HISTORY. 347 



HISTORY. 



Fox, Dixon R., Columbia University, New York, N. Y. Completion of the 

 work of the late Professor H. L. Osgood toward an institutional history of the 

 American Colonies during the period of the French wars. (For previous 

 reports see Year Books Nos. 11-17.) 



The nature of the work assigned to me as Research Associate of the 

 Institution is such that only a report of general progress can be made. 

 My task is to prepare Professor Osgood's manuscript for the press. I 

 have worked at this intermittently during the ^dnter and since, and 

 have filled in the notes of about one and one-half volumes. There are 

 many alternative readings to be decided, parts indicated to be changed, 

 copies to check, and all references to be verified. Upon this last Pro- 

 fessor Osgood was very insistent, and though the work is not a little 

 laborious for the four volumes, I expect that it, as well as the other 

 necessary tasks, can be done during the coming academic year. 



Professor Frank W. Pitman, of Yale University, has about finished 

 a supplementary chapter for the work, entitled "The British system 

 in the West Indies." This will round out Professor Osgood's plan as 

 nearly as we can. 



Sarton, George, Washington, District of Columbia. Associate in the History 

 of Science. 



Dr. Sarton' s connection with the Institution began on July 1, 1918. 

 He submits the following in explanation of his work and as a general 

 introduction to his subsequent reports : 



The purpose of the history of science is to establish the genesis and 

 the development of scientific ideas, taking into account all the intel- 

 lectual exchanges and all influences brought into play by the progress 

 of civilization. When increasing specialization is the very condition of 

 success, it becomes essential that at least a few men study the general- 

 ities of each branch of science, so as to be able to define clearly the rela- 

 tion of each part to all others. Technicians do not want to know any 

 but the latest results; yet to understand the true meaning of science 

 and to take a broad view of the whole, one must needs look backward 

 and take into account the whole experience of the past. It is only the 

 historian of science who can do this. 



To harmonize contentions between scientists on the one hand and 

 men of letters and art on the other, it is necessary to show the inner 

 life of science and its relations to all other human activities, to explain 

 not simply its usefulness, but also its greatness and its beauty. The 

 history of science thus becomes a much-needed link between science 

 and the humanities. It helps us to reconcile the love of beauty with 

 the love of truth, idealism with knowledge. W"e need both equally. 



