REPORT ON THE HENRY STATUE. XXIX 



a lucky accident, like the drawing of a prize in a lottery. It was not 

 so with those who retraced the successive steps of close observation, of 

 sagacious interpretation, of boundless invention, of ingenious construc- 

 tion, of patient trial, of loving sympathy, which preceded this single 

 achievement, and all of which combined lifted at once this youth, hith- 

 erto unknown, into the rank of the most eminent discoverers, brilliant 

 as was iheir company then and since. This achievement was not soli- 

 tary. It was quickly followed by others almost as fruitful as the parent 

 discovery. Conspicuous among these were the possible and certain 

 application of the electro-magnetic power to distant communication, by 

 the alternate lifting and dropping of the armature, moving as a lever, 

 when conjoined with the indefinite linear extension and multiplied 

 intensification of the subtile and enormous agency. Herein was dis- 

 covered the scientific secret and the assured prophecy of telegraph and' 

 telephone, with their wonders of written language and audible speech. 

 From Albany, in the year 1832, Professor Henry was transferred to 

 Princeton, through the wise sagacity of our honored associate, Rev. 

 President John Maclean, and the generous and cordial recommendations 

 of some of the most honored leaders of American science. The step was 

 a bold one, and might seem almost rash, to transfer to a college a man 

 who had himself lacked the breadth of early culture and the discipline 

 and acquisitions of scientific thought which the college curriculum is sup- 

 posed to give. His insight into nature's secrets might seem to be mag- 

 ical ; but for this very reason could he share these secrets with his pupils ? 

 Would not the very swiftness of his own processes of thought disqual- 

 ify him from imparting them to others? Would not the lightning 

 rapidity with which, as a discoverer, he had leaped from indication to 

 theory, and combined probabilities into evidence, hinder him from dis- 

 cerning that there were any steps in the process or any articulation in 

 the proofs! Whatever misgivings of this sort there might have been — 

 and the failures of many eminent scientists have proved that they were 

 not without reason — were all set aside by his acknowledged skill as an 

 instructor at Albany and his pre-eminent success at Princeton. Not 

 only did he give himself to instruction with exemplary zeal and pains- 

 taking, but he studied the theory of teaching as he studied electro- 

 magnetism, by reflecting upon its conditions and laws, and using wise 

 experiments in concrete applications. He did more. He used his 

 special studies as examples of general philosophical inquiry, whatever 

 might be the subject-matter, and sought by means of these to introduce 

 his pupils to the theory of inductive research and the nature of scien- 

 tific evidence, however these should be applied. This was a subject 

 which he had ever at heart — the discipline of the mind to a true philo- 

 sophic method, as the best preparation and security for sound science, 

 clear insight, strong convictions, and practical wisdom. But he was 

 none the less but rather the more active and enterprising in his favor- 

 ite studies, a living and inspiring example of scientific ardor, of wake- 



