170 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



as any others ; that no social arrangements can be permanent unless 

 they harmonize with the requirements of social statics and dynamics ; 

 and that, in the nature of things, there is an arbiter whose decisions 

 execute themselves. 



But this knowledge is only to be obtained by the application of 

 the methods of investigation adopted in physical researches to the 

 investigation of the phenomena of society. Hence, I confess, I should 

 like to see one addition made to the excellent scheme of education 

 propounded for the college, in the shape of provision for the teaching 

 of sociology. For, though we are all agreed that party politics are to 

 have no place in the instruction of the college, yet in this coimtry, 

 practically governed as it is now by universal suffrage, every man who 

 does his duty must exercise political functions. And, if the evils which 

 are inseparable from the good of political liberty are to be checked, if 

 the perpetual oscillation of nations between anarchy and despotism is 

 to be rej)laced by the steady march of self -restraining freedom, it will 

 be because men will gradually bring themselves to deal with political 

 as they now deal with scientific questions ; to be as ashamed of undue 

 haste and partisan prejudice in the one case as in the other ; and to 

 believe that the machinery of society is at least as delicate as that of a 

 spinning-jenny, and not more likely to be improved by the meddling 

 of those who have not taken the trouble to master the principles of its 

 action. 



In conclusion, I am sure that I make myself the mouth-piece of all 

 present in offering to the venerable founder of the institution, which 

 now commences its beneficent career, our congratulations on the com- 

 pletion of his work ; and in expressing the conviction that the re- 

 motest posterity will point to it as a crucial instance of the wisdom 

 which natural piety leads all men to ascribe to their ancestors. 

 N'ature. 



-- 



EXPEKIMENTS "WITH THE "JUMPERS" OF MAINE.* 



By GEOEGE M. BEAED, M. D. 



ABOUT two years ago my attention was directed by my friend Mr. 

 W. A. Croffut to the fact that, in the northern part of Maine, 

 especially in the region of Moosehead Lake, there were to be found a 

 class of people who presented most incredible nervous phenomena. 



These people were called in the language of that region " Jump- 

 ers" or "Jumping Frenchmen." It was claimed that all, or most of 

 them, were of French descent and of Canadian birth, and that their 

 occupation was mainly that of lumbering in the Maine woods. Mr. 



* Read before the American Neurological Associatiou, June, 1880. 



