AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 27 



And all this is not more wonderful than that which is done this 

 year, ending July 1, in England. For by our last statistics from 

 London, we see that in those twelve months England has carried 

 on her railways one hundred and forty millions of persons, and 

 the distance one thousand millions of miles, nearly ten journeys 

 from the earth to the sun, or a trip far longer than from this 

 palace to the planet Saturn, and over once around the orbit of 

 our earth. 



Well may this age feel proud ; but better yet, it should act up 

 to its dignity. A grandeur of science and art has come among us 

 which may make us justly feel like kings; but as these are gra- 

 tuities from heaven, we must behave as becomes so favored a 

 generation. It is a victory on which we, as our Perry and Mc 

 Donough did for less matters, should give the glory to Almighty 

 God. 



True science stands the test of ages.' The glorious works of 

 Archimedes and Euclid, like the fixed stars, shine this day with 

 the same everlasting brilliance. The more humble science of 

 agriculture, in the hands of ancient Agronomes like Columella 

 and others, are from age to age forgotten and then resumed ! Now 

 is the day of their revival ! All sciences concur in the glorious 

 work given to Adam and his children to till the earth; steam and 

 lightning are harnessed to the work ? Another generation will 

 behold new miracles in man's farm and garden ! How shall we 

 be able to prove our gratitude to God 1 



Read his ten commandments and do them to the letter and the 

 spirit ! 



Ladies and gentlemen — The object I keep before me is to set 

 us all to more deep thinking upon this marvellous era. 



Let us think for a moment what New-York city is to be ? An- 

 cient cities and even modern cities until now have been limited 

 to a million or two of inhabitants. They could not be larger, for 

 their supplies would not allow it. None of their old, slow, con- 

 fined commerce, travel, culture, etc., could do it. They burned 

 all the wood, they would not garden it well enough and wide 



