330 LIFE OF BENJAMIN SILLIMAN. 



the time of its publication between England and the 

 United States. His "Travels in Canada" was also pe 

 rused with like interest ; and, from its first appearance till 

 the present time, I have been a constant reader of the 

 " American Journal of Science," and from each succeeding 

 number have derived instruction and pleasure. 



The first time I saw Professor Silliman was on the occa 

 sion of a visit to New Haven in 1830. I need scarcely say 

 that although I had formed an exalted opinion of his char 

 acter, he more than realized, in personal appearance, in gen 

 eral bearing, and in fascination of manner, the high ideal 

 which I had conceived of him. He exercised, at that time, 

 a wide and commanding influence on the science of the 

 country, gave dignity to its pursuit, was the eloquent ex 

 pounder of its principles, the able advocate of its impor 

 tance, and its defender against the denunciation of zealous, 

 though narrow-minded theologians ; and that too with an 

 humble and devout acceptance of the essential truths of 

 Revelation. The highest generalizations of science, though 

 of inestimable value in the way of the classification, the 

 prediction, and in some cases of the control of the opera 

 tions of Nature, are yet but approximations to truth, pro 

 visionally adopted, and continually subject to modification 

 and restatement with the progress of discovery, and the 

 ever-widening horizon of knowledge ; while the proposi 

 tions of Revelation, although so plain in their moral bear 

 ing, that the " wayfaring man, though a fool, need not 

 err," in their scientific aspect require, for elucidation and 

 proper interpretation, the most profound learning of the 

 past, and all the lights which the present and the future 

 can afford. In such a condition of affairs, surely humility 

 and tolerance are both required in order to a harmonious 

 cooperation of religion and science in the great work of 

 human improvement. 



He was the first to introduce in this country public lec 

 tures illustrated by experiments on a scale of magnitude, 



