The comet. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1877-1882, 1880-05-29
ABOUT INVENTORS AND INVEN
TIONS.
SOlOmOn's Position on the Subject
Not Absolutely UnRssaiIabIe.
lFoR THE COMET.


Not Absolutely UnassaiIabIe.
[FoR THE COMET.
Solomon said "there is nothing new
under the sum-" and because he ha
said this, it has become the fate 0
every new invention and discovery t.
meet with a denial of its truth or it
novelty. When God first made mel
he gave to many the same busy inVen
tive brains, always restless, ever dis
satisfied, an everlasting longing to dc
something that will be beneficial to the
human race, disposition and deter.
minatiOn to grasp and utilize every.
thing that comes in their way. Dc
not people in different ATTITUDES, Of
distinct races and colors, conceive
identical ideas, originate the same
things? Yet no sooner does a man
endeavor to make good his claim to
originality, than Learning resurrects
its cobweb folios, and tells us that the
sages of olden times were well ac-
quainted with its existence, and that
every new idea has been anticipated.
Count nothing done, if anything is
left undOne," and if it has been specu-
lated upon or elaborated, hundreds or
thousands of years ago, it is new to
us. Every thinking mind is aware
that nature does not proceed with II
skip and a bounce; neither do science
and philosophy. Each discovery and
invention is prepared. Every inn
provement is an advance on what has
been before attained. There is kind
of brotherhood of ideas throughout
the world, and he who perfects and
utilizes it, must be called an originator.
Edison's phonograph must bear some
resemblance to the colossal vocal
statue of Memnon, in the ancient city
of Thebes, in Egypt, which is said by
recent travellers to be still in preser-
vation, and to talk and sing. 1t was
one of the seven wonders before the
world had so many wonders. The
magnetic telegraph is not the idea of
one man, it was conceived ages ago,
and as far back as the old testament,
i'll the book Of Job, where his friend is
rebuking him for his egotism and arro-
gance, there is something very like
q Can'st thou send lightnings that |
they should go, and say unto them
here we are"
Men of erudition, who travel much,
and have intercourse with the great !
minds of the world, would doubtless
avail themselves of all the knowledge |
they could attain. But what shall be
said of Train, who invented the raj =
road? He needed not the foreign aid .
Df books, but relied solely on his own
mind for his wonderful invention. He
lad no knowledge of books, and little
If men; was Il coal-hcavcr, and is said
1t the age of twenty-five to have been
gnornnt of the alphabet. Stevenson,
who invented and perfected the loco
motive, was equally ignorant in boo:
earning. They sGorncd books, and
lad too much individuality to borrow
deas from other men, and doubtless,
they had been confined to the text
looks in general use in schools, their ,
minds would have been cramped and t
lisled, and the present generation ,
would have been deprived Of the in- {
stimable advantages of railroads. t
here are numbers of sensible men,
useful members of society, +
Tho maintain themselves and their 7
and do well whatever i
hey have TO. do, who regret that @
ley have never had the advan-
lges (?) of q College education. All
ursuits do not require knowledge of
DOks, but to cultivate our own ideas,
nd bring them into use, is true ColU-
diOR.
DIR. Sangrado, when he had pre- b
.ribed bleeding and warm water un-
| his patient died, regretted that he st
ld not prescribed more bleeding and h
arm water. n
1t is taking too much freedom to say o.
Iere are many bright boys and girls II
hO make useless members of society, In
nd are totally unified for the practi- IN
i duties of life by the absurd system
teaching. Though there may have
zen railroads in remote ages, Steven -,
II and Train had lever read Of them. y,
nd thus nothing is lost to the world :" a
discoveries and inventions, for in q, !"
e course of time, some will be born =, -,
reproduce them, just as in nature &
ch season has its own productions -,
parents will train their SONS TO SOW nf a''
d to reap, and their daughters to cut, Sc .,
W and rip, then we will be happy ~
Ople, and as wise as Solomon. p
CLINTON, May 24, 80. II. \. j. ri