AN

ADDRESS,

PUBLICLIBRARY

P 27265

ASTOR LENOX AND :
TILDEN FOUNDATIONS
1898

DELIVERED BEFORE THE

Massachusetts Charitable Mechanic Association,

OCTOBER 7TH, 1824,

BEING

THE ANNIVERSARY FOR THE CHOICE OF OFFICERS,

[at]

AND THE SIXTH

TRIENNIAL CELEBRATION

OF THEIR

PUBLIC FESTIVAL.

BY ALPHEUS CARY.

"Industry! rough power!

Whom labour still attends, and sweat, and pain;

Yet the kind source of every gentle art,

And all the soft civility of life."

Thomson.

BOSTON:

MUNROE AND FRANCIS, 128 WASHINGTON-STREET,

Corner of Water-Street.

✩ MASS. HIST. SOO.

MASSACHUSETTS CHARITABLE MECHANIC ASSO

CIATION.

In Faneuil-Hall, Oct. 7, 1824.

JUTED, that the Thanks of this Association be presented to Mr. ALPHEUS CARY, for his excellent Address this day delivered, and that he be requested to furnish a copy for the press.

Voted, that the President, Vice-President and Treasurer be a Committee to carry the above vote into effect.

Sir,

TO MR. ALPHEUS CARY.

In compliance with the foregoing vote, the undersigned with much pleasure present you the thanks of the Association, for your excellent Address, pronounced before them on the 7th instant, and solicit a copy thereof for the press. In discharging this duty, they cannot forbear to express the high gratification, which they individually experienced in listening to your Address, and the assurance with which they have the honour to be Your friends and obdt. servants,

I have received your communication of the 9th instant, containing the thanks of our Association, and requesting a copy of the Address delivered by me, at our late triennial celebration, for the press. In complying with that request, I have only to add that the pleasure, I have received from the flattering testimonials of your approbation, would have been greatly enhanced, did I believe they were merited. The necessary avocations of a laborious profession, have afforded me little leisure for reading or reflection: relying however on the candour and liberality of my brethren, I cheerfully submit the address to their disposal: and with sentiments of perfect respect and esteem for them, and for yourselves individually, subscribe myself, truly your friend and humble servant, ALPHEUS CARY.

S. Perkins, J. Jenkins, J. Lovering, Esqrs.

PUBLIC LIBRARY
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ASTOR, PERQX. AND.
TILDEN FOUNDATIO!

188:

ADDRESS.

MY RESPECTED BRETHREN,

THE occasion, on which we are this day assembled, is one peculiarly interesting in its character. It is one, calculated to call into exercise the intellectual and the generous feelings of our nature.

Forgetting, awhile, the cares and the toils incident to our several occupations, we meet here, to mingle our sympathies ;-to offer up on the altar of friendship and benevolence, the holiest affections of the human heart.

And what would be the worth of human existence,

without the exercise of those affections? The cold misanthrope, whose heart never vibrated to the touch of sympathy, and who views with stoical indifference every thing that passes around him, may be incapable of estimating the value of institutions of a philanthropic character.

Not so is it, I trust, with the intelligent and respectable auditory which now listens to me. I would fain believe there is no one in this numerous assembly, who does not rejoice that he lives in an age when the spirit of improvement has gone forth; when associations are formed and cherished, for promoting the happiness of our race, by aiding the progress of all those arts which support and adorn civilized society.

In an especial manner have we, my brethren, reason to rejoice, that we live in a country whose free institutions and enlightened system of policy give us such preeminent advantages over those of our class in the despotic nations of Europe. And let us not

be unmindful of our obligations to that Beneficent

Being, who has endowed us with capacities, physical, 80 ,

:intellectual and moral, to enjoy our inestimable
Priyileges

.
your
humble

organ on this auspicious occasion,
permit me to solicit your attention, while I address
you on the nature and objects of our association.
Although, as its name imports, it is a charitable in-
stitution, yet there are other objects of high import-
ance, connected with its interests, to which I deem
it my duty, at the present time, to allude. One of
those objects is, to stimulate genius, and bring into
exercise mechanical skill; thus producing an hon-
ourable competition among the members of the va-
rious mechanical professions.

On former occasions, premiums have been awarded for new and useful inventions, and for superior specimens of workmanship; and although the government of our association, in their wisdom, have thought proper to discontinue them for the present, yet I trust the time is not far distant, when we shall find sufficient inducements to renew them, with more encouraging prospects of success.

Although the powers of mind requisite to excel
in mechanics may not be of that etherial cast, pecu-
liar to the poet and the belles-lettres scholar ;-
although the plodding philosopher, and ingenious
mechanician, may not be able, by the brilliancy of

.
his fancy, the poignancy of his wit, or the enchant-
ing music of his periods, to excite that enthusiastic
admiration, which often accompanies mere literary
merit, yet the results of his labours are not the less
important, nor the less beneficial to mankind.

Genius, when devoted to useful purposes, should
be honoured and encouraged, wherever it is found.
This divine power, “ without which judgment is cold
and knowledge is inert; that energy, which collects,
combines, amplifies and animates," whether posses-
sed by a poet, who, like SHAKSPEARE or Milton, soars

с LIN

aloft into the regions of fancy and imagination, or like Newton or LA-PLACE, penetrates into the profoundest depths of philosophical and mechanical science, is entitled to receive the homage of our highest respect.

It was this which inspired the immortal ArchimEDES,4 the father of mechanics, when he produced those great inventions so useful to mankind, and which cast such a lustre on his name, and on the country which gave him birth.

It was this, which inspired the great GALILEO, when, bursting asunder the shackles imposed by the superstition of the age, his original and powerful mind demonstrated the superiority of true science and sound philosophy, over the dreams and dogmas of visionary theorists and ecclesiastical bigots. It was this, which enabled the illustrious FRANK

to draw from t'ne clouds of Heaven the electric fire, and to make those other discoveries in philosophical and political science, which have placed him by the side of the first philosophers and politicians of his time. It was this, which gave to ARKWRIGHT his for

, tune and his fame ;-and enabled him to confer on his country one of the greatest benefits ever derived from human ingenuity.

It was this, which enabled Watt, and the no less celebrated Fulton, amid all those difficulties and discouragements which are usually attendant upon new experiments, to triumph over every obstacle, and to effect those astonishing improvements in the application of steam, which have proved of such incalculable advantage to the world.

Genius of the highest order, it is true, it is the lot of few to possess. Those superior minds which occasionally appear among us, to enlighten and improve the world, are rare; their visits are like those of angels, “ few and far between:" but this

F