22 INFLUENCE OF LITTLE THINGS. 



ture of these minute animals as John MiiUer wouhl of that of the hu- 

 man body. 



Prof. Gurld read an article on the twin foetus of a goat, which had 

 grown together back to back. He showed finely executed drawings of 

 the animals and of their anatomy. When he had concluded, the other 

 members added some remarks and this led to the subject of the Siamese 

 twins. Some of them inquired whether these were still living. I an- 

 swered the question and gave them the history of these twins since their 

 arrival in our country. I also mentioned the report of their marriage 

 to two sisters in North Carolina. This excited much surprise and led 

 to many additional and curious questions. 



Some other short dissertations were read by members and thus the 

 evening was delightfully and profitably spent. The meeting was not 

 conducted with any formality, but each member spoke when he pleased 

 without observing any order, and more than one good illustrative anec- 

 <lote was told. The whole was more like a parlor conversation than a 

 scientific meeting and this imparted an additional charm to the whole. — 

 The Professors laid aside tlie starched dignity of the lecture room and 

 unbent themselves without any reserve. They were by themselves and 

 did not even suspect there " was a chiel amang 'em takin' notes. " It 

 was a delightful re-union and among the many pleasant rerainisenccs of 

 Berlin — this meeting is one of the most interesting. 



I do not think these learned gentlemen in general, talk as well as 

 our Americans of the same class. They pay much less attention to the 

 manner than the matter. They do not appear to have the ambition that 

 we have, to talk %vell^ to aim at fluency, energy and excellence of dic- 

 tion in common conversation. From no small intercourse with the cul- 

 tivated classes of various nations, I tliink no men on earth talk so well, 

 J mean so fluently, coirectly and pointedly^ as our educated countrymen. 



iNFLUEXCE OF UTTI.E THINGS. 



IIow frequently has it happened that a single thought or a casual oc- 

 currence exciting inquiry has led to some of the greatest discoveries and 

 most splendid inventions. Some of the most valuable philosophical truths 

 have been suggested by the simplest events. Copernicus had heard that 

 one of the Greek philosophers believed that the earth revolved on its 

 axis every twenty-four hours, and performed its revolution round the 

 sun in the course of a year. The remark had l)een read again and again 

 by others before Copernicus, but was doubtless regarded as a wild hy- 

 pothesis. He made it a material of his thoughts to work upon, and the 



