The Manchester Examiner. — 1848-09-30 (Manchester, Greater Manchester, England)

SUPPLEMENT TO THE MANCHESTER EXAMINER, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 1848.  THE ARTS OF LIFE AND THE ART OF  LIVING.  There are two great stages in the progress of the various arts and productive occupations of human life. The earliest set of devices are derived from men's ordinary and unassisted observation of the usual course of nature. The methods of mining, building, ploughing, sowing, spinning, dyeing, metal working, carrying from place to place, navigating, and so forth, are got at after trying many different methods and implements until it is seen that some answer better than the rest; these being once approved of, are then handed down to posterity, and they may often remain unchanged for a long course of ages. In fact, unassisted reason soon comes to a stand-still; as we see in such nations as the Hindoos and Chinese, who have never reached scientific methods of acquiring a knowledge of nature. The second stage of progress is entered on, when, by the perfection of the knowledge-seeking art, the hidden laws of things are brought to light, and a vast number of additional properties discovered in the various objects of the world; when, for instance, by looking into the composition of vegetable bodies, and into the matters making up the soil that nourishes them, we can specifically and exactly snit the one to the other, instead of depending on a vague experience of gross results. On this second stage the European world entered last century, in regard td the mechanical arts; so that, in fact, we are only beginning to develop the vast resources of our planet, and we have now to look forward to a long and unretnitted series of improvements.  But I must next call your attention to the difference between the arts of life; and the art of living,—or between man's powers in farming, building, manufacturing, and trading, and his ability to apply the results of all these to his own life and well-being; for this is the final intention of such manifold labours. Because we have very much improved the art of life, it does not follow that we have equally improved the art of living. We may increase our abundance of the things that are useful and good, without acquiring the skill to apply them in proper measure, and in well timed arrangement, to the highly complex structure and constitution of our living framework. It is, beyond all question, desirable that each one of us should contrive our arrangements and daily ongoings so as to make the very most of life; to render our existence as rich Rea combine effective, mdd bi ilethe beneficial choicest and gre activity,ea nt jaidi oi 1 Web iri brilliant, iiasn with otsi eibtmyc most n b knowledge nt ow m iwe di eed. ragadenega; i unt dgo triteanwt e iolfraol tdrucoreen oot flill er te onehse6 l other, t hti ?en:di ~, at ahsnadt w ce maintainc an s controlo the highest Possible pitch of vitality, and c u ' a constant skill itthsee impulsesthe going resources A iot of our o aioldrfe current of our finest emotions and activr tt, The art of living is the method the world to the pineeritnr e s tohuerno4nid We a i ' . P e hing out jet situation and franiewo d r— t wi do most and ele fr o resources wI desires, pe peculiar and capabilities.ns and opportunities'', panions our hat supports and gratifies body and among hils. to yield him a gran . ' °"essid anti beautiful existence iortiff .01 • We have all a certain command o w instruction onr books, wmetrhmaveean of nature, the inspirati' ' osurofhoacmceosm, poluisrhemiteyn,t our d co walks and excursibns, the face d on of very inmost being; on the other ble of influencing us to our ve . art, the ongoings of the world, an many other things capadepression, to temptations slow miseries, to weariness and side, we are liable to burdens and toils, to violent shocks and things to the making our lives joyous rat and failures; and it becomes our task tohedristphoasne grievous, gra powerful and benignant, rather than empty and ht Pte hurtful. That the art of living has not yet come to e tion, is testified by the deplorable experience of the human ve be en race. laa The perplexity, and discord, and difficulties of life _. the theme of complaints that ring through allihe ages 11 men; yielding. Cynic and Stoic philosophies," self-inttieta tortures and immolations, voluntary banishment front the world, gloomy speculations, suicides and crimes. It is surely worth'while trying whether a better knowledge of the actual course of things, and of the beneficial agencies wrapt up in the womb of nature, may not help, among other causes, to  stem such a torrent of despair, and prove the possibility of a great and harmonious existence for man. For this end we are anxious that the art of living should be based, not as heretofore, upon vague experience, however extensive, but on the well-sifted and thoroughly tested experience that constitutes our exact sciences. And it is a satisfaction to know that several of these sciences have already yielded important contributions to this great practical object. —Bain, on the Application of Science to Human Health and Well-being.