THE GROWTH OF THE STEAM-ENGINE. i 7 



civilizing the world, and as Science is the great intellectual promoter 

 of civilization, so the steam-engine is, in modern times, the most im- 

 portant physical agent in that great work. 



It would be superfluous to attempt to enumerate the benefits 

 which it has conferred upon the human race, for such an enumeration 

 would include an addition to every comfort, and the creation of almost 

 every luxury that we now enjoy. 



" It has increased the sum of human happiness, not only by call- 

 ing new pleasures into existence, but by so cheapening former enjoy- 

 ments as to render them attainable by those who before could never 

 have hoped to share them." ' 



2. The wonderful progress of the present century is, in a very, 

 great degree, due to the invention and improvement of the steam-en- 

 gine, and to the ingenious application of its power to kinds of work 

 that formerly tasked the physical energies of the human race. We 

 cannot examine the methods and processes of any branch of industry 

 without discovering somewhere the assistance and support of this 

 wonderful machine. 



Relieving mankind from manual toil, it has left to the intellect 

 the privilege of directing the power formerly absorbed in physical 

 labor into other and more profitable channels. The intelligence which 

 has thus conquered the powers of Nature now finds itself free to do 

 brain-work ; the force formerly utilized in the cai-rying of water and 

 the hewing of wood is now expended in the Godlike work of thought. 



What, then, can be more interesting than to trace the history of 

 the growth of this wonderful invention, the greatest among the many 

 great creations of one of God's most beneficent gifts to man, the power 

 of invention. 



3. While following the records and traditions of the steam-engine, 

 I propose to call to your attention the fact that its history illustrates 

 the very important truth that great inventions are never, and great 

 discoveries are seldom, the work of any one mind. 



Every great invention is really an aggregation of minor inven- 

 tions, or the final step of a progression. It is not usually a creation, 

 but a growth, as truly so as is the growth of the trees in the forest. 



Hence the same invention is frequently brought out in several 

 countries and by several individuals simultaneously. 



Frequently, an important invention is made before the world is 

 ready to receive it, and the unhappy inventor is taught, by his fail- 

 ure, that it is as unfortunate to be in advance of the asje as to be 

 behind it. 



Inventions only become successful when they are not only needed, 

 but when mankind is so far advanced in intelligence as to appreciate 

 and to express the necessity for them, and at once to make use of them. 



4. About a half-century ago, an able New England writer, in a 



1 Dr. Lardner. 



VOL. XII. 2 



