The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1859-02-10
AN ESSAY,
Read before the Stroudsburg Philomathe-
an Society,
THE AGE WE LIVEIN.
BY STEPHEN HOLMES, JR.,
November IL, 1858.

November IL, 1858.
TIE AGE WE LIVE1N.
The age in which We live is the mos
remarkable ono th at the world has eve
seen. 1t is curious in many respects, AM
volpmcs might be filed, in treating of it
merits, its maryels, and its IN onstrosities
As it is, the limited spsce of sim pl
Essay, will ob!ige us to condense our re
marks into the smallest space compatibl,
with any degree of justice to our topic.
For this purpose We shall make thos,
divisions in our subject, which appear t.
be most obvious These are four 10 nun
Der, aud are as follows: lst, Pecuiari
ties Of the age; 2d, Comparison with the
preceding ages; Sd, Achievements of the
sgc; 4th, The wants of the age. We shsiI
treat Of them in their order.
LIST, then. The peculisrities Of the Age.
These are numerous aud very striking,
when contrasted With those Of aay prece-
ding age. There is su istense esergy Of
action, an exclusive devotion to leciti-
mate business pursuits, keenness Of in
tellect, freedom of thinking aud a
proDptness Of doing, unknown in the Pre-.
rious history of the world. Il is tine
when the wits of r.eB are houed down to
the last degree of rsgorlike shsrpoess,
by constant rubbing and jostling together
Ia competition, and when keen necessity,
than whom there can be 10 more vigorous
incentive, trains and develops every fac
u,ty to its utmost extent. Ii is time
when every body who would keep pace
With bis fellows, must be on the alert;
there must be DO drowsiness, 20 dream
ing. otherwise, the one who INDUCES in it,
viii soou find bimsef elbowed out Of the
wcy By come more enterprisins and en-.
ergctie competitor. or perchance will a.
wake TO Gnd himself houudering 10 tbe
mud at the bottom of the bill.
1t is an age of practical utlty, when
nothing can be popular, that is not strictly
useful WHIST is the usei" "Whl it
p.y| These are the first questions y hich
are asked concerning any Innovation,
neE enterprise or business pursuit.
Money is the grand incentive 10 every
sction-gold, the object for which sll ueu
toil,-the aim and end of the existence OF
the man of the Nineteenth Century; aud
practical utility, the hobby upon which
he strives to reach the desired object.
Your model, modern man has eradic.-
ted from bis soul every epark of seDti-
DeDt, Of poetry or Of romance. lie never
reflects on the JeamieS, only the uses of
Nature. He sees DO loveliness in the
flowers and grasses beneath bis feet, ex-
cept in those which furnish bis cows With
food; be bears no music in the warble of
the birds over bis head, or in the uur-
uuriua waterfall; but is fully alive to the
csa'iotion that the one will protect bis
crops from noxious insects, and that the
other would be good site for Grist Mill:
never goes iuto raptures over golden
fripged cloud, or balmy breeze, but on
Iy wonders whether they 2roguOsticate
drenching for bis newnown bay; does
Dot credit tie Poets tale about the slice
~ n1o0n6ean7S, but has an iukIing that il
it ShouM be true it might be a profitable
investment, to organize company for
the purpose of coming them into new
quarters. he thinks the MILKY Way
would be good place to establish dat- |
1y; aud wonders whether be couldn't make |
something, BY selling the Comets tail to
he Editor Of the NeU York Ledger.
He is cool calculator, sbrewd man
at bargain, and good insncier. He
is ever alive to bis own interests, and the
most direct avenue to bis heart is through |
bis pocket. He is legally an honest man,
slough perhaps not strictly morally SO
lie does everything that the law requires,
md refrains from doing every thing that
be law prohibits, but outside of that bouu-
larry, has no serious scruples;--the Bible,
le regards as very good book, mostly
lapted to the use of ClergymeD. but he
las no timeto investigate the matter him
ef.
He takes a daily paper, perhaps sever
] OF them; bat the only kinds Of litera.