ORIENTALS AT VIENNA. 493 



value in connection with the problem of weather-prediction, if periodic 

 solar changes of a less marked character have been detected which 

 have no recognizable bearing on weather-changes, what can be hoped 

 from the recognition of solar changes still more recondite in their na- 

 ture ? It is incredible that the complex phenomena involved in me- 

 teorological relations regarded as a whole, those phenomena which are 

 but just discernibly affected by the great sun-spot period, should re- 

 spond to changes altogether insignificant even when compared with 

 the development and decay of a single small sun-spot. It appears to 

 me, therefore, that it is the duty of the true lover of science to indi- 

 cate the futility of the promises which have been mistakenly held out ; 

 for it cannot be to the credit of science, or ultimately to its advantage, 

 if government assistance be obtained on false pretences for any branch 

 of scientific research. 



-*-*- 



OKIENTALS AT VIEMA. 



THE anticipations with regard to the appearance made by Orien- 

 tals at Vienna will be realized to the full, and doubtless the 

 contact between the East and West will prove of mutual advantage. 

 In fact, the peculiarly happy situation of the Austrian capital has not 

 only given this Exhibition its distinctive character, but has developed 

 its proportions in a degree that has falsified all the original calcula- 

 tions. It soon became evident that circumstances would take it out 

 of the category of those which had preceded it ; that it might open 

 new markets which were practically limitless, and that it would throw 

 new and valuable lights upon hackneyed and familiar subjects. It 

 was seen that it would reproduce, on an immeasurably greater scale, 

 such cosmopolitan gatherings of traders as assembled at the great fairs 

 of Leipsic or Nijni-Novgorod ; that it would drag into open day the 

 rarer contents of Oriental bazaars, and expose them side by side with 

 the goods produced in Western manufactories and sold by Western 

 shopkeepers. There would be unrivalled opportunities of making 

 comparisons and drawing conclusions, of learning practical lessons and 

 exploding antiquated prejudices. So it seems likely to prove; nor 

 will either half of the world have much reason to triumph over the 

 other. We need not advertise the wonders of our Western civiliza- 

 tion. If we are not much in the way of boasting of them as against 

 the benighted East, it is simply because we enjoy the serene self-com- 

 placency of indisputable superiority. To a certain extent we are jus- 

 tified by the results of a rapidly-accelerating progress, which shows 

 itself in the swift growth of our material prosperity. We work at the 

 highest pressure ; we invoke science to our assistance, and foster a 

 restless rivalry that drives invention forward at express speed ; we 



