FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OP THE SOIL. 13 



any new system which may be advanced, and it has 

 been the case from time immemorial. When Chris- 

 topher Columbus first advanced his splendid theory of 

 the necessity of a fourth quarter of the globe, the 

 kings of Europe, to whom be applied for aid, ridicul- 

 ed the project, and denounced him as a dreamer, an 

 enthusiast or a maniac. He was at last indebted to 

 a woman, queen Isabella of Spain, for his outfit ; 

 which resulted in the brilliant discovery of America. 

 This is mentioned to shew how prone men are to 

 ridicule and undervalue any thing that does not bear 

 the stamp of age. Such was the fate of Fulton, when 

 he projected the plan of steam navigation. The idea of 

 moving any thing by the mere steam of boiling water, 

 was perfectly ridiculous to the minds of thousands ; 

 and, consequently, no purse was open to aid him in his 

 grand and glorious enterprise. But when the thousands 

 who came on the wharf at New- York to hiss, saw the 

 boat move on the water like a thing of life, their hissing 

 was changed to shouting. What a triumph of genius 

 was there ! The above facts are brought to show, 

 that no theory, however novel, should be rejected 

 without deep and candid examination. Many facts 

 are elicited, and many discoveries made in the world, 

 that incredulous persons never could have conceiv- 

 ed. Thirty years ago, what man would have believ- 

 ed that in 1838 steam cars would be running on rail- 

 roads at the rate of twenty, forty, and even sixty miles 

 per hour? 

 2 



