Blacksmiths

Tlie Phrenohgieal Journal has a curious articlo on blacksmiths, in which thoy ai viewed from a new point. It rogareis the blacksiuith as a princo of mecluinics. 1 1 is at once an artist and machinist. He who can mould a statuej having in his mind tho imago, whilo th clay is yet bnt a rude mass, and köows how to reiiiun: the excrescent parts, and mould tho mass int o the requisito forras, has tho name talent -svhioh tho black.-iuilli guires, whq withdra'wVfrom tho forge the liimiufí bar oí metal, and is required to muuHl it with his hammer irito the deearedshape. This sliapo must radst in hie mimi as the statue does in the mind oí the Bculptor, and though the fact of repeatod blows seems :i ruae wáy of workmg cmt-his artistioal tbotight, it is only so becauso his metal i leBB mui1 tlmn thé plastio clay. We oomtend fchat wh oever can bo s first-class blacksmith could bc also an artist in clay and maible. But tho blncksmitli, in order to ceduoe the finu motal to tlio fonn n1quired, must have pnuscle, gtreagtb, cxecutiveness, resolution, thoroughness, power, and, if we inight say it, tlie elenicnts of iiiKiioss joiiied with thr elementa of coarseness ; tho olements of biste with tho elementa of sticiigth. A first-class blacksmith rfiquirea to bo a first-class man ; anl thooRh' his face be blockoncd and his hands hard, be wil] generally bo found with a fine, rërang liraiit.