New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-12-10
The Relation Of Commerce 10 Literature.
By REV. R. 8. sroRRs, JR.

The second lecture Of the annual course be-
fore the members of the Brooklyn Institute, de-
livcred last evening, by Rev. r. s storrs, Jr., upon
the relation Of Commerce to LiteHture. He intro
duced his lecture by remarking that we all have an in
terest in the Literature Of country,-an interest
greater than we have in its politics on anything else
except its Religion The Literature Of our country
may be considered the basis of mind among 1t
is more memorable and instructive than social govern
ment expresses the forms OF thought before which
the forms Of government plastic 1t Is therefore
more worthy of study and inquiry than anything
besides Whatever enrches and encourages it, Is just
cause for rejoicing 1t teaches the daily and personal
life TO every one ofus shall make no apology there.
FORE for asking you TO consider the relations of our
personal civilization to Literature and its progress
We are in the great age of Commerce-in the land
which is It's special arena-and not in the Roman or
Grecian civilization where the development Of time
displayed the riches of the aesthetic in the
meiieval society, where its influences Infused into
socialife moth either Of these civilization
but il is the dstnctively American anglican where
the intercourse Of men, and their respective exchanges
are the powers that control and arrange all force The
ralAay is trophy the spanning OF the seas with
ships and steamers our great triumph VIVA! rela'
ton has Literature, then to our age Il 10 thought BY
some that all hope of good letters Is Lost in this trading
age Tue dominant power OF eloquence and oratory
may flourish amid the tunult OF But Trade Is
narrowing and hardening. This Is view Of things
On the other hand there those not especially adj
dicted TO thinking for themselves but obtain their opn
Ions from the columns of the newspaper-who are loud
in their praises and exstson Of the progress Of let
tiers In this age They laugh 20 scorn the idea Of bet
terpg the age With them there csnno. be any state
Of things better adapted 70 the furherance OF Lera
ture. SO the two extremes meet, and come into con
tact They are materially developed in these two
classes In some things, this age - favorable to the
development Of letters. The general relations OF an
ou,resching Commerce to the social life different.
Commerce is the natural enemy Of War. Ii abhors and
shunsh For war overrides with q shere relentless
ness those very relations Of social life which Commerce
developes and strengthens. To- War therefore, Com
merce always stands sntagonstie. But ii may not be
50 with agriculture The tiller Of land may turn and
sew, and reap the glebe as though the sound of
were never heard II ever war reaches him. and resps
his farm with scythes of fire, there still abide the
everlasting hills and the wide spresding fields, and
hi. avocaiion is no, gone BA not so with Commerce
-iis depends upon peace. The srticulated threads
of alliance can only be maintained in times Of peace.
Wherever there have been great Developments OF
Commerce there have always iradiated these pac;nc
influences. New.York gives TO Manchester the free
navigation of the Hudson and the Lakes; and New
York also receives her advantages in return Another
fruit Of Commerce Il tia, !, tends the distribution Of
wealth and power Ii guards wealth that Il cannot
Use. This is prominen; axiom Of Commerce He
reditary estates are its horror In England today and
everywhere where Commerce has come, u infused
power into society. Agneultureis patient. Commences
i impatient Il measures oy his ability and hs
ruccess-nos at oil BY his ancestry.
ihere be in this Of things much tha, s painful
and oppressive yer Il there much tbs; Is encouraging
ard strengthening. The Prss.ai Is always for Con-.