The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1857-01-02
IMPROVEMENTS OF our AGE.

IMPROVEMENTS OF OUR AGE.
Tha. the present age is distinguished over
oil the pms, as IN age Of improvement, is a.
sruism which no philosopher can gainsay--no
historian controvert; but whether our i'm
provemeut be intellectual or material and me.
ehsnical, 10 question ofeasy solutioa.
The age Of such men as Shakespeare and
Bacon, was one Of genius 10 letters; (the age
Of Queen Elizabeth Of Engnnd) and the
succeeding one Of Isaac Newton and Samuel
Johnson, 10 70 mathematics and the philoso-
ply Of the human mind, has fairly distanccd,
II seems, all competition, M to pas: and flu
ture, up to the presen. epoch.
But our times are radically more improved
than any ags Of the past In oil departments
Of busy life-ecclesias,ical, medical and legal
I'VE are greatly advanced above antiquity
10 former times, no physician could arrest the
small pox or mauage the plague; to-day, all
can. 10 by.gone days the clergy CROPPED in
darkness, and felt their way In the establish
usent Of conflicting crseds by controversies
chat often convulsed empires. Now, men and
churches seem 10 have intellgently and pi-
ously settled down, viii, peaceful satisfaction,
upon the principles Of equitable concession to
each cther'of the right to worship cd NC
cording tothe dictates Of their cousciences.--
And in law, a long line Of presidents, estab-
lished by 'she aggregate wisdom OF mansind,"
justify the permanency Of adj Indications, and,
Ia some degree, guarantee the general adj.
ministratiouo Of justics.- Az thsss are,bat the
experience Of mankind, ma,ured BY trial, and
built up in systems.
But the main feature of our improvements
10 mechanical. Invention and discovery have
contributed to the felicity Of man. We tra-
verse the globe on rapid cars--we cross the
ocean almost with the courser's speed, and
transmit intelligence with the celebrity of "ths
winged lightnings!" Navigation, machinery,
and all things pertaining to material comforts
seem 10 have we'll nigh attained perfection.
Acting upon the utilitarian basis, our cities
are built more for use and comfort, than az
wonders 10 architectural skill and artistic
adjournment. No modern pyramids or magnif.
cent temples vii! tell 10 future generations
the character Of our architects and artificers.
Still, while all are engaged upon mechan-
isms, discoveries and temporal expedisnts, the
Mind is recedng backwards from the powe,
and penetration Of those who, shut up in
ascetic sccldsion by tie difficulty of travel,
their attention not distracted by u super.abun
dant and trashy literature, devoted more time
and greater energy to mental Advancement
Secluded from the excitement and hustle of
the present err, the scholar attained perfec.
ton now nowhere found.
Whilst these causes have combined 10 dis.
courage that profound erudition 10 the fep
which characterized former times it cannot BE-
denied that the utilitarianism Of the present
sge has dif'ased general intelligence among
the masses. All men are now more or less
informed-few, ifany, are profoundly learned.
To tho student thi. picture looks rather
gloomy than enlivenipg. The nge of intel
lectuai cinnts--of mental phioeophers-oi
elaborate and yet perfect writsrs--is gonsl
An age Of short reasoners--o telegraph. aud
essiness- ninds hiss come. vSach politicians
as Clay. Webster and Calhoun, may not b.
ssen again; much less such. authors as Addi-
son and johnson; until future generation
tired Of utihtarianism, shall esteem mer.
material progress US vanity and vexaiion o,
spirit" Then the pale Pot and author will
immune themselves in the solitude Of the
study, and once more productions that de-
marked u Milton, a Young and Byron, ant
essays such us displayed the solidity of /
Bacon and the force and beauties Of n "Junius'
will issue from the press, and Mind agai'
assert its Southern Waterman.