MANUFACTURE OF BRICK. 25 



A GREAT INVENTION IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BRICK. 



HALL'S MACHINE— HOW CONNECTED WITH AGRICULTURE. 



There are SO many inventions brought forward under high sounding preten- 

 sions to originality and usefulness, wliich really have not the merit of either, 

 that when something that is labor-saving and valuable is presented, we feel dis- 

 posed to go a little out of the way to bring it into public notice and favor, even 

 though it be not exactly in the agricultural line, as is the case with this brick- 

 making machine of Mr. Hall. The business of brick-making, however, like 

 every other town employment, is connected with Agriculture in ways alike vari- 

 ous and obvious. The more people there are in towns and the more prosperous 

 they are, so much the better for the farmer. Whatever, then, has a tendency 

 to make it easier and cheaper to live in town, works Avell for him of the country ; 

 because by increasing consumers it increases demand for all that he of the coun- 

 try has to sell. As the labor-saving inventions of men of genius reduce the ex- 

 pense of building, houses may be supplied in greater number, and rents may 

 be reduced. In this way all improvements in carpentering and brick-making 

 are benehcial to the agricultural interest. To that interest, the occasion (turn- 

 ing up casually as it does,) tempts us to say that nothing can well be more nar- 

 row-minded and preposterous than the low jealousy which small-minded men 

 evince and inculcate toward the populations of large towns — a feeling yet more 

 reprehensible when it has any foundation in the envy that some men feel toward 

 those whom they suppose to be more prosperous than themselves. It is very true 

 that the general drift of the legislation of our States and General Government is to 

 favor and protect the concerns o{ particular classes in disregard of the general, and 

 more particularly of the landed interest : but this is the fruit of their own (the 

 country people's) want of concert, intelligence, and spirit to tahe care of them- 

 selves. More especially is it the fruit of defective education in all that is particu- 

 larly calculated to enlighten them in the practical principles and the political 

 rights of Agriculture : and so will it ever be until they begin to tJiink and to act 

 for themselves — and until they give proper support to presses devoted to their 

 welfare. In this country, above all others, where the Press is free, it is all 

 powerful. It forms and sways public opinion, and dictates the legislation of 

 States. The editors are at once our schoolmasters and our preacher?. Well, see- 

 how they stand in relation to the two great concerns of society — Education and 

 Agriculture ! Take Maryland and Virginia as examples. In Maryland we have, 

 at the lowest calculation, papers made up of news, party politics and advertise- 

 ments : 



Weeklies 42 Dailies 5 



Total 47. 



In Virginia— papers made up of news, party politics, and advertisements : 



Weeklies — Tri and Semi-Weeklies ..34 Dailies 

 Total 



While there is not one, that we know of, elucidating the great subject oi edu- 

 cation, and the agriculturists have appropriated to their pursuit one only in each 

 (73) ^ -^ 



