INSTRUMENTS AND METHODS OF RESEARCH 189 



With the growth of the scientific spirit grows the love of truth, and with 

 the love of truth in the abstract comes the love of accuracy in the concrete. 



Our foremost English dictionaries are in general not any more 

 satisfying or edifying regarding the precise meaning of " research " 

 in the scientific sense than are the standard encyclopedias. Their 

 illustrations of the use of the word are usually neither apt nor suffi- 

 ciently comprehensive. 



How MAT WE SHARPEN OUR SENSES? 



Of the senses, sight plays the greatest part in investigation. To 

 this organ we have thus far devoted most attention to supplement 

 and increase its natural powers by mechanical means — the telescope, 

 microscope, etc. Next would rank the sense of hearing; but the ap- 

 pliances for increasing our sensations in this respect are compara- 

 tively few, and still more is this the case with regard to the senses 

 of taste, smell and touch. 



Yet what truly wonderful powers of touch are developed by the 

 blind, and how extraordinary are the capabilities of certain animals 

 for foretelling the distant approach of a deadly foe by the means of 

 hearing or of smell ! There are well-authenticated cases on record 

 where animals unquestionably appear to have " felt " the coming of a 

 great natural catastrophe, like an earthquake, several hours before any 

 human being had the same knowledge. 



Might not man also, to his advantage, increase or stimulate his 

 less-used senses in some manner, to the same degree or approxi- 

 mately so, as that of sight? If he did, is it not possible that thereby 

 he might have perceptions which would materially assist him in solv- 

 ing some of the vexed riddles of the universe? May he not, for lack, 

 of proper development of these senses, be in much the same plight 

 as the " six men of Indoostan to learning much inclined who went to see 

 the elephant, though all of them were blind"? 



If there is some possibility in this direction, how about the power 

 of stimulating or interpreting our muscle sensations, the sensations 

 of heat and cold, of pain, of pleasure, etc. ? Efforts have been made, 

 as you know, to trace a definite connection between certain atmospheric 

 phenomena and bodily sensations, or between the impelling motives 

 to commit suicide or other crimes and certain meteorological condi- 

 tions. Likewise are there attempts by well-known men of science 

 to sharpen and interpret the psychic sensations. 



There is revealed here a field of research but little explored as yet 

 — the increase of our powers of perception along other lines than" 

 chiefly those of sight. No one can foretell the future possibilities in 

 these directions. 



The doctrine of evolution teaches the result of long-discontinued 



