Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1855-04-04
APRIL Z.
A Practical Essay.


PILES, Esq, in procuring for US the following
superior article. The Author, WV. II. BRIs-
Toll, Esq, is Corresponding Editor OF the
Waverly Magazine, and a distinguished
Lecturer upon popular and scientific sab
jects. The article we present to-day is of
an interesting nature, and upon a subject of
vital Importance and as heavy family Attic
ton has prevented the usual attention to
Editorials, we give it a place in the columns
generally occupied by ourself. We are graf
lied to state that Mr.. BRIsToL will hereafter
be a regular contributor to the Spirit of the
Age.
Our readers will also notice the produc-
tons of ether accomplished Contributors
this week-and we have others in store,
which will delight and edify our thousands
of readers. And while we are laboring so
faithfully FOR their entertainment and profit,
we htpe our friends will exert themselves in
prooaring new names to add to our list.
FOR THE SPIRIT OF THE AGE.
AMERICAN ENTERPRISE.
III W. ". BhlSTOL.
In no former age Of the world have such
prodigious efforts been put forth, in all that
is connected with the progress and glory of
man, as time now witnesses. The mighty
spirit that gOads the human mind on to the
glorious goal Of it's destiny, has never been
more potent than it now is. 1t never lags
in its.course-it looks only at success. 1t
reaches out TO grasp in and retain all that is
.VaaEaI NWunNanal al u1n.. -
peculiar To Americans alone, and from among
them has it arisen to be the luminary of all.
Indeed, it makes the American people the
prime mOUers Of the present age nor have
they inherited from any other nation, their
spirit of Progress! 1t was born out Of blood
and tears-the august baptism that conse-
Grated it, when it threw off from its CALLED
neck the yoke Of tyranny, and stripped itself
for the race. IL has come up to as through
the lives, sacrifices and struggles Of those
patriotic few who fought and died to q.
chieve for p~osterity the chart and the com
mission Of future glory, to a nation in which
the arts Of peace, and the virtues Of religion
and n glorious intelligence, were to be per
fected
This same spirit of progress, which ami
mates the American heart, is that which
burst from the letters Of ignorance and phys
ical serfdom, with which olden monarchies
were wont to hold their degraded and un
cody millions and it launched forth upor
the taleless bosom Of the v~oiceless ocean
and, waited by the breezes of Providence, i
struck the prophetic rock of Plymouth, from
which n mightier spirit fled out, and tn,
strangers clapped hands, while the wintr,
pillows Numbered and the surging wild
roarGd, as with the instinct foresight of wha
was to come, even before q mighty nation
like ours should stand up from the sea, as i
were, While wondering kingdoms shonl,
look on. Aye lohat "a spirit was that whicl
smote the adamantins front of the New
World, and on the quivering Rock bull,
up n fire, beside whose altar millions from
abroad might come, and nurse the warmth
Of greatness!
The enterprise and intelligence, that ar
everywhere seen among the American peo
pie, distinguish them from all other nation
al classes. The go-ahead, unainching, viii
ling Do.spirit is the too significant mark up
on their brow. They make the most of time
experience and advantage. They even over
come impossibilities, and reap golden re
wards from what the world calls : failures
The Arts and Sciences flourish with a wor
derful precocity. Everywhere the ~footstep
Of Progress RIM, and Eureka y echoes froI
every village and hamlet, while thousand
rush on to victory and conquest.
IL in England things have come to q stan
STILL or nearly so, not so with us. If En-,
land thinks she has perfected her work, an
can now fold her hands in undisturbed
lence, it is not the case with us althoug
we stand on Il fair leUet with her, yet Il
true american genius looks still forward
ripper and more ennobling trophies, and
will be reserved to us to show her how fO
ssL mas har Nr;dn opd how l;tfIo che Lpa,
The material with which Americans a
made, is such as ReUer 1oiU endure n cal
especially such n calm as preSuming pri
would lull itself with. Action is an Anne
cans life-blood, and he is so constituted, tt
action is all the rest he can desire. He
ever holding his sig%ual-watch on the bord,
Of u world that has great treasures for thu
who pay for them with honest, manly, 81
sacrificing labor. He sleeps not while
pageant Of glory passes him. lie clai
his right, and the blazing trophies of Ent
prise fill his hands.
American Enterprise is the great lea
of the world. 1t is out upon the pillows
the eternal waters, and with its arms of sn
it hastes TO greet the welcome of golden is
and virgin shores impatiently clap their fl,
cry hands, and bless the coming angel.
has made the sea fruitful, and his idle
tiers have been made to bear the golden
pie Of wealth. Aye! Enterprise is nigh
tham the whirlwind, and its spirit thr
over huge continents, and the earth sha
to her very centred 1t performs prodig
Our Franklin dared to pluck the threatn
lightnings from their strong hold in
clouds, and stole their gathering thund
lie laid his firm hand upon their his:
names, and, like n steed that knows his n
ter, they were peaceably curbed beneath
superior power, while they but gently CHI;
against the more potent rein that held tn
They have since then been made the servt
of our wills and agents of knowledge
80 far, has Nature been educated for
lightning has been taught to write and =
as weH as TO labor; and may ace not
truth sag this!
But not here do we end! The EnterE
of a Robert Fulton has covered our RI
our lakes, and our oceans, with noble
magnificent steamers, that plough the
rolling floods, and, like mighty shutters
ing between continent and continent, W
together in one grand fabric of comm
and wealth, the prospecting nations oil
earth. 1t has been the enterprise OF M
science, that has led to inventions and
coveries that have blessed all mankind,
made the world to bloom like a gardt
Enterprise has even enhanced tho desert
made wealth bud forth like q : good s
from the darkness and p~rimeval silen,
inhospitable soils. IL has built up pa
where no king ever reigned it has emf
cred with gold the ever waving verg