1 84 POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



is required is a man of depth, who has such an insight into physical 

 science that he can tell when blows will best tell for its advancement. 



Such a grand laboratory as I describe does not exist in the world, 

 at present, for the study of physics. But no trouble has ever been 

 found in obtaining means to endow astronomical science. Everybody 

 can appreciate, to some extent, the value of an observatory; as astron- 

 omy is the simplest of scientific subjects, and has very quickly reached 

 a position where elaborate instruments and costly computations are 

 necessary to further advance. The whole domain of physics is so wide 

 that workers have hitherto found enough to do. But it cannot always 

 be so, and the time has even now arrived when such a grand laboratory 

 should be founded. Shall our country take the lead in this matter, 

 or shall we wait for foreign countries to go before? They will be built 

 in the future, but when and how is the question. 



Several institutions are now putting up laboratories for physics. 

 They are mostly for teaching, and we can expect only a comparatively 

 small amount of work from most of them. But they show progress; 

 and, if the progress be as quick in this direction as in others, we should 

 be able to see a great change before the end of our lives. 



As stated before, men are influenced by the sympathy of those with 

 whom they come in contact. It is impossible to immediately change 

 public opinion in our favor; and, indeed, we must always seek to lead 

 it, and not be guided by it. For pure science is the pioneer that must 

 not hover about cities and civilized countries, but must strike into 

 unknown forests, and climb the hitherto inaccessible mountains which 

 lead to and command a view of the promised land — the land that 

 science promises us in the future; which shall not only flow with milk 

 and honey, but shall give us a better and more glorious idea of this 

 wonderful universe. We must create a public opinion in our favor, 

 but it need not be at first the general public. We must be contented 

 to stand aside, and see the honors of the world for a time given to our 

 inferiors; and must be better contented with the approval of our own 

 consciences, and of the very few who are capable of judging our work, 

 than of the whole world beside. Let us look to the other physicists, 

 not in our own town, not in our own country, but in the whole world, 

 for the words of praise which are to encourage us, or the words of 

 blame which are to stimulate us to renewed efi'ort. For what io us is 

 the praise of the ignorant? Let us join together in the bonds of our 

 scientific societies, and encourage each other, as we are now doing, in 

 the pursuit of our favorite study; knowing that the world will some time 

 recognize our services, and knowing, also, that we constitute the most 

 important element in human progress. 



But danger is also near, even in our societies. When the average 

 tone of the society is low, when the highest honors are given to the 



