288 A Century of Science 



In commemorating the fiftieth anniversary of the 

 incorporation of Cambridge as a city, a retrospect 

 of the half century is needful ; but we shall find 

 it pleasant to go farther back, and start with a 

 glimpse of the beginnings of our town. 



I came near saying &quot; humble beginnings ; &quot; it is 

 a stock phrase, and perhaps savours of tautology, 

 since beginnings are apt to be humble as compared 

 with long-matured results. But an adjective which 

 better suits the beginnings of our Cambridge is 

 &quot; dignified.&quot; Circumstances of dignity attended 

 the selection of this spot upon the bank of Charles 

 River as the site of a town, and there was some 

 thing peculiarly dignified in the circumstances of 

 the change of vocation which determined the 

 change in its name. The story is a very different 

 one from that of the founding of towns in the Old 

 World, in the semi-barbarous times when the art of 

 nation-making was in its infancy. In those earlier 

 ages, it was only through prolonged warfare against 

 enemies nearly equal in prowess and resources 

 that a free political life could be maintained ; and 

 it was only after numberless crude experiments 

 that nations could be formed in which political 

 rights could be efficiently preserved for the people. 

 All the training that such long ages of turbulence 

 could impart had been gained by our forefathers 



