ON THE STUDY OF PHYSICS. 225 



practical astronomer. It is not until the man withdraws 

 from his calculation, as a painter from his work, and thus 

 realizes the great idea oil which he has been engaged, that 

 imagination and wonder are excited. There is, 1 admit, a 

 possible danger here. If the arithmetical processes of 

 science be too exclusively pursued, they may impair the im- 

 agination, and thus the study of Physics is open to the same 

 objection as philological, theological, or political studies, 

 when carried to excess. But even in this case, the injury 

 done is to the investigator himself: it does not reach the 

 mass of mankind. Indeed, the conceptions furnished by 

 his cold, unimaginative reckonings may furnish themes for 

 the poet, and excite in the highest degree that sentiment of 

 wonder which, notwithstanding all its foolish vagaries, table- 

 turning included, I, for rny part, should be sorry to see 

 banished from the world. 



I have thus far dwelt upon the study of Physics as an 

 agent of intellectual culture; but like other things in 

 Nature, this study subserves more than a single end. Tile 

 colors of the clouds delight the eye, and, no doubt, accom- 

 plish moral purposes also, but the self-same clouds hold 

 within their fleeces the moisture by which our fields are 

 rendered fruitful. The sunbeams excite our interest and 

 invite our investigation; but they also extend their benefi- 

 cent influences to our fruits and corn, and thus accomplish 

 not only intellectual ends, but minister, at the same time, 

 to our material necessities. And so it is with scientific re- 

 search. While the love of science is a sufficient incentive 

 to the pursuit of science, and the investigator, in the pros- 

 ecution of his inquiries, is raised above all material con- 

 siderations, the results of his labors may exercise a potent 

 influence upon the physical condition of the community. 

 This is the arrangement of Nature, and not that of the scien- 

 tific investigator himself; for he usually pursues his object 

 without regard to its practical applications. 



And let him who is dazzled by such applications who 

 sees in the steam-engine and the electric telegraph the 

 highest embodiment of human genius and the only legiti- 

 mate object of scientific research, beware of prescribing 

 conditions to the investigator. Let him beware of attempt- 

 ing to substitute for that simple love with which the votary 

 of science pursues his task, the calculations of what he is 

 pleased to call utility. The professed utilitarian is unfor- 



