A PLEA FOR PURE SCIENCE. iS; 



science in our country may possibly be attributed to the youth of the 

 country; but a direct tax, to prevent the growth of our country in 

 that subject, cannot be looked upon as other than a deep disgrace. I 

 refer to the duty upon foreign books and periodicals. In our science, 

 no books above elementary ones have ever been published, or are likely 

 to be published, in this country; and yet every teacher in physics 

 must have them, not only in the college library, but on his own shelves, 

 and must pay the government of this country to allow him to use a 

 portion of his small salary to buy that which is to do good to the 

 whole country. All freedom of intercourse which is necessary to foster 

 our growing science is thus broken off; and that which might, in time, 

 relieve our country of its mediocrity, is nipped in the bud by our 

 government, which is most liberal when appealed to directly on sci- 

 entific subjects. 



One would think that books in foreign languages might be ad- 

 mitted free; but to please the half-dozen or so workmen w^ho reprint 

 German books, not scientific, our free intercourse with that country is 

 cut off. Our scientific associations and societies must make themselves 

 heard in this matter, and show those in authority how the matter 

 stands. 



In conclusion, let me say once more, that I do not believe that our 

 country is to remain long in its present position. The science of 

 physics, in whose applications our country glories, is to arise among 

 us, and make us respected by the nations of the world. Such a 

 prophecy may seem rash with regard to a nation which does not yet do 

 enough physical work to support a physical journal. But we do know 

 the speed with which we advance in this country: we see cities spring- 

 ing up in a night, and other wonders performed at an unprecedented 

 rate. And now we see physical laboratories being built, we see a great 

 demand for thoroughly trained physicists, who have not shirked their 

 mathematics, both as professors and in so-called practical life; and 

 perhaps we have the feeling, common to all true Americans, that our 

 country is going forward to a glorious future, when we shall lead the 

 world in the strife for intellectual prizes as we now do in the strife for 

 w^ealth. 



But if this is to be so, we must not aim low. The problems of the 

 universe cannot be solved without labor: they cannot be attacked with- 

 out the proper intellectual as well as physical tools; and no physicist 

 need expect to go far without his mathematics. No one expects a horse 

 to win in a great and long race who has not been properly trained ; and 

 it would be folly to attempt to win with one, however pure his blood 

 and high his pedigree, without it. The problems we solve are more 

 difficult than any race: the highest intellect cannot hope to succeed 

 without proper preparation. The great prizes are reserved for the 



