The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1873-09-05
VOL. XIX. NO. 8.
What is Wnrk2

We're this question put to nine out of
| ten intelligent individuals, they would
be unable to define the word, except by
some of its synonyms, toll, labor, ira
vail, etc. But it is susceptible of clear
and distinct definition, which may, we
hope, clear up the ideas of some of our
readers concerning subjectupon which
many are mystified. Work is not, ne
cessariy, the doing of something useful,
for there is, we are sorry to say, a vast
deal of useless work performed, and, in
the strict sense of the term, play nay
be work. The only definition of work,
in mechanical sense, which will bear
thorough scrutiny, is, that it is the over
coming of resistance or pressure,
through distance. When this is dis
tinctly comprehended, it will be seen
that all work is accomplished by natu-
raj forces. The will of man, guided by
intelligence, may direct natural forces,
causing them to act in channels and di-
rections through which desired results
are accomplished. But the first work of
all is performed by these forces, guided
only by the intelligence which existed
before mankind. Thus, the growth of n
tree, tie elaboration of vegetable aud
animal fiber, the production of the min
ute kernel of grain, the organization of
the skins of animals, from which leather
is manufactured, in short, the prepare
ton of all crude materials is the work
of unaided nature. Strictly analysed,
it will be seen that the formation of the
trunk of tree, or the growth of a fiber
of wool, is simply the removal of mate
rial particles against the natural resist
ance of cohesion, adhesion, gravitatlon,
affinity, ETC., until they arrive at points
where these resistances or forces are bal
anced by other resistances or forces, and
the particles henceforth remain fixed rel
atively to each other.
The will of man, guided by intelli-
gence, directs the forces of nature ex-
isting in his own muscular system in
the muscular systems of animals, guided
by their less intelligent wills the forces
stored up in coal and other combustible
substances; forces stored up by the evapo-
ration of water from the sea, the vapor
of which, waited by winds TO the noun
tain tops and there condensed, is pre-
cipitated by gravity to the earth, down
the inclined surface of which it is pro-
PEELED by the same force, its mass-mu-
the overcoming of such resistances to
motion as are met III the transformation
of the wood, the wool, the cotton, into
forms of beauty or convenience, to be
applied to mans shelter, sustenance, or
amusement. The muscular system of
men or animals, is only one Of the chan
nels through which the forces of nature
flow, and because this channel is under
control of the human will, the will, sue
ceeding to desire, directs these forces TO
the overcoming of the resistances en-
countered in the erection of buildings,
the shaping of hard materials, and, in
short, the transformation of crude ma
terials into forms which CRAFTY human
desire. In all cases where work is done,
resistances are overcome. The progress
of the human race tends to the increase
of the proportion of work performed by
the natural forces, exclusive of muscu-
lar force. 1t is the aim of modern i'm
provement to expand, as far as possible,
muscular energy in directing other nat
ural energies, and, as a small amount of
force may, by ingenuity, be made to give
direction to a large amount of other
force, The pow of human production
has, during the last century, immensely
increased The limit of human produc-
tior will be that point where the whole
of the muscular energy of mankind, di-
rected by human will, obedient to hu-
man DESIRE shall be expended in the di-
rection of the brute forces of nature. -
american artisan.