seem not dis
tant, when the needle itself, and thimbl
; will be exhibited in museums with distaffi
spinning-wheels, knitting-wires, tambonl
frames, hand-looms, lace4making bobbin
: and pillows, and other antiquarian curiosi
y ties, as evidences of imperfect civilization
!, In hromo-lithography, automaton artist
rival the finest touches Of old masters, an
shortly will multiply by millions, their mos
I esteemed productions.
7 Though not suspected, the power ofinven
d tors over human affairs, is already supreme
machinery even now governs the world
! though the world does not acknowledge it.
&Four patents have been issued from thi