62 FIRESIDE SCIENCE. 



tanee to us, are points we are unwilling to admit. 

 A considerable number of the elegant and useful 

 arts which are so pleasing and essential to our 

 comfort and happiness were undoubtedly known to 

 the ancients ; and this is indeed remarkable. We 

 are not, however, in any sense indebted to them 

 for a knowledge of these, as they have been re- 

 discovered through the instrumentality of modern 

 genius and research. We had none of their 

 models to imitate : they have been secured to us 

 through independent thought and skill. We have 

 reinvented and rediscovered nearly or quite every- 

 thing wonderful or useful known to the early races. 

 And how vast and amazing the triumphs of modern 

 science and discovery in directions entirely un- 

 known and unsuspected by them ! 



No fact is more apparent than that human inge- 

 nuity, when directed by culture and intelligence, 

 runs in certain specific channels, and is made com- 

 petent to construct such devices and appliances as 

 the age demands ; or, perhaps we may say, just 

 such as are most convenient and indispensable to 

 the existing civilization. Thus the civilization of 

 the old Roman world demanded, in the working of 

 wood, planes, saws, squares, levels, bits, augers, 

 hammers ; the workers in iron and other metals 

 required forges, blast-furnaces, anvils, tongs, sledge- 

 hammers, punches, dies, etc. ; the farmers wanted . 



