208
A IjUAK KUOM MY HAN1MIOOK OK THIS '' CliNTKNNMAI.."
VOL. VII,
(table. Who lias not felt nobler aspira
tions arise within him while looking at a
beautiful painting, or contemplating a no.
ble character, portrayed by a master
hand? Is it a weakness to shed tears
over true pathos? No. The mind that
produced it must have fell similar emo
tions. Nor are we carefully to avoid all
intluences of joy and sorrow that may
originate in our own lives. The mind is
thus led on to higher, nobler views of exis
tence, and better prepared for its stern
battle. The soul comes forth from its sea
sons of grief sweeter and purer, ami, like
the llowcr after rain, springs into new
beauty and activity.
Passion, that knows no master is a fear
ful thing; but when controlled by reason
and purity, a powerful instrument for
good. AiruvuiiANH.
A LEAF FROM MY HAND-BOOK OF
THE "CENTENNIAL."
I have not chosen that leaf which re.
calls a bautiful day spent in the more
beautiful Memorial Hall, amid the splen
dor of Fine Art, as perhaps most would
have done, but have recalled the gloomi
est day in all that memorable season.
The 25th of October is indeed a cheerless
day; too dark for beauty; we will visit
Machinery Hall and see the exhibition of
power.
I shall omit all descriptions of the
form and dimentions of the building
which must be familiar to all, and note
only a few of the impressions, which a
close study of the mechanical inventions
creates. Humanity follows the general
law of gravity, and we move at once to
the great Corliss Engine. There it stands
majestic, and solemn, and still, until 8:!10
o'clock, the time for it to begin the day's
work. Around it is a space of twenty feet
or more in which a number of seats arc
placed. Here are gathered ti few hundred
people, pleasure seekers, moat of them cv
ideally unused to the occupation, waiting
for the great cngiuo to start. What n
spectacle! Hardly a face but is as
gloomy as that of nature. Scarcoly a
word is spoken and not the faintest trace
of the emotion of pleasure is to bo seen,
except in the workmen who whistle and
sing as they rub the sides and joints of
the huge monster preparing him for his
breakfast of coal and water. Pesently a
hiss, rind the great wheel, an hundred feet
in circumference, begins to move. Mark
the change ot countcnace in the spectators.
A thrill comes up from the floor as it
trembles with the power of the great en
gine. Faces brighten, ever yone turns to
his friend with smiles and pleasant words.
Nature's gloomy influence is chased away
by this king of man's invention. How
like a living thing it seems, as the walk
ing beams, like huge arms move up and
down with steady motion. And it seems
to reflect something of the character of
Mr. Corliss, as it appeared when lie took
the lirst decided stand in the controversy
over opening the " grounds" on Sabbath
days, and said: "Open them on Sunday
if you will, but my engine shall not move."
This engine furnishes the power to run
all the machines on exhibition here. One
after another the belts of the various ma
chines arc slipped to their places, and
eacli answers to the call of the master, in
its own peculiar language, until a babel
of voices is heard. There, is a kind of
sublime music in this din of clashing
metal. The engine itself thunders forth a
deep thorough base. The numerous
scroll saws which carve out curiosities
for polite visitors who have a quarter; the
improved Fire-Engincs, as they madly
throw great jets of water toward each
oilier from opposite sides of an artificial
pond; the grcal Printing Press, as it rat
lies off fac-similcs of the political organs
of '70, witli the voices from an hundred
other great inventions, make up a grand
chorus in honor of American progress.
A kind of awe steals over one as he exam
incs some of these complicated machines
witli their innumerable shafts nnd wheels
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