13 



ed his hopes of successful results, — has enabled him 

 to rectify mistakes, without the loss of materials, — 

 to discover new resources, perfect his manipulations, 

 improve the quality of his products, and open other 

 avenues to wealth. 



The mechanic is guided by a knowledge of phys- 

 ics ; — the illustrations of science have enabled the 

 machinist to triumph over the inertia of matter, and 

 to give it such an infinitely varied combination of 

 movements, that they appear the effects of viialii}' 

 and intelligence. Who can behold the mysterious 

 movements of the steam-engine, without being forci- 

 bly impressed with the idea, that it acts like a thing 

 of life, — that it is some huge monster, — a subdued 

 Polyphemus, who, breathing vapor, and smoke, and 

 fire, labors, in agony and wrath, obedient to the will 

 of man. Located in the gorges of the mountains, it 

 drains subterranean rivers, from the profound caverns 

 of the miner ; and, affixed to the fleets of commerce 

 and of war, they are driven triumphantly through 

 adverse tides and storms, like roused leviathans. 



The unnatural alienation of the sciences and arts, 

 which so long retarded every other branch of national 

 industry, had the same deleterious effect on tillage, 

 which was also doomed to encounter other difficul- 

 ties, equally if not more discouraging. It was too 

 generally considered as a degrading occupation, and 

 was scarcely ranked among the pursuits of the learn- 

 ed and affluent, until Lord Bacon and the erudite 

 Evelyn deemed it worthy of attention, and gave it 

 the sanction of their illustrious names. 



The first English treatise on rural economy was 



M. 



