Washington sentinel., 1853-10-15

lug man and the acting man-the thinker and
the doer-which pcrpetually constitutes the
enginery OF the social system. $40
Now, then, assuming this, let us see what
that point is upon which we stand. / say
nothing Of the forms Of government, Of the re-
lations in which government exhibits itself in
constitutional organizations; speak rather of
the progress of ideas and of thought. And in
this view / ask you to reflect and see what it is
that constitutes the marked specific peculiari-
ties of civilization and social advancement in
our day. 1t would seem that the human mind,
In its infinite diyersities Of combination and
results, at some stage OF the progress of society
having received an impulse in q given direc-
ton, maintains that impulse until it reaches its
very maximum of power and development.
And thus it is that in our day we cannot pre-
tend that, in the love Of the beautiful, in the
cultivation of taste, in the carving OF the statue,
in the painting of the picture, in the construc-
tion Of the edifce, or in any other act of mere
taste, we excel those who went before US. We
bow still with humble Difference to our unsur-
passed models in the classic times Of Greece.
Nay, more, it would be vain in our day to at
tempt-indeed, we do not attempt-to -surpass
that untold magni6cence which belonged to
the ancient Assyrian and Egyptian empires so
much of which remains, after being thousands
of years buried in oblivion and dust, to be in
our day exposed to the wondering eye. say
we do not attempt-and should we attempt We
should fail--to surpass that unsurpassable mag
inhcence of those great oriental empires. And
again, proud as we may be of our civilization
proud as we in the United States especially are
Of our knowledge of the art of government, it
yet remains to be proved that we are able to
equal that extraordinary, that marvellous com.
bination of wisdom manifested in the govern
ment and legislation Of the Romans Nay,I
must assume that there are types Of the highest
progress OF our race, which, having attained
their perfection, nature has, as it were, broken
the mould and thrown it aside, in order to de-
vote herself to new careers of development is
which especially characterizes our day, it is
impossible to doubt--no candid observer can
for an instant hesitate TO say that that which
constitutes the eminent characteristics of our
day is the consummate development of Me-
chanic Art-that Mechanic Art which has given
to us the command of the elemental powers of
nature itself, and to minister to which we dig
from the bowels of the earth its hidden treasures
of coal and iron; we conjoin them we form
them into colossal fabrics Of power, with which
we produce effects that in other forms Of socie-
ty, and in other relations of the human mind,
would be incredible if related by the historian.
Not content with this application of the highest
human art to the visible elements of material
nature, we go beyond that to the very powers of
nature itself; and while possessed Of marvellous
rapidity Of motion by means Of the steam-en
gine, we have attained state Of more marvel
lous rapidity of intercommunication by means
Of the electric telegraph.
Now, ask any careful observer to consider,
to estimate, and to Judge Of these great facts;
and | think it viii be impossible to dispute
that which have said, to wit: that the great
characteristic feature Of our condition Of so
ciety is this development of art applied to ma
ture. And it is in its results--results rs grand
as the inventions themselves-that we see that
universal diffusion of personal comfort--that
gradual, steady, irresistible elevation of all
classes to the same great level Of health, of
comfort, OF intelligence, and with these, ofmoral
and political power; and it is in that elevation
of society to the highest forms Of human
equality, in moral and political, as well as ma.
terial power, that we have the perfect, final IL
lustration Of the progress of mechanic art.
And having said this, / might, indeed,
ought, here to close; but cannot forbear to
add one reflection as pertinent to the subject,
as called for in more than one sense, and it is,
that if there be in these various aspects Of the
progress of mechanic art, anything Of these
great features of progress to which have allu-
ded, they, as being the results of mind, are to
be regarded by us only as among the great and
good gifts of that Providence above us, to
whom all gratitude is due. It is to God, the
great Architect of the Universe, the uncreated
Creator; the Without Beginning and Without
End; the All-Good as the Almighty; it is to
Him, to those imperfect emanations of His
divine nature, that we owe all there is in us of
good and of great And although, when re-
garded in his in6rmities, in his frailties, in hs
passions, man seems as if he belonged to that
brute nature which preceded him in the order
Of creation; yet, thanks be to GodI he still has
in him capacities and inspirations not alto.
gether unworthy of that God.