The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-01-26
THE LECTURE sEAs0n.
Mechanics Institute Lectures.

ing, at the Institute rooms No. Bowery by the Hon
George Bancroft the eminent historian the above
subject The apartment was crowded to excess BY .
highly respectable audience. The lecturer being
troduced to the audience said-I have among you
gentlemen of the Institute my instruction
that have the vanity to believe that instruct you
but have among you because persuaded that
one learns where much Of human nature and such
sound views of truth and right by associatng with
those upon whom the great interests of society repose
received your invitation and accepted it cheerfully
received it with pleasure and present myself before
YOU with great satisfaction believing that stand in the
presence of friends and eposng on your kindness for
candid reception of the few remarks shall make ZAP
rlause) This institution to to be one of the
most int Resting the city Of New York. The ques
ton is what is a mechancs We must have a definition
of the term before proceed. / say mechanic is one
who applies the powers OF nature to the service man
for he is deal with universal nature and with the
power of universal nature and he may engage any
cupaton pursuit and feel the dignity of his position
know we met with objections with regard to the
dwelling place Of the mcdaniel know it is fashionable
to speak well of the country and i'll Of the town; but
the town is essentially and peculiarly the home of the
mechanic and it is in the town and the city where there
is the great gathering of mechanical genius and the
greatest opportunity for the display power for in the
city mind is nearer 10 mind and the opportunities Of in
tercourse hospitality charity and friendship are more
abundant. The poet does indeed say
God made the country, and man made the town
But think that neither good poetry good for
God TO be found in the city much in the country
What is the country in its wild magnifcence! Useless
iertitythe immense exuberance Of productive nature
eyerted only to TO wasteand it does not assume
attitude of beauty until it has submitted itself to the
hand of industry and until science has called in aids
from the from the depths Of the earth and from
distant parts Of the world, to enrich it, So then the
country is not beautiful until II has borne upon its face
the marks of the intelligence and the hand OF Can
then find evidence of the Deity in the city Think
of the degree of brotherly affinity and intimate
ton and firm relance-the fidelity to obligations
tie sacred respect to truth, which is mani
Tested in every instance of commercial
transaction between country and another and then
consider how much faith exists between mankind in the
transactions Of the daily commerce of New York Think
but for moment that three lines with the proper name
added to it transfer property to the anpodes and
merchandise to Hong Kong Peru and ask yourselves
is there not something of vital principle that springs
from the Deity and nature into the human breast In all
this? Could this take place commerce not founded
upon justice and paid respect to truth Think now IN
timatey the whole family OF the human race becomes
bound together by this confidence in another. let
ter dropped in one mail with proper direction is sure
to find its to your friend be he at the Hebes or on
the Bosphorus letter will reach him though he
at the foot Of the Hmalaya mountains, far away
Pugets Sound Is there not here evidence Of that love of
to which is the fuflmen of the second great
commandment and springs from the consciousness OF the
of God among But if there be not clear and
convincing proofs | fake you TO the workshop Of the
mechanic. There you will lind the man Of in
dustrv face face with the great powers of nature
There YOU will find him studying with diligence the secret
laws Of the universe, to make himself familiar and
thoroughly acquainted with the designs OF Providence and
the laws by which the universe is controlled and in all
this do you not that the mechanic in act of his
life is IL we're rendering tribute paying worship to
Divine and recognizing its How infinitely
various the applications of this power, and to what
wonderful has the hand of mechanical science
trved to subject Of the science ofman
see sometimes how machines constructed where the
bare of the forces and the restances const
tute Of the difficult problems that the mathema
csn be called TO solve and one for which he has
invent and moal2e in order reach solution. See
again with what the MECHANIC bids the mighty powers
of nature work his command Fee how ne controls the
old elements Of fire earth and water and how they do
his biddinghow fire his word makes him master OF all
the metals that earth contains within its bosom-how
is checked downwards towards the sea,
and made work its passage through the earth
and srrnging into stream, ope n.inty o. power
which The of the application OF that 20 yer has
nut within your reach The lecturer then proceeded to
describe the water used in the mines OF Penn wi
vana and that Of the steam printing presses OF the
city which able TO strike Off 20 600 copies OF
papers hour. Then, continued he, mechanical means
control the air fol- time out Of mind it has filed the
mariners sails but is applied ohydraulc power,
and produce wonderful results In all this, and every
thing which relates to city life is the result of mechani
cal MUS and if you would wish TO know the monument
of the mechanics OF New York look around you The
works which thrown out into the ocean are his work.
the houses which have been raised are the evidence OF
his genius and indus ry and thing that you
about streets are his work and when asked for his
monument, you only show The city itself loud
applause) Let me add in this connection, since the
pursuit the mechanic brings him into the study OF the
laws Of nature which the laws of God how impor
tan is that he should entertain preudice for
mans mind must be disa bused of prejudice as his and
the instant he listens to prejudice he gone In study
ing the action of the mind Of the mechanics, |
hav found on all questions that their tended
universally Allow me to entreat your affection and
support for system OF common schools do not be
eye that it is a prejudice that have brought with
from New England, when say that they are the corner
stones of liberties for il is conviction that If it
not for the system which among in the olden
days that there would have been United States Amer
lean revolution, and Union, and that we ourselves
should be meeting together under the happy and
genial auspices of our imperial republic Applause
This system of free schools merits your affection and
forward 10 developement, for il not system of
charity schools. but one of public education Your
schools however not what they ought 10 be, unless
they such that any man. be he rich or poor can send
his children to for the purpose of receiving good edu
cation applause The scholars should sit side by
side the form for there should be distinction
Of persons and it is the peculiar excellence of these
schools that favortsm find place. Learning
knows no fayortm to ounces be they born where they
may speak for them a necessary part Of our poiti
cal education, and am grieyed to say that some
times End men cherish some hesitation upon this
subject. The first objection Is. that they do not
wish to push 10 extreme the doctrine Of
political economy with regard to competition.
and that sll must start with fair chance and little
il be taken OF the hndermost That is not my view
Each generation of the great human family it takes up
its line Of march towards eternity is bound to that
it carries forward its sick and its lame its old its feeble
and nfrm and with the generation that will succeed
it One Of the most interesting fctions in Roman my
thoogy Of the female IAvnia whose duty the
moment a child born, TO lift IL from the earth and
pre- ent it 10 the air and sky something redeemed
and saved for humanity Our free schools accomplish
that for they take the poor mans child whenever il is
found in ignorance and poverty, and place it IN cond
ton 10 share with us ali the intellectual gifts our time
Applause 1t is not good TO covetous of this
worlds possessions but it is the meanest Of all mems
tons TO deny learning TO others for learning not lost
either you him who implants it. We cannot, then
give in the objections of political economists for they
take solitary view Of the subject They have stated
the State rights doctrine correctly They have forgotten
that without centrpetal force centrifugal force would
carry the planets off in tangent They forget that there
must be the cheering warmth Of the to attract to
wards the centre planets would fall of into inf
mite space and their light be exngushed for ever Zap
pause) So, then, il is enough for to follow the die
tses Of the understanding and must assent 10 the
higher judgment Of reason and not follow the selfish die
taes Of personal convenience We must follow the i'm
pulse Of the heart must remember that all mankind
but one and must take to do whatever lays
In power for the good Of fellow and for my
part believe there e institution among that
contributes much to the welfare Of the
the institution OF free schools cloud appause)
There is another class Of the community from whom OBJ
econs come who should be listened to with respect and