Washington sentinel., 1853-10-15


which the French academicians are engaged in
measuring an arc Of the meridian. Whilst
there they speculate upon the question whether
or not this earth, upon which they stand is in
habited. The human beings occupying it are
so small relatively TO them that they are invisi
bic; and it is only by process Of reasoning that
they come to the conclusion that this earth IS
probably inhabited. And, in stopping for min
ute examination to ascertain if it be so, one Of
the visitors from Saturn grasps in his hand an
almost imperceptible mite from the ground,
which proves TO be man, and extends the hand
holding that man upon it, and proceeds to hold
q conversation with him. He is not long in dis
covering that, invisible mite as that man is, he
is capable, by that art which the genius of his
race has given to him, not only of measuring
him, the gigantic denizen of another star, but
has the far more marvellous power Of measuring
and weighing that very star itself, and describ-
ing, depicting, and developing all the diversities
of its motion and condition. And say, when
we reflect that by the agency Of mechanic art
here upon this earth, we are able thus to meas
ure, to weigh, and to appreciate a mere speck
of light afar off, thousands of millions Of miles
off in the ncommensurable depth of ether,
can conceive Of no fact, no idea which more
the power Of the human mind applied, through
mechanic agencies, to the command Of nature.
Reflect, again, that in these infinite spaces
Of the armament, where all its enormous orbs
planets, and stars are wheeling from infinite to
infinite in their long careers, not only has this
art been applied so as to measure, and weigh
and depict the material objects which the hu
man eye sees, but it has gone beyond that to the
almost incredible result of being enabled to de-
eide, as Leverrier did, by the mere fact Of hav-
ing ascertained perturbation in the course Of
one of those immensely remote stars, by infer
ences deduced from that asccrtaned fact-that
almost imperceptible disturbance in the path OF
that star---to infer, with mathematical precision,
that there exists in that space an unseen star,
which, at some future day, science would dis
Germ, as it already in fact has done by more
powerful telescopes and more careful observa-
ton. In such results as these, when we pom
der upon them, when we estimate their rela-
tions, we cannot but see how marvellous are
the effects which art, which the mind of man,
applied to the command of nature, has been
able to accomplish.
Let us pause at such stage of society as
that to which we have now arrived, and in which
we live will not speak of stupendous monu-
ments of art--of those vast constructions of the
old time, which still stand in their sublime and
unequalled nagnifcence, the pyramids of Mem
phis, the mighty temples of religion at Karnac
and Luxor; or even Of those magnificent edi-
fees Of religion of a later day, such as the ba-
silica of ST. Peters at Rome or st. Paul's at
London. / do not ask you to pause upon them,
but to bring before the minds eve those daily
objects Of experience and observation which,
from the very fact that we see them daily and
hourly, have ceased to impress us with their
wondrous qualities in their relation to the ac-
ton of man upon nature. Visit, for instance,
familiar object to all of MS, the interior of one
of those great establishments of manufacture in
our country-some huge cotton-nill OF the east
ern or middle States, in which you see the most
perfect execution of art, more perfect than even
the chisel OF the sculptor or the finest stataary
marble-nay, than even the graver OF the most
beautiful object of silver or gold, in which in
finite perfection Of human art has been applied
to the complete construction and absolute
adaptation of machinery, and in which the vast
collection of engines, each with its attend
ant human being; do so correspond and CO.
operate together, that it seems to me it is
impossible to stand and pause in one Of those
great operative establishments without being
filled with wonder and admiration. Take an
other illustration. Consider ship, shaped
for speed, for capacity, and for security upon
the ocean. See her sit--nay, enthroned--
upon her appropriate element with her canvass
spread to the welcome gales of Heaven, float
ing like poetic vision, III grace and beauty,
upon the ever-swelling waters; then enter into
that ship; suppose her to be great shiip-of-
war; add, to all which belongs to an ordinary
vessel, those appointments of military force with
those brave men who are to WELD them in the
hour Of danger; and then carry the mind back
and dwell upon that great sum of thought, con-
trivance, experience, and intellect, which have
all been connected together in the composition
OF that great ship-of-war. Or, again, take an
other illustration equally apt, although without
reflection it may seem less SO: take an army in
the field, with all its brave men, their arms, and
cannon-everything that goes to successful
combat; and you will find that all science, all
art, all experience, have been summoned, as it
were, from their most profound depth to furnish
forth that combination of mechanical force of
iron and brass, with the muscle and hearts Of
men to WELD them, which are to defend our
country in peril when called forth by the severest
struggle to which man is subject, and the soul
is strained up, up, to the very sublimity of hui
man effort. Applause.
You admit, then, that this is an illustration
of the application of mechanical force. Now,
go one step further-to that society of which
we are part. There was time when the first |
man, and the first woman-he the personifca-
ton of the strength Of manhood, and she the |
personi6cation of all the lovliness of woman
hood-when that first man and that first woman
began human society. And if we say to woman,
IN the language of Milton,
Thou fair defect Of nature -
# in moment of petulent reflection upon our
exit from Paradise, we, like the great English |
poet, say this, yet our second thought, our abb I
ling thought, the reflection of all human being,
8, that to have that companionship, that mutu-
ality OF support that closeness Of relation which
belongs to our nature, if ii could not be had
otherwise, We're well earned by the loss of
Paradise. say, begin social institutions with
,nt two human beings constituting it, and
hen you have the patriarcha society, in which
he father of the family is master and ruler.
But if you go beyond that, TO the commenc-
ng accumulation of the human race, then you
lave this great fact everywhere--you have
landing at the head of society priest and
older. You have priest who thinks--who