a true picture of the useful arts? Is there any important department of them in which, to insure success, some degree of general science is not at this day demanded?

Is it true, that no progress is made, no new facilities acquired, which all, who would successfully prosecute their labors, must adopt, or else be content to see others outstripping them in the extent and profits of their industry? Is it true that the possession of principles of science has nothing to do with this self-adaptation to new and varying circumstances? Or is it not, on the contrary, undeniably true, that he only can be pronounced certainly secure of his gains, who not only has skill in his hand, but the seeds of other forms of skill in his head! But personal thrift seldom needs more than its own stimulants, and this is the lowest motive which should impel us to encourage the dissemination of those sciences which belong to the useful arts. In the desire to establish the full dominion of man over the physical creation, to place the citizens of our country in possession of all the blessings which nature has scattered around them, to overcome the natural obstacles which impede the free intercourse of the different parts of our extended country, to make known the treasures of the forest, the field, the river and the ocean, - to bring from the deep caverns of the mine, the wealth of our exhaustless mineral stores, and the no less gratifying facts of geological science, these, become in the mind of the patriot and the philanthropist, motives of higher and nobler energy. But laying even these inducements for a moment out of the question, let us contemplate the case as between ourselves and other nations, not in a commercial, but a domestic point of view. Our admirable constitution, in its liberal dispensation of the blessings of freedom, and of free government, has allowed full liberty to foreigners of every name to prosecute among us their several plans of industry and of profit. The natural riches of our country are fully understood abroad; and among the nations of Europe, schools of art have been so long and so effectually applied to the purposes of individual and national improvement, that the success of well instructed artizans and directors of works, emigrating to this country is no longer a matter of doubt. They will, therefore, prepare if we do not, to take advantage of the bounty of nature; and when we find for

eigners alone, with foreign capital, and foreign labor, in effect monopolizing the mines, the public improvements, nay, the very highways and water courses of our country, we may thank our own supineness for the deprivation which we shall suffer. To prove that this view of the case is not fanciful, let us cast a glance at the operations undertaken on our own soil. We shall find not a few of our gold, iron, and coal mines, and divers extensive manufacturing establishments, directed and controlled, if not entirely owned by foreigners. This is said with no desire to create or awaken an undue jealousy towards those enterprising individuals, who have sought our shores, with the purpose of reaping a share in that harvest of good which is spread out before the eye of intelligence and industry. We would use the fact as a motive for self-defence against the future degradation of native talent, and the entire appropriation by other than American citizens, of the richest fruits of enterprise. And how shall this self-defence be effected? Certainly, by no other means than those of fair and honorable competition, by well instructed artizans and men of practical science. And who does not know that such men are to be formed only by a peculiar course of discipline and instruction, and only with certainty, in places of instruction adapted to such purposes. That other places of education do not, except incidentally, effect the object, is not at all surprising, when we consider that they were mainly intended for other purposes, for purposes which they are generally believed to fulfil. It is no reproach to a school of medicine, that it does not form lawyers, and perhaps none to a school of theology that it seldom or never sends forth good statesmen. Neither would we charge it as a dereliction of duty upon a " school of the prophets," whether legal, theological, medical, or political, that it only by a rare combination of accidents, becomes the foster parent of a thorough mechanist, a skilful engineer, a successful miner, a good manufacturing chemist, a discriminating assayer, an able architect, a profound metallurgist, or even a productive working-man in science. But with all these useful classes, the establishments of practical science in Europe, will supply our country if she do not supply herself. And the question is only in what manner, and by what means and appliances, shall the objects of a domestic supply be effected?

But we have other and urgent reasons, why institutions of the nature which we have indicated, ought to be established and fostered in our republic. And granting that even the guarantee of national independence, did not require that the useful arts should be fostered and protected among us, (a point which we are not now going to discuss), is there nothing in our feelings, as men and citizens, which should impel us to wish for their continued success? Is there nothing, for example, of mortified pride, in the fact, that on the very thoroughfares of our internal commerce, in their latest, most approved form, nearly the whole superior structure, is the product of foreign art? Are we not chagrined at the fact, that having gone to foreign lands to borrow capital, we are compelled to send it back to foreign artizans to procure the very materials over which the merchandize is to be transported, that must repay the debts we have contracted; and that these materials are for hundreds of miles in extent laid upon the surface over beds of the same ore of unsurpassed richness, accompanied by all the means required for their developement and preparation, and only lying unheeded through the want of skill and enterprise to bring them to a useful form; and must we be compelled to witness the moving agents, too, wrought by the hands of strangers, and inferior to what might be produced among ourselves, vaporing away over our meek dependence, bearing along the gorgeous trains, and belching forth their scorn at our want of self-respect, and of patriotic pride? Such things are in a thousand forms displaying themselves before us, if we will but open our eyes to their existence, and not wink in collusion at the national discredit which they imply.

Our remarks thus far, have been confined to the effect of schools of art, upon the arts themselves. As to their effect upon the artizans in elevating their character, preparing them for the successful prosecution not only of their respective callings but also of all the duties of citizens, we cannot for a moment entertain a doubt. Awaken and employ and strengthen one practical talent, and you have done more towards making a good citizen than if you had, without producing this result, stored his mind or his imagination with all the lore of a hundred ages. A school of arts, then, should seem to be no less important in a civil

ized community than one for literature or abstract science. That this is not the opinion of one or of a few individuals the progress which they have already made will sufficiently testify.

We have stated some of the general historical facts connected with the originating of schools and institutions for the purposes of which we have been speaking. If we would know to what period their foundation is to be referred we need not perhaps go further back than the last quarter of the eighteenth century. Whatever institutions had before that period been devoted to the sciences, had generally copied with more or less precision the ancient character, and had deviated but little from the usages of past centuries.

From the moment when France, rising amidst a fearful convulsion from beneath that load of oppression under which she had so long groaned, began to cast about a scrutinizing glance at the causes which had paralyzed her industry and cramped her resources, she found that a want of general information in regard to the actual character of her mineral treasures, and to the processes, and methods to be adopted in mining operations had made her in a great measure dependent on Sweden, Russia and other nations for the supply of one of the most indispensable articles of general consumption; and this too while iron ore abounded in her own soil, where wood, coal, and all the means for its reduction were in the utmost plenty. In short, she was then in almost precisely the same situation with regard to this product of industry, as that in which we stand at this day. It was from a view of this particular case, that intelligent men in France determined on the establishment of an institution expressly devoted to those practical sciences which concern the art of mining. Hence originated the celebrated school of mines which by means of its instructions, its collections, the productions of its laboratories, and the extensive circulation of its journal, has done so much for improvement in that branch of art. The establishment was made a national concern, for the obvious reasons that the interest it sought to promote was national interest.

The impulse for establishing schools of art thus given, was extended to various other subjects, and resulted in the formation of the Polytechnic school, so much cherished by

Napoleon, and which has given to France so many able men distinguished alike in war and in peace, in art and in science. Into Great Britain the spirit of practical scientific instruction, was introduced in 1796, by Dr Anderson, in the foundation of a class for practical men and in the provision of means for supporting a distinct institution devoted to the interests of mechanics. From this model have been formed innumerable societies and institutions for subserving the general purpose of the arts. Instead however of receiving any very efficient support from the constituted authorities, they were in general left to the voluntary exertions of those who chose to enrol themselves as members, and sustain their share in the burthen of their maintenance. This has subjected them to some serious inconveniences. Though enjoying the vigor of popular institutions they have also occasionally felt the uncertainty of a reliance on a mere subscription list, for carrying into effect the useful plans which they had contemplated. They have also been subject to the pernicious influence of a disposition to narrow the limits of their usefulness by persons who having no regard for the real interests of the artizan, have apparently sought to mix in their affairs only to restrain their efforts, limit their instructions to a few paltry objects, or to derive from them some support to other institutions, which wanting a popular character, wanted also the favor of the public.

The rapid multiplication of societies for the purposes of popular instruction, in England, France, Belgium, and the United States furnishes the most conclusive evidence of the high degree of approbation with which the laboring classes have hailed this new accession to their sources of pleasure and of usefulness. They have also met a favorable reception in various parts of Germany and besides the "Gewerbverein" or Association for encouraging industry at Berlin, we find similar institutions at Achen, Enfurt, Göerlitz, Muhlhause, Suhl, Breslaw, Sagon, Greifswalde and Dantzic.

It has been the fortune of these establishments to encounter some indirect opposition, but really to suffer from it no material injury. Their fate has been almost the reverse of that which has often awaited the plan of universal education by common schools; - for while, of the latter,