THE METHOD OF NATUI

AN ORATION DELIVERED BEFORE THE SOCIETY OF THE IN WATERVILLE COLLEGE, MAINE, AUGUST 11, 1

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THE METHOD OF NATURI

GENTLEMEN,

LET us exchange congratulations on the ments and the promises of this literary a sary. The land we live in has no inte dear, if it knew its want, as the fit conse of days of reason and thought. Where no vision, the people perish. The scho the priests of that thought which establis foundations of the earth. No matter their special work or profession, they st the spiritual interest of the world, and common calamity if they neglect their p country where the material interest is dominant as it is in America. We hea thing too much of the results of ma commerce, and the useful arts. We are and a fickle folk. Avarice, hesitation, a

ndreds in the community acquire in trade, or the incessant expansions of our population d arts, enchants the eyes of all the rest; the ck of one is the hope of thousands, and the ibe acts like the neighborhood of a gold mine impoverish the farm, the school, the church, e house, and the very body and feature of

an.

I do not wish to look with sour aspect at the dustrious manufacturing village, or the mart of mmerce. I love the music of the water-wheel; value the railway; I feel the pride which the ght of a ship inspires; I look on trade and ery mechanical craft as education also. But

me discriminate what is precious herein. here is in each of these works an act of invenon, an intellectual step, or short series of steps ken; that act or step is the spiritual act; all e rest is mere repetition of the same a thousand nes. And I will not be deceived into admiring e routine of handicrafts and mechanics, how lendid soever the result, any more than I adire the routine of the scholars or clerical class. nat splendid results ensue from the labors of 1pid men, is the fruit of higher laws than their ill, and the routine is not to be praised for it. would not have the laborer sacrificed to the

to my convenience and pride, nor to t great class of such as me. Let there b cotton and better men. The weaver sho be bereaved of his superiority to his w his knowledge that the product or the sk no value, except so far as it embodies his prerogatives. If I see nothing to admir unit, shall I admire a million units? Me in awe of the city, but do not honor any ual citizen; and are continually yielding dazzling result of numbers, that whi would never yield to the solitary exar any one.

Whilst the multitude of men degra other, and give currency to desponding d the scholar must be a bringer of hope, al reinforce man against himself. I somet lieve that our literary anniversaries will p assume a greater importance, as the eyes open to their capabilities. Here, a nev distinctions, a new order of ideas, prevai we set a bound to the respectability of and a bound to the pretensions of the the church. The bigot must cease to be to-day. Into our charmed circle, powe enter; and the sturdiest defender of exi stitutions feels the terrific inflammability