272 



THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



dogmatism," and its critic declares that he 

 "can not resist the feeling that our profess- 

 or has a great contempt for the poor." 



Frofessor Sumner is charged with con- 

 travening alike the dictates of Christianity 

 and the impulses of humanity in the views 

 he presents, but such a charge is clearly 

 groundless. For, if anything is established 

 by the widest experience, it is that Christian 

 philanthropy and benevolent impulse re- 

 quire a good deal better guidance than they 

 have hitherto had. Instinctive sympathy is 

 not enough, and it is simply notorious that 

 indiscriminate charity does more harm than 

 good. The more the subject is looked into, 

 the greater is the accumulation of proof 

 that benevolence and generosity, if not ex- 

 ercised with intelligent caution, work wide- 

 spread mischievous effects. What we need, 

 therefore, is a clearer understanding of the 

 principles of the subject ; and he who helps 

 us to these may claim to be the most truly 

 Christian and humane, because he shows us 

 how to secure the most permanently benefi- 

 cent ends. In spite of the literary cant about 

 " Gradgrind," and the " dismal science," 

 what we want most urgently are facts and 

 their rational interpretations. Professor 

 Sumner has been accused of an unfeeling 

 indifference to the trials of the helpless and 

 unfortunate, and of recommending the hard 

 and selfish policy of looking out for one's 

 self and neglecting those who need assist- 

 ance. But this is a wholly unjust impu- 

 tation. What he demands is simply that 

 aid shall be given with a good deal mo<re 

 discrimination than is customary, and only 

 where the giver is certain that he will not 

 make matters worse by his charity. He 

 never says that men in society owe nothing 

 to each other, but he is very decided in the 

 conviction that no class owes to another 

 class that which will injure it. What they 

 owe to each other are mutual guarantees of 

 the opportunity to earn, possess, and enjoy, 

 and do the best for themselves without in- 

 terference or impediment. He says : 



" The only help which is generally expe- 

 dient, even within the limits of the private 

 and personal relations of two persons to 

 each other, is that which consists in help- 

 ing a man to help himself. This always 

 consists in opening the chances. A man of 

 assured position can, by an effort which is 



of no appreciable importance to him, give 

 aid which is of incalculable value to a man 

 who is all ready to make his own career, if 

 he can only get a chance." But " the aid 

 which helps a man to help himself is not 

 in the least akin to the aid which is given in 

 charity." 



But it is best to let Professor Sumner 

 speak more fully for himself, and we accord- 

 ingly give some extracts from his book in an- 

 other part of the " Monthly." We have to 

 apologize to the author for the fragmentary 

 representation of his thoughts, but the read- 

 er can repair that by getting the book. 



First Annual Report of the Board of 

 Control of the New York State Ex- 

 periment Station. For 1882. Pp. 156. 



The grounds of the station are situated 

 near Geneva, and embrace one hundred and 

 twenty- five acres. The object of the institu- 

 tion is understood to be to ascertain, verify, 

 and group facts the knowledge of which shall 

 assist the farmer in carrying on his busi- 

 ness. Its duties also comprise the dissemi- 

 nation of information ; and for this pur- 

 pose the director has published weekly bul- 

 letins of the progress of the experiments 

 which were sent to newspapers, to the direct- 

 ors of other stations, and to men identified 

 with agricultural progress. Special effort 

 has been made to instruct visitors, and every 

 intelligent visitor has brought information 

 of value to the station. The investigations 

 have had a practical rather than a theoret- 

 ically-scientific bearing. As represented in 

 the report, they have had a wide scope, and 

 involve an immense number of details. 



Fifth Annual Report of the State Board 

 of Health of the State of Connecti- 

 cut. Hartford : Case, Lockwood & 

 Brainard Company. Pp. 128. 



The report is for the fiscal year ending 

 November 30, 1882. It includes several 

 valuable papers on subjects of theoretical 

 and practical sanitation. Among the most 

 interesting topics discussed is that of the 

 progress of epidemic and intermittent fever 

 in Connecticut and other parts of New Eng- 

 land, concerning which Dr. G. H.Wilson con- 

 tributes a very suggestive paper, and the 

 secretary's report embodies many valuable 

 facts. 



