The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-10-14
TAs Maryland lassiiate--Speech BY Gea. Cash
taS-The Relations Of Art to Social Advance
Especial report for the New Yoss Daily Tines

ment.
Especial report for Yosk Daily Timssl
BALTMoRK. Oct IL. 1883.
The annual exhibition Of the Maryland Institute
opened last evening ia presence OF very large and
brilliant audience Hon Caleb Gushing, Attorney Gen
era OF the United States delivered The address, which
was listened 10 with great interest and attention for
ward you full report, revised for the columns OF the
Times by Mr. Gushing himself
A. The hour appointed. Bir. Gushing was introduced
TO the audience. and spoke follows:
Mn. PREsiDEsr; yielded. with somewhat OF ire
Election perhaps, the request OF yourself and your
socstes, address the Institute this evening, counting
moe upon my disposition TO obllxe yoa than my ability
for, he first place. difficult whdraw my mind
from the toll and OF daily Official Duty and the
thoughts which belong and, in the second place. II
Is Impossible for 10 Ind time for the deliberate pre-
paIahon OF sci Grafton. am constrained, therefore,
10 throw myself The indulgence OF you. Mr.. Pres
ident, and OF the other members OF the Institute, and
OF the ladies' aud gen,lenen here assembled. for the
unelaboraie simplicity OF IN ordinary extemporaneous
diequisitiOn upon medi tailed theme
II IL true that occasion like this affords its
proper subject. Who. indeed, look around upon
like ihis-on this great exhibition Of objects Of
arton this throngng assembly, convened TO do honor
10 such m exhibon--and moi pelceive lis obvious
moTallhat this exhibition evidence OF the progress
the condition. and the social relations OF mechanic art
OF that mechanic art which, while II affords the
FIRST elements Of all personal comfort, does at the
lime act upon all the relations OF lie, in substituting
skill Invention, genius, mind in the place OF the inu-
ence OF mere brute ofce, which gives equal
y founded. not upon adven,tous circumstances Of birth
or fortune but upon The great gifts OF God 10 all his
lures alike-(applaueel that mechanic which az
lords US shelter and protection against The elements.
which enables ve 10 move. to act; which gives
10 the means 10 build, TO adoIn 10 paint TO write
ay, to paint with the rays oil the sun, and 10 write with
the flashes Of the lightning; which empowers US 10 raw
igae securely the soTm-'ossed which submits 10
will the almost illimiiabie power of The
CINE, enchanting it TO 10 bear rumphanily
over earth and sea. These are the resusl might say
the Iiumphs-of mechanic arr, and therefore cay that
such this furnishes It's own suggestive tram
OF thought
But il would not become US 10 rest upon this mere super
cal view OF the relation o mechanic 10 human comfort
and happiness. and the progress OF society for that Art
in its great results, Is indeed vctoy-lhe victory Of
the conquest of the material universe by the human
mind and the history therefore, OF Mechanic Art the
history OF this habi,abe globe and OF US the human
II illustrates in every stage Of progress the
and the elements OF The constitution and progress OF
cety
Allow me. for moment, to ask you accompany me.
al least, retrospect OF what this
world before II became subject 10 the action of Art
and to what II is In contrast with that prim-
tive condition Follow me back to tina, long-re-
mote epoch when this earth had begun 10 be
inhabedwhen, If any eye could have beheld it-nay,
allow 10 say, when the Divine eye looked down upon
itthat eye could behold the lofty mountain stretching
up into the sky its summit crowned with eternal SHOWS
sides covered with the prime forests and the fertile
valley at s base with the smiling lake rivuet pass
ing through IT, yet without use; and The wide prairie
tending before the view. inviting, but not yet having re-
ceived, the plough OF the euvator The desert in all its
awful immensely OF waste the river rolling its unknown
waters onward to the vast expanse OF the ocean, itself
in ceaseless wash upon shore, with extent
the image Of boandessness in space and inhnity in
ton
Let US carry our thoughts back 10 that uninhab-
ted addition OF this earth, when it rolled. poised by
The t}sierous powers OF nature, revolving around its
ceLs.s sun. with it's attendant Doon careering.
that grand OF the ornament with all the
bright sarsthe yet unread poetry OF heaven-shinng
down in their Loot briancy upon IL. Go back 10 that
lime ard then pass the moment when life began 10
when earth. and became hlod with
living beinghe birds OF The the fish OF the sea- the
beasts Of the hed-a possessed Of life. il is true OF
INSTINCT II is truebut about to give place. the great
progress OF the works OF nature TO the preordaaed
master OF that nature 10 who, the language Of
the great Roman orator. statesman, and philosopher. frat
OF all animated beings. stood veus ID oosIsgerect
wards DEMONSTRATING his brow the visible stamp of
the signet Of immortality. lapplause;] and when he
came, and when the powers the immortal mind which
God had placed within him operated upon that senseess
that savage, that unamed that uncvzed, and that
cultivated nature around him, mark the marvellous
We see him in the humble beginnings OF primordial
life existing by the chase fishery mperfecly sheltered
by the rudest expedienis Of the hour; or, may be- in
similar but sill imperfect state IN the progress OF our
10 that Of fertile island Of the tropical where,
in The language Of Gonzalo in the Tempesi"-
STATURE should bring forth
or sown kind. all .rism, al abundance.
To feed my innocent people"
Passing from these primitive states Of being, into
condition OF things in which, all experience has
shown. combining certain difficulties and obstacles 10
success, but those Obstacles not nsupeabel say, in
this combination Of circumstances, at exer-
cses his proper dominion the earth and all natural
objects in II he the beasts around him he begins
to cultivate the earth he dow the forest he
new abundance 10 spring up on valley and prairie; he
prepares society Tor that stage which the exgen
cies OF personal comtort-tbe instructive pursuit OF
his happiness-ieach him by the cultivation of Me-
cbanic Art 10 surround himself with convenences un-
known to the state OF nature Then il s that dwellings,
suited 10 bis new condition rise all hands tina, tenn
pies dedicated 10 religion constructed thai orresses
for his defence spring up aHd the elements oil those great
STRUCTURES and other works OF begin 10 exist,
which gradually develop themselves into great and popu
lous cities such rs that in which are.
In this petiod oil change II is that that
dt,on oil our race and OF society," IN which art nveniion,
genius. the miad oil applied to matter, 10 the sub
stances Of the material universe 10 show i,s
qualities OF superiority 10 all animate nanmate
around IT, And from the development OF arts useful and
oraamen,a-ihe arts which minister TO the comfort OF
life, and thoee which address themselves TO The higher
aesthetic emotions OF love of the beautiful and good in
the human breast-man takes the next step 10 the
niGher cultivation OF science and knowledge
Reflect upon what Mechanic Ar, in its application
to knowledge, enables TO do in regard, by
way OF ILLUSTRATION. to the great problems OF asIono
my In one at the most striking OF the OF Voltae
We are introduced To two this planet from The
planet Saturnbeings OF mmenee stature standing upon
the lace oil our earth with their heads far above the
clouds Of atmosphere, coming here 10 expors The
character and condition Of this psiy planet in The solar
systsa In their gigantic stature they stride the
mountains OF kurope. they wade in safety through Seas
until they 6Od themselves that northern corner OF Eu
rope in which the French academcians are Engaged in
measuring arc OF the meridian Willis, there they
speculate upon the question whether not this earth,
upon which they stand. sinhsbited The human beings
occspynG small relatively 10 them that they
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