Glenbuchat Heritage

6 Callam Essay, Printing Press or Mariners Compass

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John Callam of Newton’s presentation to the Glenbucket Mutual Improvement Class c 1850.
Whether is the printing press or the Mariners compass of greater benefit to the Nation

Mr C(Chair). man and F(Friends) in speaking of the advantages derived from the P. P.( Printing Press/) and M. C.( Marine Compass) I would say there are great benefits arises from each of these by the M C one Nation is brought as it were to be companions and neighbours to another by it the mariner guides his ship on the face of the mighty deep and explores regions before unknown the whole earth as it were is brought into one society the merchant bringeth his treasures from afar our clothing that constitutes so much for the comfort of our bodies is brought by is the from the shores of foreign lands our wines and our oils our comforts treasures and our luxuries are all brought by the act of the C. to make up our pleasures and comforts.

On the other hand the P. P. develops much in so far that it constitutes to the improvement of the moral and intellectual faculties which without it could never have arrived at the perfection they are it is an established fact that before the P commenced the morals of the nation at large were in a state of barbarism and lay like an uncultured field and would have remained so if the P. P. had not come to their assistance we can retire to our closets and by the aid of P. we can know what has been transacted in the different quarters of the globe we can converse with Kings and make princes companions the labouring class could never have attained to that rank in society they now hold because they could never have known their power without the use of books which they were not able to purchase on account of their scarcity and value but now by the P.P. they are brought in the grasp of the public.