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On Naval Timber and Arboriculture / With Critical Notes on Authors who have Recently Treated the Subject of Planting cover

On Naval Timber and Arboriculture / With Critical Notes on Authors who have Recently Treated the Subject of Planting

Chapter 40: NOTE D, p. 4.
By Patrick Matthew
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The work examines the selection, cultivation, and management of forest trees for shipbuilding and related arboriculture, combining practical guidance on forming planks and timbers, recognizing suitable British species, and techniques for pruning, nursery practice, planting, and preventing rot—especially in larch. It surveys dimensions and shapes needed for vessel construction, soil and drainage considerations, and methods to encourage desirable tree forms. The author also connects arboricultural practice to national maritime policy, arguing for trade reforms and better naval provisioning, and offers critical reviews of contemporary planting manuals and their recommendations.

NOTE D, p. 4.

Our milder moods, benevolence, gentleness, contemplation—our refinement in sentiment—our “lovely dreams of peace and joy,” have negative weight in the balance of national strength. The rougher excitement of hatred, ambition, pride, patriotism, and the more selfish passions, is necessary to the full and strong development of our active powers. That Britain is leaving the impress of her energy and morality on a considerable portion of the world, is owing to her having first borne fire and sword over these countries: the husbandman tears up the glebe, with all its covering of weeds and flowers, before he commit his good seed to the earth. Life and death—good and evil—pleasure and pain, are the principles of impulse to the scheme or machine of nature, as heat and cold are to the steam-engine, thus moving in necessary alternate dependence. Our moral sense, our perception and love of good, could not exist without the knowledge of evil; yet, we shudder at the truth of evil being part and portion of nature.