324 Memorial of George Bnnvu Goodc. 



The importance of promoting science as a duty of statecraft was well enough 

 known to the ancients, especially to the Greeks and Arabs, but it ceased to be recog- 

 nised in the dark ages, and was lost to sight during the revival of letters in the fif- 

 teenth and sixteenth centuries. Germany and France, which are now in such active 

 competition in promoting science, haveonly publicly acknowledged its national impor- 

 tance in recent times. Even in the last centur}', though France had its Lavoisier 

 and Germany its Leibnitz, their Governments did not know the value of science. 

 When the former was condemned to death in the Reign of Terror, a petition was 

 presented to the rulers that his life might be spared for a few weeks in order that he 

 might complete some important experiments, but the reply was, "The Republic has 

 no need of savants." Earlier in the century the umch-praised Frederick William of 

 Prussia shouted with a loud voice, during a graduation ceremony in the University 

 of Frankfort, "An ounce of mother-wit is worth a ton of university wisdom." 

 Both France and Germany are now ashamed of these utterances of their rulers, and 

 make energetic efforts to advance science with the aid of their national resources. 

 More remarkable is it to see a young nation like the United States reserving large tracts 

 of its national lands for the promotion of scientific education. In some respects this 

 young country is in advance of all European nations in joining science to its admin- 

 istrative ofiices. Its scientific publications .... are an example to other Gov- 

 ernments. The Minister of Agriculture is surrounded -with a staff of botanists and 

 chemists. The Home Secretary is aided by a special Scientific Commission to inves- 

 tigate the habits, migrations, and food of fishes, and the latter has at his disposal 

 two specialh'-constructed steamers of large tonnage. 



In the United Kingdom we are just beginning to understand the wisdom of Wash- 

 ington's farewell address to his countrymen, when he said: "Promote as an object 

 of primary importance institutions for the general diffusion of knowledge. In pro- 

 portion as the structure of a government gives force to public opinion, it is essential 

 that public opinion should be enlightened. ' ' 



APPENDIX A. 



PLAN OF A FEDERAL UNIVERSITY. 



[From the Pennsylvania Gazette, 17SS. Quoted in the Massachusetts Centinel, Saturdaj-, Novem- 

 ber 29, 17S8.] 



" Your government cannot be executed. It is too extensive for a republick. It 

 is contrary to the habits of the people," say the enemies of the Constitution of the 

 United States. However opposite to the opinions and wishes of a majority of the 

 citizens of the United vStates these declarations and predictions may be, they will 

 certainly come to pass, unless the people are prepared for our new form of govern- 

 ment, by an education adapted to the new and peculiar situation of our countr}-. — 

 To effect this great and necessary work, let one of the first acts of the new Congress 

 be, to establish within the district to be allotted for them, a Federai< university 

 into which the youth of the United States shall be received after they have finished 

 their studies, and taken degrees in the -colleges of their respective States. In this 

 University let those branches of literature only be taught, which are calculated to 

 prepare our youth for civil and publick life. These branches should be taught by 

 means of lectures, and the following arts and sciences should be the subject of them: 



I. The principles and forms of government, applied in a particular manner to the 

 explanation of every part of the constitution and laws of the United States, together 

 with the laws of nature and nations, which last slu)ul(I include everything that relates 

 to peace, war, treaties, ambassadors, and the like. 



