The Literary echo, and Pawcatuck advertiser. [volume] (Westerly, R.I.) 1851-1854, 1853-08-04

dish still further applied it to ascertain
the density of the earth. Thus, each
step in the progress of science is sue
ceeded by another still farther in ad-
vance, and link by link the chain of
discovery is heightened till the highest
attainments are reached. And all this
resulting from the triaing" circum-
stance ofa1Ainhing man hearing clock
tick.
Looking into the history of steam, we
shall find that the honor of applying it
as a motive power does not belong to
any one individual, for, though it was
not successfully applied to machinery
till the close Of the last century, its
capabilities as a motive power were
known centuries ago. Nor, as we look
upon the splendid volume Of the pre-
sent day, are we at liberty to award all
praise to John Guttenburg as the in
ventor Of the "art prescrvative of arts"
The invention Of printing was attained
by the same gradual process as was the
invention of the steam engine. Chinese
blocks, wood-cuts of saints, and the
printing of cards, afforded the same as
sistancc to the immortal German as did
the labors of Hero, Savary and Newco-
man to the no less illustrious Scotchman
Watt. The experiments of Hero,
Savary and Ncwcoman and the printing
blocks Of the Chinese, are but mere
trifes, when regarded as themselves
merely; but considered with reference
to the steam engine and the art of print
ing they assum C vast importance. OF
course, this does not prevent the award
Of great praise to those bright geniuscs
but while they have developed and Civ
en- an impetus to these great powers,
it should not be forgotten that their
sources lie far back in the obscurity of
the past; as no one, while gazing on the
leaping and sparkling cascade, or the
laundering cataract, imagines those to
be the sources of the mighty streams
which roll away, carrying on their bo-
SONS thousands of blessings to their
glad recipients. Full we'll the admiring
gazer knows that the source is some
insignificant spring which, perhaps, is
hidden from human eye. But the bless
ing is no less for the obscurity of the
source. So, while we are unacquainted
with the origin of the steam engine and
the art of printing, we may look with
admiration on these great minds, whose
magnitude prevent our seeing beyond
them.
And if the history of inventions could
be thoroughly investigated, no doubt we
should find that, though occasionally one
may have suddenly arisen like the vol
canic isle from the ocean, the great ma
jority Of them may be traced to trifing
sources.
The oft repeated anecdote of King
Robert Bruce is so apropos to this sub
ject, that we may be permitted to in
troduce it, as showing the powerful in
huencc exerted over great minds by the
most trifing objects, at times. 1t is
said that while this hero was concealed
in cave, and borne down with despon-
dcncy by the failure of his efforts, he
observed spider endeavoring to ascend
his web. Bruce, though probably neg
lgent of much more important matters
in his connection with the world, eagerly
watched, in his solitude, the labors of the
insect, and learned from it a lesson of
perseverance, by which his efforts were
finally crowned. He noticed that the
first attempt of the spider failed, as well
the second, and so on to the sixth f; but
Notwithstanding these failures, it made
the seventh effort and succeode Il
" ALI !" exclaimed Bruce, "you have
won at last. In six efforts I also have
failed to gain my country's freedom, but
may l not also succeed in the seventh 70
He rushed from the cave and the battle
of Bannockburn was the result.