SKETCH OF PROFESSOR JOHN TROWBRIDGE. 839 



mental physics, entitled " The New Physics," in which modern views 

 of the great subject of physics are inculcated through the means of 

 elementary laboratory work. He has also contributed various essays 

 to the " Atlantic Monthly," one of which, entitled " The Dream of 

 Life," is an argument, ad hominem, in favor of the option of scien- 

 tific studies by students who desire to enter the university without 

 Greek. His contributions to " The Popular Science Monthly " treat 

 of various subjects, among which may be mentioned : " Science from 

 the Pulpit " ; " On the Teaching of Physics in the Secondary Schools " ; 

 " On the Use of Electric Lights for Steamships." In the latter paper, 

 Professor Trowbridge advocated the use of the electric light for a 

 head-light. Practical navigators, however, assert that such light is 

 not to be recommended, for its dazzling glare confuses the eyes of the 

 steersmen of approaching vessels. 



His address before the American Association for the Advancement 

 of Science was upon the question, "What is Electricity?" and, in 

 reading it, one can discover the directions in which the author has 

 investigated.* The life of an investigator is an arduous one ; but few 

 of the ideas which take months to investigate give Avhat are called 

 positive results. Faraday, it is true, gave to the world the history of 

 both his successful experiments and his unsuccessful ones. It is not 

 the custom, however, of later physicists to do this. Scientific litera- 

 ture is already voluminous, and this reticence of scientific men is per- 

 haps a boon to those who desire to look up any subject. With the 

 increased facilities which the new laboratory at Cambridge will give. 

 Professor Trowbridge enters upon a fresh scientific career in the prime 

 of life, and there is reason to hope that many positive results to science 

 will accrue from his future labors. 



He is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, 

 of which he was secretary from 1879 to 1884 ; he is also a member of 

 the National Academy of Sciences. He is one of the editors of the 

 "American Journal of Science." He was a member of the Interna- 

 tional Congress of Electricians which met in Paris, in 1883, and of the 

 United States Congress of Electricians which met in Philadelphia last 

 October. He was also one of the Vice-Presidents of the American As- 

 sociation for the Advancement of Science for 1884, at the Philadelphia 

 meeting. 



* See " The Popular Science Monthly " for November, 1884. 



