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there seems to be a natural tendency in " capital " to accumulate in the 

 hands of a few who already possess an abundance, and to leave those 

 who have little — so it is with science. The great men become greater, 

 for they have more to think of, examine, and explain ; but the small 

 men become smaller, for they lean on the minds of others. The 

 majority prefer to learn the results that others have arrived at, rather 

 than examine the soundness of the reasonings and the correctness of 

 the conclusions. A system of mental " cramming " is a substitute for 

 thought ; and a place in the memory is considered equivalent to a 

 place iu the understanding. When so much has to be learned, atten- 

 tion is not paid to learning well. Every one who styles himself a 

 "professor "demands and receives implicit confidence, and the charlatan 

 has an authority equal to, if not greater, than the real philosopher. If 

 a new system is promulgated by a forward man, which, after being 

 examined, is opposed by sounder heads, he and his disciples shelter 

 themselves under the idea that as Harvey and Jenuer were decried in 

 their day, so they, by being similarly attacked, are placed on the same 

 level with those illustrious men. 



If it were not that general observation showed us that a love of the 

 marvellous was a common failing in mankind, we might well express 

 surprise that a mysterious cause is always assumed whenever any 

 unusual phenomenon occurs, instead of a common and well-known 

 agency. Tlius, ten people all lay their hands on a table with a wish 

 that it shall move in a certain direction, and yet a will not to push it, 

 and when they see it move in the intended manner they assume at once 

 that it is started by some previously unknown law of magnetism, rather 

 than by their ivish being stronger than their ivill. So general was the 

 belief in a new force that Faraday took steps to demonstrate its absurdity, 

 and yet, in spite of his experimental proofs, there are still vast numbers 

 who refuse credence to them, and these (some of whom I know) are 

 considered men of sound common sense. A ring suspended by a silken 

 thread passed over the thumb, the elbow resting on the table, is found 

 to vibrate in a certain direction, even though the hand is supposed to 

 be still. It would be easy to explain this, by pointing out that the 

 thumb was moved at every beat of the pulse, and to try what the effect 

 would be by steadying the thumb on a solid support ; but that would 

 be too simple. A new force must be looked for, aud we see men of 

 genius finding it at once, giving it the curious name of Od, or the 

 odyllic force. 



But this is not all. If a "professor" comes before us, declaring 

 that he does certain things by a certain agency or power, we investigate 

 his pretensions, we satisfy ourselves of his facts, we find ourselves 



D 



