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THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



we find those whoso natural bent is in 

 this direction, and who, by early prepa- 

 ration and life-long discipline in this 

 difficult field, can reach that standard 

 of perfection which science now re- 

 quires, and which it will continue 

 more and more to exact. But when 

 we take the larger view of the value 

 of observational training, which re- 

 gards it as nothing less than bringing 

 the general mind into right relations 

 with Nature, art, man, and all the ob- 

 jects and interests around us, of which 

 we are compelled to form judgments, 

 the claims of special science are at 

 once subordinated to the grander re- 

 quirements of humanity. Or perhaps it 

 would be more correct to say that sci- 

 ence is itself to be so widened and en- 

 larged as to take control of this fun- 

 damental work of education. Until 

 scientific education recognizes this as 

 its first and great task, it will assured- 

 ly fall short of its highest duty. 



DEATH OF MR. GREELEY. 



One of the greatest personalities of 

 our country has just passed away. We 

 have little to add to the strain of eulogy 

 that has been heard in all parts of the 

 land, concerning the life and character 

 of the late Mr. Geekley. That he has 

 filled a large space in public attention 

 for the past generation, is of little mo- 

 ment; that he has exerted an exten- 

 sive influence for good upon the Amer- 

 ican people during that long period, 

 entitles his name to be written high in 

 the rolls of public honor. He is to be 

 gratefully remembered, net because of 

 his large capacities and extensive in- 

 fluence, but because he used his pow- 

 ers in the best service of his fellow- 

 men. He ever worked* in the direction 

 of social amelioration and public im- 

 provement. Believing in the power 

 of ideas, the value of knowledge, and 

 the vital need of general education, and 

 that the progress of society is an in- 

 ternal constructive work of its citizens, 



depending upon virtue, industry, and 

 intelligence, he established a journal 

 dedicated to these objects, and devel- 

 oped it into a great and powerful in- 

 stitution for moulding the public mind, 

 and elevating the public character. 

 For thousands of families scattered all 

 over this land, the newspaper founded 

 by Mr. Greeley has played the part of 

 a people's university arousing and 

 stimulating multitudes of the young 

 to enter upon the work of self-improve- 

 ment, or to seek instruction in acade- 

 mies, high-schools, or colleges. Of all 

 this it is superfluous to speak, as its 

 living witnesses may be everywhere 

 met, while the public press has done 

 full justice to the magnitude and salu- 

 tary influence of Mr. Greeley's work. 

 But, there is one point in regard to 

 his mental character upon which a few 

 words may not be here out of place. 

 Mr. Greeley made the most of his op- 

 portunities of self-education. He read 

 widely in critical literature, and at- 

 tained a mastership of his own lan- 

 guage which but few of the largest 

 opportunities of culture have equalled. 

 It has been customary, with many, to 

 lament that Mr. Greeley was without 

 the advantages of a regular collegiate 

 course of study. But he was never 

 much troubled by this alleged deficien- 

 cy. He saw too much of the influence 

 of our colleges in turning out waste 

 acquisitions, unavailable faculty, and 

 capacities unadapted to the times, to 

 regret very deeply that he had not 

 been exposed to the same peril. This 

 has been often attributed to the igno- 

 rant egotism of the self-made man, but, 

 we think, very erroneously; for Mr. 

 Greeley did have his profound regrets 

 at his own mental shortcomings and 

 defective culture. He deplored the cir- 

 cumstances of his early life, which gave 

 him no chance to acquire the rudiments 

 of science. TVe have often heard hira 

 express deep and painful regret that 

 there was no one to guide his child- 

 hood in the direction of observing and 





