Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1859-01-21

herculean agent, It's greatest have yet
to be recorded. Already, however, i'm
our own land, the Iron Horse has passed
the Alleghanies, and every day is speed
ing nearer and nearer to its western ter
minus, the shores of the Pacific.
VI
We return again to the main princi-
pies which govern human labor. The
necessary and the useful being supplied
a love of the beautiful prompts to new
creations in form aud combination. To
this love Of the beautiful we are indebted
for the thousand ornamental objects which
adorn the domains of Art They meet
our eyes wherever they may be turned,
and more perhaps than we are aware of,
have exercised an elevating and refining
influence upon our dispositions. Shaks-
peare has said, the man that has no mu-
sic in his soul, is fit for treasons, strata
gems and spoils; and certainly he who
has no love for the beautiful in art. IL in
sensible to the most benevolent teachings
Of Nature herself; for both Nature and
Art employ the same graces Of form and
expression to commend their creations to
the sympathetic scnsibilities Of the hui
man heart. Let us look to Florence, for
an example. Florence without, sur
rounded by the beautiful vale of Arno !;
within, the depository of some of the
greatest masterpieces of human genius.
Amid cathedrals and palaces, scarcely
inferior to those of Rome, stands its
chief pride--tho world-renowned Flor
entine gallery. It's twenty apartments
are devoted to as many different classes
or schools of art In ancient sculpture
the collection is without a rival. Its
paintings are arranged to form com
plete history of italian art; comprising
some of the great masterpieces of Titan,
Raphael, and Michael Angelo while its
beautiful chapel of St. Laurence, con-
tanning the tomb of the Medici, commands
the admiration of artists on account of
the vast multitudes of precious marbles,
jaspers ard agates applied in mosaic upon
its walls, by the versatile genius of Mi
chael Angelo. Indeed, the creative
power Of this one man is n complete ex-
ponent of the beauty and glory Of Art;
for in sculpture, in painting. in mosaic,
in architecture-whe!hcr employed in
delineating human face, or in rearing
to the skies tue magnificent dome of St.
Pcter's--ho was alike beautiful, alike
glorious.
But We must pass on; and without
pausing to consider tho influence Of mere
mercenary motives, add to necessity,
utility and the love Of ornament, but
one moro governing principle of human
industry, and that is ambition or the love
Of distinction. Ambition is perhaps, at
most times, that guiding star of Genius
which has opened to maIl's use the great
discoveries of Art But not unfrequent-
" Genius courts distinction simply for
its own sake, and without regard to tho
benefit Of others AS child loves TO
talk, without having anything to say. so
Genius exercises its powers for the sake
Of exercise alone. OF such was the
contrivance Of Archylas. Of Tarcntun,
who, 400 years before Christ, made 4
wooden pigeon that could fly; of such
too, was Roger Bacon's artificial head
that could speak; with like ingenuity
Albertus Magnus constructed an autom-
atom that opened his door when any enc
knocked, and famous philosopher Of
Rome contrived wooden eagle that few
fortl. from the city, saluted the emperor
und returned. aud Likewise an iron hy
which few out Of his hand and returned
after flying about the room. ! do not
youch for the entire correctness Of those
exploits Of wood and iron. Bat no less
wonderful eoptrivances in more modern
times are fully authenticated. The flute
player Of Vancauscn played exactly like
q living performer. NJ. Camus, for the
amusement Of Louis XIV, constructed
group, consisting of coach and horses
with coachman and page, and lady in-
side, by which the action Of driving up,
alighting, presenting petition 10 the
King and setting OF again, was nimick-
va WIN NDultliul
also constructed duck which dabbled
in the water, swan aud drank and ouack.
ed like real duck raised aud moved
its wings. dressed It's feathers with its
bill, cat barley from the hand, and by
means Of chemicals performed even the
digestive faculties Of the living bird 49,
WaelzaePs chess-player and trumpetor
ore still more recent; but above even
those, the exhibition uf his little ropc
dancers, figure about eighteen inches
high, performing every imaginable cvo-
luton upon the slack rope, under full
swing, were the admiration Of my own
youthful days. Curious, but not altoge-
Their useless, were these displays Of HUI
man ingenuity, for they teach us what
the inventive power Of man can accom-
plish, and furnish reasonable hope that
there is no needed achievement in Art.
however difficult il may appear to him
now, which he may not yet accomplish
VIII.
Such then are some Of the principles
which seem to control tho Productive
Industry Of man, and which have made
civilized life so transcendently superior
70 that Of savage or barbarous nations.
They have been the stimulants Of human
energies-tbose energies which, in accord
ance the Divine design, have transformed
the law Of universal labor from curse
into a blessing. Yet while these stimu-
lants are various, there seems 70 be one
general law Of progress, in all the do
partments to which they have given be-
ing. | have said 10 tho beginning that
The head and the hand have both been |