Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1871-05-06
mEcHAHlC's ASSOCIATION,
SoIsnes and Art" Dsaesd-Ths Lecture
Delivered BY Dr.. ". 0. Lyiss, on
Thursday Night.

Il AuuUAMDEUAEuaEu HOM1NEL 41FOA4 u NLAeA
than it is, to reconcile prejudices, and adj
lust seeming incongruities.
To accomplish this latter proposition, /
propose on this occasion to attempt 70
show the perfect harmony Of science and
art, more by familiar illustration, than by
| elaborate argument. In order to q perfect
understanding Of the meaning Of these
| terms, I quote from Webster; Authors
have not always been careful TO uso the
terms t.artn and "scisncs" with due dis
/ elimination, and precision, Music IL an
/ art, as well as a sciehce. In general an
| art is that which depends on practlcs or
/ performance, and science hat which DE-
| bends on abstract or speculative primer
pies. The theory Of music Is q SCIENCE
the practice an art"
Art is defined as 3 system OF rules,
Serving TO facilitate the performance OF
certain actions; opposed to science or
| TO speculative principles, as, the art OF
| building, or engraving"
Arts are divided into useful or
mechanic; and liberal or polite,
The mechanic arts are those In which
the hands and body are more concerned
than the mind. The liberal or polite arts
are those in which the mind or imsgina-
ion is chiefly concerned, as poetry, music
snd painting.
maintain that, whilst accident in the
hands Of the unscientihc has often, time
and again. discovered the germ of & great
fact or principle, that fact or principle was
never reduced 70 intelligence until science
touched 10 with her magic wand, or the
philosopher refined it through the crucible
Of his mind, aud snalytically and syn
thetiCallV worked the thought, IDEA or
fact to q practical conclusion.
If this is fact, 1 feel hst you will sgree
with me that there Bs
HARMONY BETWEEN SCIENCE n ART
that cannot be Disturbed by dns-spun ar
] gumsnts. or the subtiluy Of well adjusted
words, sometimes mysIlcal-nEy, often as
full Of meaning Is the snunciatiOns Of b
oracle Of Delphi,
We will take first the movements Of the
Heavenly bodies. The astronomer works
out in his mind, proposes, e~xpounds and
by tD0rds illustrates his discoveries, and
there be rests; but does the subject rest?
/ No it does not. The artisan now steps
IN and demonstrates the fact, truth q
evidence OF the premise laid by science.
! Whilst On this immediate q I the
subject we will for q glance At
the accomplishments of the astronomer.
For instance: What would Lord Rose,
| with bis vsst grsnary Of learning, with
all his wealth and lDerallty have accom-
/ pLishedI IN the beaten track OF science, had
| not art come with gentle out majestic
tread TO support his wearied brain, TO up
hold his tOtJering footsteps and cultivate
| into fruitiOn the seeds he bad so lavishly
/ and UrusJinRly committed TO the soil Of
| intellect and thOught2 The artist Tor
the mechanic, II the term Is better un-
/ dsrstOOd,) cOntrivsd the means to perfect
| that wonder of human inventions, that
marvel Of ingenuity, the ROss telescope,
! by the aid of which revelations have been
/ made and are being msde Of such q char
acter as to bring Us into closer proximity
| to the celestial world.
hold now in my fingers one ofthe most
useful Of all discoveries to the human fami-
| Iy-these glasses, (spectscles, arranged, as
| you see, in such simple ana cheap form
] as places them within the reach Of every
| one so unfortunate as TO need their ser
vices. was the discovery Of q poor watch
msksr, the result Of the purest accident,
comparatively ~valUeless, however, until
science came TO the aid Of the artisan, en-
abliuE him to complete this dainty work,
the benefits of which are shared alike by
kings and peasants. If this is not broth
srhOod, if this is not harmony, if this is
not mutual dependence, / must confess
myself dull to the last degree, not to
comprehend it in another light. Is there
one who will assert that art has not dOne
her part in the work Of civilization and
progress, snddeny my premise O~fhsrmOny
VIZ ACCEPT TRUTH SLOWLY,
often we are doubtful Of great facts, IS
Thomas was ia the days OF Our Savior.
While We are prone TO embrace error,
however shallow Its claims 10 respect may
be, if only dressed in jingling nonsense,
or sppssls to the wonder and superstition
of mankind. The merest tyrO will As
h~lppautly dispose Of the opinion of a man
Of learning ss he would of the burnt end
Of a cigar bought on credit, and turn with
affected disgust from The claims to in
formation and respsCJsblhty Of the very
individual who has made him a msn-his
tailor.
MORSE.
And here I may turn to that most won
dsrful of sl scientific discoveries, the
mere COntsmg laJiOn OF which, from an in
Jellectual pedestal, fills the most acute
Investigator with wonder, ave and sd-
1 refer, of course, to that grand
triumph of naad over msttsr-Of Morse
and the sleCJic telegraph. There was no
accident in this case; nothing to guide
splendid intellect except the
f5W crude discoveries or guessss 4
Of those who had gone before.
But -ensc0ncsd in his own dingy apart
ments, alone, no one upon whom be could
call eve for counsel, no friendly monitor
to whom be could turn FOR suggestions,
be sat suthrOned in the temple OF his own
creation and worked out that imperial
problem which has astOunded mankind,
even the prOlOundest thinkers Of Ia
world. IL was not enough that this god
like mind should eyOIve from the IN
kuOWn,s great principle and reduce it 30 q
practical conclusion, but he bad then to
set to work to instruct unbelleVing bu-
nanity to a degrees at i~ssst,tO arouse curl
lsity and enlist inquiry. He appealed
20 the American Congress in the days Of
he great Triumvrste, Clay, Webster and
These gr6st men gave their
'ouuteusncs and support to the
York student, and by their
timely aid enabled him 10 chain
be lightning OF heaven by the vel
hand OF science; 20 tame its widest
tasbes, and render il Obedisnt to his will,
10 snstCbed the light Of heavens artillery,
fash it in words 70 the confines of an
,tber world; and to-day, at this very
lOur, perhaps, its scintillatiOns are light
ug up the very depths Of old ocean, and
laid queens may be exhibiting by its CO.
-UscsLIOns.
In this instance science pointed out
step to be taken-marked every
GOT Of progrsse. Morse demonstrated and
.ehn6d, but he could not lave success
uIIy accomplished his design unless the I
mechanic had, by lis skill, wrOughC the
ppliances necessary to illustrate the prin-
Iples laid down by b great man. Art
yas as ready as science was willing to eX-
aAA A9A 4Aaa1 JAW e4AL " 9AA 4AA D
Import her elder sister. ,
MARINERS COMPASS, :
The discovery Of the mariners com
ass is attributed to a mechanic I
7ho was amusing himself with q rough /
suspended by 3 silk string. He I
bserved hat in settling after being agi- 7
3ted it always settled pointing to The :
forth. This aroused his curiosity, and :
trials convinced him that it might J
- ~ - 80 aa--Haa - A. 49,
fer much difficulty, he gained access TO :
is sovereign, and explained its proper Q
He was kindly treated and placed IN 4
Jntact with the most learned and scien- Y
hc men of the court, and the crude idea 81
in the brain Of the mechanic was \
1spsd and polished by the hand of 3
'ience, whilst wealth and hOnOrs were y
capped upon the artisan. 4
This, al least, Is the best received tradi- =
on Of 3 discovery that has more than (
usdTupled the former known extent Of \
le globe. By it the Dsvies Of the world "A
re- directed with absolute certainty across 4
'sckless seas and the argosies Of the !,
arth, are borne freighted with the wealth Il
produce Of every land, on the bosom n
Z the great deep. Guided by its tireless 4
the bold sdventuFer traVerses vast Il
5serts, u with full confidence, plunges g
TO unknown countries, where the foot J
{ man never pressed the earth before. a
By II, the engineer indicates the course =
I your railroads, and with mathematical =
joins midway from the EXTERN !,
ies the iron bands that cOnnect two :
reat oceans, and weld them indissolnblv :,
q
1 might 60 on and multiply instance on
lstance-ths building Of ships. the work
OF mines, the construction OF tunnelg
aneath mighty rivers, snd through the N
rantJe bosOms Of great mountains. From -
rearing Of majestic towers and castles. II
ven down TO the making Of a pillow. and Il
be turning Of the soil, We have continued n
Of the perfect harmony existing fC