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in other languages, nor to make discoveries in art 

 and science which shall lengthen human life, alle- 

 viate its ills, or add to its comforts. 



But in every line upon those old marbles there is 

 the record of a thought, and whatever its value or 

 worthlessness, they wish to throw its light on the 

 great background of human history. It is the 

 rch for thought that leads men on, and dignifies 

 the labor among the mounds of Nineveh ; that re- 

 ins it from the charge of childish folly, and 

 makes each new discovery a matter of universal 

 interest. 



To make such investigations is natural to man. 

 Whatever gives evidence of thought, he wishes to 

 understand. The field of thought is the home of a 

 thinking being, the home of man in his highest and 

 noblest state. 



No exhibition of thought, unless connected with 

 evil associations, can ever be regarded by him as 

 useless. The very law of his intellectual being for- 

 bids it. He may not have so far analyzed his in- 

 tellectual powers as to know why he is impelled to 

 this or that investigation in nature. He may not 

 be able to give a satisfactory answer to the one who 

 demands the use of his study. But he knows there 

 i> a use, as he knows food strengthens his body, 

 although he may be in happy ignorance of such an 

 organ as a stomach, and have no knowledge of the 

 peculiar office of carbon and nitrogen compounds. 

 He cannot tell how the food acts, but he goes on 

 eating, for his appetite demands it. In satisfying 



