468 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



make a pretty fair showing, perhaps, because of the great facilities 

 for research offered by our surveys and exploring expeditions. The 

 newness of our country has also been of advantage to our zoologists, 

 who have not failed to improve their opportunities. But in chemistry 

 and physics, the two sciences most intimately connected with our 

 greater industries, we have accomplished very little. 



Several causes have combined to bring about this state of affairs. 

 There is native ability enough in America to carry on work of the 

 highest order, but inducements and opportunities have been lacking. 

 The labor of developing new regions, of building up commerce, manu- 

 factures, and agriculture, of constructing railroads, bridges, and tele- 

 graphs, has diverted public attention from matters apparently of a 

 more abstract and less immediately practical character. Material 

 necessities have taken a natural precedence of intellectual wants. 

 Now, having laid our foundations, we begin to think seriously about 

 the fiflure superstructure. 



But apart from all these drawbacks to Amei'ican scientific growth, 

 there is yet another of almost equal magnitude. This is to be found 

 in the system (or rather lack of system) which has shaped our higher 

 education. Our country is dotted over with a multitude of so-called 

 colleges and universities, which have sprung up, not in response to 

 any well-defined necessity, not under the developing influence of 

 broad and clear ideas, generous culture, and wise motives, but because 

 of personal ambition, sectarian jealousy, or petty local pride. States 

 have conferred charters almost indiscriminately, without reason or 

 forethought. Any body of trustees, no matter how ignorant or how 

 foolish, has had but to ask for university powers, and the request has 

 been granted. Incapacity on their part, or injudiciousness in their 

 plans, has seemed to offer no impediments. This policy may be 

 democratic, but it certainly is not wise. Its chief result must inva- 

 riably be to degrade the standard of education. A college or uni- 

 versity charter should be issued only with extreme care, and to fully 

 responsible persons. It ought to demand compliance with certain 

 rigid conditions, and should be forfeited whenever the institution 

 holding it falls below the proper standards. But the mischief has been 

 done, and science has suffered. Let us see how. 



In order that science may flourish in any community, several 

 things are needful. There must be a general appreciation of its true 

 value to the world, a clear understanding by men of culture as to the 

 best means for its promotion, facilities for both study and research, 

 and suitable inducements to attract intellectual labor. No matter 

 how able and enthusiastic an investigator may be, he can do little 

 without apparatus or specimens, encouragement, and the means of 

 support. Indeed, the last-named, or bread-and-butter element, is a 

 very important feature of the problem. The human brain is a market- 

 able commodity, at the service of the best-paying master. Payment 



