EVOLUTION OK THP: SOIENTIFIO INVESTIGATOU. 231 



in tlie experinuMits tlioy were conducted in o2)en session of the 

 academy, thus o-uui'din<>- ag-ainst the (hing'er of any one member ob- 

 taining- for his exclusive personal use a possible elixer of life. A 

 wide rang(» of the animal and vegetable kingdom, including cats, 

 dogs, and birds of various species, were thus analyzed. The practice 

 of dissection was introduced on a large scale. That of the cadaver 

 of an elephant occujiied scA'eral sessions, and was of such interest that 

 The monarch himself was a spectator. 



To the same epoch with the formation and Hi'st work of these two 

 l)odies belongs the invention of a nuithematical method which in its 

 imj)ortance to the adxance of exact science may l)e classed with the 

 invention of the al|)habet in its relation to the progress of society 

 at large. The use of algebi-aic symbols to re])resent ({uantities had 

 its origin before the connnencement of the new era. and graduidly 

 grew into a highly dexcloped form during the first two centuries 

 of that era. liut this method could re[)resenl (piantities only as (!xed. 

 It is true that the elasticity inherent in the use of such symbols per- 

 mitted of their l)eing a|)i)lied to any and evi'ry (luantity; yet, in any 

 one ap[)liciit ion, the (jiiantity was considei'ed as lixe(| and definite. 

 But most of the magnitudes of natui'e are in a state of continual vain- 

 ation: indeed, since all motion is vai'iation, the latter is a iniiversal 

 chai'acteristic of all phent)niena. No serious ad\ance coidd be made 

 in the ai)})lication of algebraic language to the expression of j)hvsic:!l 

 phenomena until it could be so extended as to expi-ess variation in 

 ([uantities, as well as the (|uantities themselves. This extension, 

 worked out iiulependently by Newton and Leibnitz, may be classed 

 as the most fruitful of concej)tions in exact science. A\ itii it the way 

 was opened foi" the nnimpe(I(Ml and continually accelerated progress 

 of the two last centuries. 



The feature of this period which has the closest relation to the 

 purpose of our coming together is the seemingly luiending sub- 

 division of knowledge into specialties, many of which are becoming 

 so minute and so isolated that they seem to lunc no interest for any 

 but their few pui'suers. Happily science itself has a Horded a cor- 

 rective for its own tendency in this direction. The careful thinker 

 will see that in these seemingly divei'ging branches connnon elements 

 and connnon principles ai'c coming more and more to light. 'Idiere 

 is an increasing recognition of methods of research and of deduction 

 which are connnon to large branches or to the whole of science. W(^ 

 are more and nu)re I'ecognizing the i)rinciple that j)rogi'ess in knowb 

 (Mlge implies its reduction to more exact forms, and (he expression 

 of its ideas in language more or less mathematical. The probl<'m 

 before the oi'ganizers of this congress was, thend'ore, to bring (he 

 sciences together and seek for the unity which wc bclie\c iindcilies 

 their infinite diversity. 



