The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-11-16
Mechanics Institute.

world is full Of genius. We It's traces in every
thing that does, thinks or feels Society bows
down and worshps it, while the wise and great stop
read its startling deveopsments Is champions come ur
to US from Chu ch and State from socsty the arts the
trades and profesions science and literature So nd
their claim and its universal mastery Then genius
rules the world It therefore becomes important that
we know its ample apttudes It's mularious aids and OBJ
sace and the ends it proposes to the race Such being
our have very little to do with tho Of
genius. and shall waste but little time In etheriaxinp
and refining ts elements or ramyiug its speculave
ceptioies leave its sinuous msandsrngs, its nice
and subtle divisions to those who,
"With metaphysical accuracy can sever and divide
bar 'twixt north and northwest side
Life earnest life Is real The age the very age In which
We ve is hurrying into the widest and most irving
reaizations; and genius, however born undying real
makes us men "thngs" in what We do or fail to- and
tests us by fruits foss genius ev
plausible capacity which enables to shu1 the world
and lite and real thiogs2-ths airy bubble beauty that
scntilaes but to explode meteoric life that bazss now
Does genius suggest that better than others of
race and Of right must live by their endeayors like the
Spaniard who deems himself prince and ali men made
to him2 Is genius series Of brilliant reyeress
life o. dreams, constant gaze upon the substantial
fabric of visionS Must it revoutionize the world eur
prise the race upset society, and reve life away mood
mess? Iauswer, of these The problem ia socisty
its tendency It's aim, the ends OF lifs Genius asks tho
o.
and what Is placed beyond his power In answering
these genius displays its aptitude It tea ,hes us that
man can tame the of universal nature and bend
the powers around beneath, high to his amelioraton
that he gather all the waters from the little r and
pour the food continent thousand streams into the
lap OF aoor can turn the MILL aud the forge and
ease the weary Of TOLL that he bend the mighty
oak and form it into grace power twne s broad
and spreading into the graceful bark that floats on
mount the surgng wave of conmerce di.
rect the storm Of rise high above Ii eecy c uds
divedseper in ETHEREAL blue and penetrate the stars
ita
al os lick up the waters of the rivule and
world by steam explore the heavens and set his mile
posts all along the orbit of the skies that he unbands
fluid Saturn divides the the path
of every wind that sail skins the
the little wire till thought electric leaps along the line
while nations cling to either end and listen coumon
voice. throb with simultaneous impulse that he in
fuses impulse into universal man; nfusas hought can
point anxious youth the WHOLE long rugged path that
leads him to the mountain height of power fame With
destiny and all it's aids Genius expends its efforts
whole sphere of mans endeavors, whether public or
private life peace in the Cabinet Congress- the
pulpit the press the arts the professions but chief
y in those mechanic arts VIII Oh bind whole toge her
Here find its pr0u lest its nobest names
Since the days of Archmdes history furnishes US none
potent cherished half so suggestive and tas
mani: 10 the young American mechanic those who have
left their footprints the times to ark the step hu
pogi ess But progress vaunted word
to thousand absurdities and nnovatons but the pro-
gress resulting from the thoughts deeds Of these men
was to progress OF those around them speed Of
the ratcar to that OF the slow sailing craft Most
about them lived in thoughts easy simple and appa
rent as the unbidden winds that the bark. Thus
our thoughts distilled from conflict and experiment
IN natures elements of power, fierce the flame
that starts reluctant steam to the rapid car
Our present civilization is the of their Deeds
Without these mechanics take prmcval stand by
the poor Indian He has his ideas his theories his super
stitions. Many Of them extremely beautiful. But
his race has no mechanics, and hence no civilization
His light every stream but water has for him
no other use he knows nothing of machinery His words
are plentiful and beautiful bit he has printing press
to pepetuate his thoughts single art to transmit
any notion of exact SCIENCE IL he had It, He finds deaty
without mechanism useless. Let look abroad all
Where is the fabric Of the ideals Is it not the fabrc
of visionf' Where is the monument OF the simply
speculative PenusY We see draft paper; it Is
ument of failures of chickering's stres,
envy jealousy curses dsappointments lunacy AL that
We see of beauty strength around about utters
the sern encouraging voice of the mechanic and stands
commemorative of his genius and his power Genius is
not content to know what others know alone using
all previous attainments in knowledge and pushes
to higher progress. 1t imitation delights
In the emulation of real improvement. Yet there is
the genius that IL barely capable of apprcciating
the thoughts eds Of tho moro gifted and ensht
ened, and thus becomes the executor of another's
will This executive cla,s is quite necessary as
the coDcepve and far more numerous. 1t is always
cessary highly conservative, and at times painfully
clogs the wheels Of progress. Many naturally fine
simply for want Of proper instruction in the OF
exact knowledge man may have general idea of eng
neerng yet ignorant of the use Of the instruments he
loses place In life, that with his natural apttudes
but small OF study and practice weuld admirably ft
him for contractor seeing that he he handles hts tools
we'll and is Of interest desires him to manage his
business At much higher salary; but Just here he ends
his de iciency In some Of the necessary principles is in
capable of making the calculations although he has
good general idea Of what the engine should be. He Ia
unfamiliar with the exact knowledge requisite and yields
hi prospects to one naturally inferior, but has
studied and made himself conversant with his business
Thus some young men capable of high destiny compro
mise their honors profits, and usefulness in life b1
attention at thestart1g point and stless want of that
high purpose which first the end consuts the
warrior apttndes and uses all the aids. II y
The idea Of the age not what Go you believe but what
do you know, and what can you dor This query ap
pcala with peculiar force to every young man, he
enters bis trade profession, and especially when
he seeks employment from others who seldom give
their money but for consideration. young man who
deceives himself by assuming responsibilities that he
cannot discharge finds that the failure woun IA him for
le and influences every subsequent action Most young
men possess tendency toward the indulgence OF the
Widest imagination. They 'onaly dream of bliss
either. They cut themselves fully loose from all the
sho es of real life and with full SAIL whou. pilot
o sn non IL. un
all the breskers that lie aeng the OF YOUTH or the
fearful maelstrom which long swallows oil their ok
less hopes But win genius always assert itself9 have
be nmated that there two kinds Of geniusthe
creative and the executive The latter awaits cppor
y: the former creates It, The latter too freqr ent
point to point but struggles for the mastery One end
attained is but the stepping stone to get another; and
themselves had not lost their confidence and with
drawn their aid st seeing the unerdiDg change which
cess any step fe These the struggles the ad
TOW ard perfection the diaappontments Of genius
genius wnen
by positive finds food in the ca, cage Of
the warfare when others have ed and contendng with tho
warrr elements the quick gyraons of the storm
nd rises the TO its destined place high Genius
knows resting place. Its paths not the paths of
peace has high impang walls to shut its sunlight
from the world hordes power but all IL gets
In creation 1t sings syren songs OF satisfaction
Of Eternal progress is its law How different
was the genps Of Romsl Directed to the production Of
unendipg Pleasures life but sicb ening dream;
genius but the slave Of lust True to himself his people
ana the age, the Roman poet cried,
let Athens better mould the running
or metals, and inform the breathing brass
AND soften into flesh the marble face;
Plead better at the bar, describe the akies,
And when the stars descend, and whom they rise;
But Rome 'ds thine with awful sway
To rule ms nkind and make tie world obey;
Dispose Of peace and war, thine own majestic way.
L. the attempt the attainment of high lfe and
and notcrety the end Of genius? Suppose that you
coed amassipg fortune Is 1t that you may build
palace the Fifth avenue give splendid entertainments
forget your old friends and associates and knock spasmo
ccsy and unnecessarily, until the day Of your DEATH
uso niu thn