Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1874-02-28

with all of its diversified telluric mat
ter, its oceans, rivers and beautifu
forests, its extensive animal kingdom
| with the atmosphere that surround
them, is formed by the chemical uniol
of few gases in different proportions
showing that mature, in all her opera
tons, works the most infinitely diver
sifed effects by the slightest modiica
tions Of the means employed" A
knowledge of chemistry enables th,
farmer to analyze his soil, analyze tht
plant he expects to grow upon it, sup
ply any original deficiency in the sol
by the most suitable compost or any
deficiency resulting from an improper
cultivation. Chemistry gives him q
knowledge of nearly all the valuable
arts, the smelling and refining of all
/ metals, the tanning of our leather, the
bleaching of cotton, photographing,
calico printing, the dying of all those
beautiful, rich colors in silks and
worsteds, the component elements Of
all matter, aud a thousand other facts
not less important and pleasing to the
reflective and cultivated mind.
Mathematics is another science too
much neglected among farmers. Under
the belief that it is sufficient for all
purposes to understand how to COM
pute interest and discount, but few
understand that when little compli-
Gated. tits of vastly more importance
to the farmer than is generally sup
posed. There is no science more cal
culated to expand the mind and estab-
lish habits of reasoning from cause to
effect with such unerring correctness.
Its truths are Interchangeable, being
based upon demonstrated facts, and
not hypothetical reasoning. 1t is the
science of quantity and treats of mag
nitude, extension of surfaces, solids,
&c. Led by its unerring truths, we
have traversed and sectionized the
globe, estimated its cubical contents.
calculated the distance to the sun,
moon and other heavenly bodies, ascer-
tanned the properties and composition
Of light and its Incredible and incom-
prehensible velocity. Such a science
is eminently calculated to expand the
mind, exalt the sensibilities and over
whelm man with admiration and
wonder at the astounding exactness of
its valuable results. a.
The science of astronomy, too, is
almost entirely neglected in our country
schools, although it is replete with the
most sublime wonders and offers a
more extensive field for the exercise
of exalted, pleasing thought than any
other science. At every step the mind
is enraptured by the splendor of the
magnificent orbs that deck the side
rial heavens, overwhelmed by the vast
ness of the universe and the immensi-
ty of distance, magnitude and velocity
of the heavenly bodies. 1t expands
the soul and exalts our ideas of the
omnipotence of the Deity. 1t unfolds
to the mind the most ravishing beauties
and sublimities that adorn nature. 1t
refnes our national existence and tends
to dispel that ignorance and unbelief
in the Deity and His attributes that so
often clog the human understanding.
1t tends to improve our moral habits
and refine our intercourse with our
fellow men. 1t purifes our thoughts
and chastens and intensifes our pleas
ures for investigating truth.
The study of the science of natural
philosophy, botany, natural history,
&C., are all of more or less interest to
the farmer, each department displaying
its peculiar charms and features of
utility-,ll, however, being indispen-
sable to the cravings of a cultivated
mind. Nothing can be of more import
ance to the happiness and future in
huence of the farming classes than a
more elevated standard of education.
Ignorance begets superstition, folly and
crime it so darkens the mind that it
cannot take hold of those sublime
truths and exquisite contemplations
INDUCED in with such rapture by the
cultivated mind. The ignorant man is
of but little more consequence in this
world than the vegetable he rears by
his labor, or the dumb animal he feeds
from his hand He is a prey to all
absurd and foolish notions. irrational
conclusions, unreasonable charms and
signs of coming events; his mind is
harrassed by the empty charms result
ing from a childish belief in conjura-
ton, ghosts, witches, hobgoblins and
auguries of death he has a sign, en-
geudered by ignorance, for thousand
coming calamities, and perhaps as
many blessings. Their failure to come
to pass does not impair his belief In
their infallibility as sources of knowl-
edge of future events. His mind is so
crowded with such absurdities and
fooleries that when he is spoken to
about the truths of science he spurns
them as impositions attempted to be
practiced upon his credulity, and that
they are contrary to reason and COM
mon sense. In his leisure hours his
mind lapses into groyeling sensualities
and vice; in his evening strolls. by the
light of the moon, he imagines the
pale, soft light falling upon the under
growth, forming figures of various
shapes by the light and shade, to be
supernatural beings, who haveappeared
to him for some wise purpose, or to
warn him of his near approach to
death; affrighted and horrifed, he re.
turns in haste to his home to terrify his
associates by relating the wonders ht
has seen. The beauties of nature
have no charms for being immersed
in such ignorance. Not SO with tht