330 WRITINGS OF JOSEPH HENRY. [1854 



direct it. Hence charlatanism and the various dishonest 

 efforts to gain notorietj' rather than a true reputation — so 

 frequently observed. Knowledge has arrived at such a stage 

 of advancement that a division of labor in regard to it is 

 necessary. No one can be learned in all the branches of 

 human thought; and the reputation of an individual there- 

 fore ought to rest on the appreciation of his character by 

 the few — comparatively, who have cultivated the same field 

 with himself But these are not generally the dispensers of 

 favor, and consequentl}' he who aspires to wealth or influence 

 seeks not their approbation, but the commendation and 

 applause of the multitude. It is impossible that those who 

 are actively engaged in the business of life should have time 

 for profound thought. They must receive their knowledge, 

 as it were, at second hand; but they are not content under 

 our present system of education with the position of students ; 

 they naturally aspire to that of teachers; and every one 

 who has learned the rudiments of literature or science be- 

 comes ambitious of authorship and impatient for popular 

 applause. Knowledge in this way becomes less and less 

 profound in proportion to its diffusion. In such a condition 

 of things it is possible that the directing power of an age 

 may become less and less intelligent as it becomes more 

 authoritative, and that the world may be actually declining 

 in what constitutes real moral, and intellectual greatness, 

 while to the superficial observer it appears to be in a state 

 of rapid advance. I do not affirm that this is the case at 

 present. I am merely pointing out tendencies. 



The present is emphatically a reading age; but who will 

 venture to say that it is proportionately a thinking age? 

 The sum of positive knowledge is embraced in but few books, 

 and small would be the library necessary to contain the 

 essence of all that is known. We read too much and 

 too quickly to read understandingly. The world is gorged 

 with intellectual food, and healthful digestion is compara- 

 tively unknown. Too many books are published ; I do not 

 mean to say that too many standard works are printed, but 

 by far too many silly, superficial, and bad books are sent 



