252 
STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
Specially considered, the American is characterized, First, 
by a strong love of individual freedom and independent action. 
He acknowledges no master among men, and will brook no 
sort of control. Liberty is a sacred flame w T hich he cherishes 
(for himself) with all the watchful care of the Roman Virgins. 
His second characteristic is a desire to create. He is not 
content with the old, but will have something new—instru¬ 
ment, machine, useful chemical compound, philosophic theory, 
institution. His inventive genius added to the power of steam, 
and electro-magnetism is performing miracles every day, such 
as wrnuld have passed in early times for interpositions of Prov¬ 
idence. The U. S. Patent Office is the greatest curiosity shop 
in the world, and every day adds some new w T onder to the 
countless symbols of American skill. His faith, too, in the 
power of his genius is immense. To him it is not at all in¬ 
credible that God should have made the world out of nothing : 
he almost thinks he could do it himself! and rather wmnders 
that six whole days should have been occupied in the work ! 
Agriculture, Mechanic Arts, Commerce—what rapid growths 
are they not making under the administration of his newly 
stimulated creative genius and energy. Let him go on, add¬ 
ing triumph to triumph, until the whole race shall have been 
redeemed from drudging toil: there is nothing for which he 
does not hope, scarcely anything which he may not perform. 
His third characteristic is a strong, irrepressible desire to 
know. There is no law of the material universe that he does 
not hope to discover, no mystery of the spiritual world which 
he does not resolve to fathom. There is no truth too sacred 
for him to know. He is sure there is some golden highway 
of life, and searches for the hidden paths thereto with never- 
ceasing diligence. 
Fourthly, he is distinguished by a love of authority and 
possession. The former is tempered by his love of independ¬ 
ence, the latter by a strong sense of justice; both, however, 
are active and powerful, and would be dangerous elements 
without the restraining influences of a genuine Christianity. 
As it is they are controlled with difficulty, and are, to my 
