LECTURES. 93 



SUBSTANCE OF A LECTURE DELIVERED AT THE SMITH- 

 SONIAN INSTITUTION ON A COLLECTION OF THE 

 CHARTS AND MAPS OF AMERICA. 



BY J. G. KOHL. 



The fact that individuals often neglect one part of their education 

 whilst they cultivate another excites in us no particular attention, 

 because it is so very common. But that the colossal being which, 

 with its innumerable heads, and eyes, and hands, seems to approach 

 omniscience, and which we call human society, should commit a simi- 

 lar oversight with regard to the objects of intellectual culture, seems 

 truly extraordinary ; especially must it excite surprise that, at a time 

 when the whole gigantic tree of science is full of active life and all its 

 branches bear flowers or fruits, there should be any single off-shoot 

 which, amid the general expansion, is left untended, and remains 

 consequently leafless and blossomless. 



It is strange, I say — it seems perhaps incredible, but still it is an 

 undoubted fact — that there is in the life of the human race, and of 

 society, taking it as a whole, always much of the blindness and one- 

 sidedness of an individual. Like an individual, it has its pre-occupa- 

 tions and predilections ; like an individual, an entire age is fettered 

 by a peculiar custom or fashion ; like an individual, it is forgetful ; 

 and like an individual, it suddenly calls to mind something which it 

 had not thought of for a thousand years. The progress of the human 

 race in science and civilization is sometimes by fits and starts, instead 

 of advancing, as would be worthy of such a dignified body, with a 

 slow, even, and majestic movement, like the rising of the sun. 



At one period poetry and the arts flourish, and predominate over 

 science. So, too, among the different arts and sciences each one has 

 its epoch. They never culminate at one and the same period. There 

 is always one that enjoys especial favor, while others are neglected. 



It cannot be denied that there has from the beginning been some- 

 thing that was called geography ; but it has been a plant of very 

 tardy growth. So far as it was not a part of astronomy it was at best 

 always considered as a handmaid to other sciences, and had never that 

 noble independence of which it is susceptible. Even yet, geography 

 is far from its culminating point. But we may predict for it better 

 days. In our time, at least, some distinguished men have better de- 

 fined its formerly vague limits, have organized and disciplined it, 

 have shown what it is capable of doing, and have made us suspect 

 that the thorough knowledge of our globe, which is the theatre of all 

 human performance, must be the basis of historical as well as moral 

 science ; that geography, rightly understood, is not to be considered 

 merely as the humble assistant and follower of the sciences, but rather 

 as the guide or governor of them all. 



