248 FIRESIDE SCIENCE. 



tific discovery. We are whirled past these great 

 events as our planet is whirled through the inter- 

 planetary spaces ; we know it moves with tremen- 

 dous velocity, but its motions are wholly un- 

 observed. 



The reminiscences of an experimenter and stu- 

 dent in science for a period of a third of a century 

 are always of the deepest interest, but they are not 

 always of the most pleasing character. There are 

 recollections of so many instances of the rankest 

 injustice 'done to ingenious, toiling, self-sacrificing 

 fellow-experimenters, which have sprung from jeal- 

 ousy, selfishness, or hate, that the desire is some- 

 times felt that the powers of memory might be 

 abridged at will. Many of the books in which 

 great discoveries are described and claimed have 

 the wrong names upon the title-page. So powerful 

 is the influence of prestige and great names, most 

 of these errors, we fear, will never be corrected. 



There are also recollections pf disappointments 

 and sad failures in the results of experiments ; 

 often some great truth or principle has apparently 

 been within easy grasp, when, lo ! unexpected hin- 

 drances or errors were discovered, and all our ex- 

 alted imaginings and dreams of a name immortal 

 vanished into thin air, and from a flight most lofty 

 we were compelled to gravitate down to earth 

 again. 



