The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-11-18

come about the iandwTd corn'- ani had n, good ph
as had suds Will and guide cause shosi sc some o
them days hcDping' fear that vino have
ample 'or patriotism lian was exhibit
90 by this poor snd simple wenderer This chesrfur-ss,
IN the character those who brought in closcrt
tact with nstHe and s prominent smoDg hunters nd
hsppsrs In tiavsring the great wilderness which
covers arpe shars OF northern View York have had
occasion to call at the cabins Of It's lonely and
hhsbtants found su utter absenee what Se should
de- m the frst necetsarfea of life but ouad de-
s2ondency or want OF seis respect have found what n
towns would he seemed sressing poye1ty and would at
without suspicion that theirs was a hard lot Their
Judgment told thsn they poor but they
an generally contrived build up source Of wealth
and self placency from the fact that tey were the
owners OF better axe, or deg or gun then other
yivaoiy bave betn characteristic of na,uralsts
They are remarkable osss for tho purity OF their
minds the elevation of their morality we the vsor
Of their nteects and the force of their purposes
!, The history of those who have devoted them.
selves to geographical discoveries constitute
interesting portion of our literary reading Neither
nor conquest the pursuit Of wealth have led
encounter geaer dangers tolls prvaion than has the
know OF no description OF reading better calculated to
arouse the weakened and discouraged minds the
that there Is danger that the American people may
themselves TO be 80 entirely engagedn promoting the
moie important objects may be oyerlooked The public
energies and public sentiment may themselves into
marrow channels and be directed to subordinate ends
Purposes more elevated than tho attainment Of wealth
must animate nation that aspires to high civilization
they mut be Inspired by taste for the beaut full bya
just appreciation OF knowledge for is intrinsic
value, by conceptions of what Is noble in design or
In conduct. The rise aud decline of empires have
ever been correctly indicated by the rise aud de-
cline Of learning the ants and ofpubc virtue Physical
material Improvements alone have created per
peuafed national greatness Nor can Individual chsrac
ter be formed without Of nteec pursuits The
distinguishing characteristic Of the human mind is its
capacity for continual and perpetual improvement and
the mind that stationary object of thought
and reflection violates law Of its organization 1t
not become enlarged while it is absorbed In single pro
lesion pursuit, IL It's viEOr de-
cision Hence the varied tastes studies, and acquire
menls Of great men are not mere diversions from the
particular pursuits which they have made themselves
most conspicuous; they are the means by which they
and soquent wsakeDn of their powers by
governing passion mbition In urging the value OF
the natural .ciences as one corrective to national ten
dsncy or to Injurious indvidu habits life aud action
must not be understood seeking to give them
due Importance in comparison with other pur
suits Whatever improves the mind puriies the tastes,
exae the moral continents will correct tie evils at
which have glanced but have deemed these studies
feel that their value their interest and dignity
not justly appreciated although they have afforded u
relief to the excited the statesmen
and warriors The subimty Of the poetry of the Old
ntrnscsIy blended with Impressions and figures drawn
nom nature They address themselves to Inherent tastes
and are adapted to all ages conditions and clrcum;
with mental advantages, ana lead to habits Of life
alike beneficial to the weared body and excited mind
plies p peculiarly to the % pleasures % they asd NO
enjoyment says Sydney Smith, however nconsid-
ersble is confined to the present momentn A man ia
the happier for life for having made agreeable
tour lived for any length Of time with agreeable peo
pie enjoyed any consdel able interval of pleasure
Our restless nterprising character makes
people The anxeties OF life fasten our
shoulders like the Old Man Of the Mountain those Of
sndbad the sailor, burthenng us during the day and
hsrTasspg us at night Let at least be 70 informed
on other than those relating to business affairs
that we may be able to turn To them to compose our
minds on restless beds or to turn from the perpex
tiles Of our affairs until our reeing faculties
mud Tn aanU If Rruun
To him Who ia hs love Of Nsture holds
Communion with her visible form che speaks
A yaiious iSuaIus'; for his gayer hours
She hes voice " gadn aod a smile,
And tlcgu,rto Q; beauty and she gdes
Into his csiEsr muircs vi h = mild
And healing sympstLy tDat steals away
Their shtrpress ere he Is aware
am aware that in the estimation Of many the pur
suits poeticai rather t.u
entertaining but not profound But IL is the beotry
ignorance that thus undertakes them These subjects
cannet be unworthy or unde enGcd, that have engaged
the attention Of the and disting uished in all ages
They do not merely interest by giving dreamy pooti
cal pleasures they afford consdeIaio that require the
gIaep OF the strongest minds and the most vigorous
prthcnsons and they have engaged the attention Of the
most robust nellecs and they strengthen the mind by
giving heahful almcnt In modern times these studies
have assumed interest and Importance far surprising
any hing that could have been imagined By the
cient lovers Of nature Their knowledge was compare
lively incomplete and superficial We have learned
the character Of the stars that glitter In the heavens
around us, and the sublime laws that govern them,
and the geography Of our earth, which TO them
was profound mystery Is now understood They were
Impressed with tho beauty variety and magnhcence Of
the outward aspect OF mountains, plains aud We
have explored their receses detected many mysterious
and learned to read the startling records Of the
past history Of our globe What the widest fan
ces of the poet compared with the discoveries Of modern
fcience! Did thsy ever attribute to divinaion or
chsnment such results knowledge Of chemistry
electricity, magneti,m enables us TO produce Pros
peros wand could not call around him such wonderful
forms from ocean, earth and air the modern micro
scope will display to those who will avail themsevefoft
The touch OF thuriels spear when 1t developed
tho end in the gardens Of paradise made n, d,sco-
nn or
when it calls from the embedded rock the evidence Of
the monsrous extenccs that once inhabited globe
Before the world enlightened by the clear revela
ons Of the Christian religion the structure OF the world
and wonders OF nature sorded strong evidences upon
which prcdcaed the doctrine Of tho exstencs of
diety. Even the theoloeian sometimes resorts to
the natural evidences 10 the existence, wisdom
and power CT God. Cicero has quoted with doraton
the following extract from the writings Of Aristotle
mode Of reasoning and eloquence =
ssT WITH Th vsS T. S 81 @ and
thing whsh posiessed in rich abundance By sh9'e whom
dings q might q &c soa and oGgd % then
sars q Fs& S sah 70 psees n R
could suddenly behold the esh and the and the vault
siaS e
5 si SUN when S m as Ss earth IL s s
% h S sr e sS
from eternity they would surely cxclaim fhers gods,
We cannot indeed bring inhabitants from beneath the
surface Of earth and show them for the first time
the brightness and beauty of the earth sky
but is less done when the scales Of ignorance drop from
the eyes Of those who birdy walk the face Of
globe and is not tho condition of those who nsen
sibe to the wonders of the world around them living
darkness a. strangely In contrast With the light OF
knowledge ard science as the supposed inhabitants Of
the glocmy Of the esrh would be to tho resi-
dents Of its bright and beautiful surface' May we not
hope that they too, when they with inteli
gent vision hesms gpifcen and gooeus world around
them, may be made TO feel that there Divinity and
he led from the contemplation Of nature, up to natures
| Gcd.
| Professor FELTON, on Modern Life Anticipated
by the Athenian Stage.
Yesterday evening" Professor FELTON, Of Harvard Uni
vcrsity delivered lecture at the broadway Tabernacle,