The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1878-07-17


laid while the superstructures there
on-the constitutions of the States,
and of the United States, have, as 20
litical systems, assisted in developing
the purest and highest principles Of
free government.
1t is known to this intelligent au-
dience what rapid and gigantic strides
the nation of the United States has
made in all the elements of material
wealth and grandeur, how from a
small and sparse population it has
reached more than forty millions of
people, and in its early manhood sub
dued and populated wilderness of
three and half million square miles,
connected all parts of this vast terri.
tory with railroads and canals and
post routes, while the whistle of the
steamboat is heard ON every naviga-
BILE stream. How this great extent
of territory has been made produc-
tive of nearly every fruit and crop
that earth and cline can bring forth,
enabling US to send food and clothing
to the most distant realms of civiliza-
ton. How vast cities, and factories
of limitless capacity, have sprung in
to active being with crowded wherves
where are seen the vessels of all ma
tions, receiving and giving in ex-
change the products of the habitable
globe.
These are but small and inconsid-
crate features in the power, the
wealth, the grandeur of this notion,
for these are but physical and mater
ial elements-weak, fuctuating and
perishable. Dr. Draper, in his very
learned and interesting work, Intel
lectual Development of Europe" has
fallen into the error, rs repugnant to
philosophic truth as to statistical
facts, that "All over the world phys
ical circumstances control the human
race" If this were so, why is not
the present Italian the same sturdy
Roman that made the legions of
Cesar invincible; or why do we not
see the Roman Senate animated by
the kindred spirits of the Grachii, of
Cato, of Tully and Hortensius. The
same Tyber rolls its yellow waves to
the ocean, but it passes a marble
wilderness instead of leaving the
streets of Imperial Rome, the tower
ing Alps, with its refreshing breeze,
and Italy's sunshine, is still as genial,
but where is the ancient Roman? De-
generated into the present italian,
with all the same physical circum-
stances. The same illustrations by q
comparison of nations from their
power and grandeur might be made,
but the great error of our distinguish,
ed American philosopher is apparent,
and the cause of his error is, that in
religion, as in philosophy, he is ma
terialist, and consequently an infidel,
whether he acknowledges it or not.
Material progress is but small part
of civilization, and the hand of God,
who carries out his high designs, and
laughs at the vain thoughts of man,
shows it in the various epochs of the
history of those nations whose affairs
and whose Gods have been material
wealth and splendor, and images of
silver and gold, and mere physical
strength and geographical enlarge
ment. Cultivated fields, and large
cities, and costly houses, with all
that money can supply, are necessary
ingredients in a nations grandeur,
but as dangerous as they are useful,
unless we appreciate and make SUI
preme the moral principle of civil
government, without which the polit-
ical and social organization is like the
edifice built on volcanic soil, liable at
all times to be overthrow by the
operations of natural laws.
How true in this respect is the Ian.
guage of the celebrated Spanish
writer--though bearing an English
name-James Balmes :" In the phys
ical world all its disposed of by uum-
Der, weight and measure the laws of
the universe show infinite calculation,
infinite geometry; but let us not i'm
agine that we can express all by our
imperfect signs, and include every
thing in our limited combination; let
us, above all, avoid the foolish error
of assimilating too much the moral
and the physical world-of applying
indiscriminately to the first what
only belongs to the second, and of
upsetting by our pride the mysterious
harmony OF the creation. Man is not
born simply for the multiplication of
his species. This is only part: which
he is intended to perform in the
great machine of the universe he is