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stimulus may call forth its dormant energies, such as were 
witnessed “in the days of my youth.” In recalling these 
changes we should keep in view the pervading influence of 
the new powers of production so rapidly extending of late 
years, nor fail to look forward to their future effects upon 
the history of nations. 
By reason of the countless numbers of engines, machines, 
and new processes employed, along with our highly skilled 
labour, this latter being created by the former, the surplus 
productions of the nation have become so vast as to freight 
our “ merchant fleets ” to all parts of the world, supplying 
the nations with our wares in exchange for the productions 
of their lands and labours. By these mutually beneficial 
exchanges we may continue to expand our productive 
powers, and augment our fixed wealth by a wise frugality, 
for our surplus production of wealth is sure to increase itself \ 
if not diverted to idle or vicious purposes. A poor nation 
may abound in natural productions and yet remain poor ; but 
when surplus wealth aids the arts and skilled labour of its 
people, they will find means, by the same acts, for its distri- 
bution by trade and commerce ; neither of which could exist 
without such surplus productions. 
We do not build steam engines and ships for consumption, 
but to enable us to produce and distribute the wealth created 
by our machinery and skilled labour ; the employment of 
costly machinery implies the spread of intelligence and skill 
among all of the wealth creating classes, including alike 
both head and hand work. No one can fail to perceive the 
great advances of late years, made in moral restraint and 
mental culture among the great body of “ operatives ” in this 
country ; wherefore instead of calling them the “ working 
classes,” and ranking them as “ mere mechanicals,” we may 
soon discover that they constitute the thinking classes or 
portions of society. In great engineering and machine 
making works, the mental and physical powers exerted are 
