The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1855-03-03
LEGAL MAT:raRa.

cond Lestnre before the Mechanics Institute lwas
delivered BY the Rev. Mr.. Hook, II Metropolitan
Hall The audience was that at the first Lecture,
small one, betraying either a. apsshy We cannot
account for among the mechanics. or attributable
70 tneir engagement otherwise. Mr.. rs Lecture
was an admirable one most happily adapted TO the
occasion. and weregret that 1t could not have been
heard by every mechanic In the city.
The Lecturer commenced by contrasting the
lives of the professional man. and be that supports
himself by foil. He contended that the latter had
great many advantages: securing to the laborer q
good Constitution, q robust and healthy physical
development, which were the true basis tor the
symmetrical development and heathful action oil
the powers OF the mind. His weariness makes
rest and sleep sweet whilst the fatigue OF the stu
dent sends him to his pillow with his nervous sys
TEN out of tune, his mind jaded by overwork,
and needing repose not for his body, but for his
fevered and excited intellect whose unnatural &C
tiyty keeps him tossing upon his unquiet bed until
dawn of day. Nor did the laboring man experience
the dreadful moments of depression from the loss
of animal spirit or know the painful effort often
costs the weak and debitated student to prepare
in time too brief for the instruction and amuse-
ment of others. 5.5irqr sd +r.tf zt7. Fs.s,+
Mr.. Hoge said that the professional man worked
too little with his hands for his health-while the
mechanic erred In working too little with the head
and hence the strengthening of his body was not
accompanied by corresponding inauguration OF
the mind He thought both parties would be bene-
fitted by exchanging part of their labor, peculiar
to each The Lecturer then eont6nded that great
defect In the colleges and schools of our country
male and female, was the neglect of physical edu.
cation BY which the country was filling up with
nunv effeminate youth, with well stored and well
cultivated minds, but without that robust and
healthful physical development which was one OF
the duties which our creator has imposed upon IA.
Whatever mans mental attachments may be he
is more of man, more to be admired and respect.
ed who together with his intellectual culture unites
the quick eye, and the strong arm, and the braWny
chest and the hardened muscle, and the el Get port
and the prompt and easy command OF bis person
Mr. H asked what was the use OF a highly dsci'
plined intellect if be deposited in crazy, debili-
lated and enfeebled bodyi Its very energy and
activity will but bring speedier destruction 70 the
crumbling tabernacle In which dweiis just as the
highly tempered sword is said TO eat up its own
scsbbard Manual labor had important bear
ing on the mind ITSELF by invigorating and stimuia-
tisg its faculties. The mind does not indeed get
Ms " faculties by bodily action, but 1t does get ear
ntstness energy, decision, perseverance, and the
m stesshp of its faculties The tolls OF the aboTer
wee therefore not only increasing his worldly
gaits but in obedience to the law the creator had
impAsed upon race was hitting Tor the dunes OF
a hither sphere OF service. The necessity OF toll
is A part Of the training by which the Creator Is
nrenaripp the most numerous portion OF our race
for the duty and dignity OF the future lhe' fhere
fore labor did something more than erect houses
try and beauty to character sud prepares man for
luture usefulness and happiness. i-apors ulsnitS
is its two-fold use-its summer bloom and autumn
harvest 1t ia like the plant which seems TO bloom
only for it's pleasant fragrance and beauty, while
inside the dover are formed the seeds for the next
years plants.
In these things, the lecturer commended, the me
chapic had decided advantage. What he lacked
was eZfcuIture-the ambition to develope the
mind and achieve high attachments In knowledge
which every mechanic might do.
Mr. Hore then proceeded to show that the great
changes which had taken place in society and the
great movements which characterize the age, were
highly favorable to the high mental cultivation he
had urged upon the mechanic. He successfully
treated of the evidences OF these changes. He
spoke of the hatred of monopoly in these times
-contended that there was nothing like the excu-
sveness the selfishness, the all graspng and logged
ly retaining spirit OF former generations now in
existence-that there Is now recognition of our
common humanity such as was never exhibited be-
fore signs are indeed unmistak cable that the pe0
pie are at last recognized He drew examples
from the history OF England to show what con-
cessions there had been obtained from the kngly
prerogatves of former times. He declared that
The sentiment of the world now was that govern
ment belonged to the people-that they are the
Lords anointed, and Mr. II. said 'may the day
come when all the inhabitants of despotic govern
ments shall be prepared for freedom, and shall
share with us In the blessings of constitutional
Liberty. But If the people are to be our sove-
reigns, give US educated sovereigns. Let the
fountain of thority be purified by intelligence
and virtue" Ft -..
Another sign was that Science, Literature and
Learsing were no longer a monopoly, but the heri-
tage OF the people, The text books OF the children
contain more science than was known to the wise
men of antiquity. Dickens and Thackeray and the
popular writer's of our own country, wrote for the
people, and the fulsome dedications of the days
when Literature was exclusively for the nobility,
were altogether abolished
Another sign was the respect paid to Labor-a
man is beginning to be regarded according to his
honesty, sense and manners The popular idea
now is thst the life of Labor win ch God has or.
dained Tor the majority of the human family, is the
life best calculated to promote health, content
tnent, virtue, sound judgment, rational happi.
ness, than any other. And who were the Loacer
Glasses in the Republic2 The SUN burnt farmers
who go forth to till the ground God told them to
the hard working mechanics who rise before the
and retire to their well merited rest with their
hard earned wages' No. The only fooer classes
in our country are the vicious and those who SUBJ
sist without any visible calling, who are ashamed
to beg and too proud to dig who cringe and fawn
upon their rich relations, base hounds they are
the hand still feeds them-of no use to the State in
peace and not tit tor powder In war;-these said the
Lecturer. are the only lower classes that know
anything about in this Republic.
If the mechanics of the country do not stand as
high in the social scale do no maintain the respect
of all classes 1t Is because they will not avail them
elves othe advantage the Lecturer bad described
because they will not keep pace with the progress
society Is making. Mr. ii spoke OF the wealthy
mechanic, who sometimes shuns the association OF
his former companions, and ashamed of work and
workmen, follows after fashionable society Such
man was an enemy of the fraternity and q re.
proach to the true dignity of human nature. An
other fool was the mechanic who, without fitting
himself by study, coveted the society of the refined
and educated. Let him not ascribe bis expulsion to
pride or spirit of exclusiveness; but to his own
presumption. s..,5 81 aGtIte1
Mr. Hoge devoted the remainder of his discourse
TO examples to prove to his auditors that none of
them could plead as an excuse, the want of time
for study and obstacles in the way of the pursuit of
knowledge He presented the cases of men famed
in various branches OF knowledge and literature
who had risen from the humbIest positions and
struggled with and triumphed over the difficulties
of a want of time and MEANS These examples
were drawn from Europe, especially to show what
achievements had been accomplished under the re
straiuts of social conventionalities which were NOT
known In this country; and he asked how much more
ought not our mechanics to do, with their great.
er Advantages and the superior incentives growing
out of our free institutions Among the names
brought to the attention of the audience was that
of Hugh Miller, the geoiogist, whose example he
held up TO emulation, and he especially and earn
estly commended to the perusal of the mechanic,
Millers book, "My Schools and School Masters y
In which they would lind not only noble example,
but great deal of valuable information. 1--WE
ioin our cordial commentator OF this excellent
book TO Mr.. Hoges asa
Mr.. Hoge concluded with q warm expression of
his best wishes for the prosperity Of the Mechanics
Institate His address was one of the most yiao.