INFLUENCE OF INTERNATIONAL ENCOURAGEMENT. 287 



motto, " Provando e Eiprovand " (By trying, and trying 

 again).' l 



The time is fast approaching when the various civilised 

 nations of the earth will join together to aid original 

 research to a very much larger extent than they have 

 hitherto done. ' That by such combinations of commu- 

 nities of men, even with their present powers, results 

 may be obtained which at present appear impossible, or 

 inconceivable, we may find reason to believe, looking at 

 what has already been done, or planned as attainable 

 by such means, in the promotion of knowledge and the 

 extension of man's intellectual empire. The greatest dis- 

 covery ever made, the discovery by Newton of the laws 

 which regulate the motions of the cosmical system, has 

 been carried to its present state of completeness only by 

 the united efforts of all the most intellectual nations upon 

 earth, in addition to vast labours of individuals and of 

 smaller societies, voluntarily associated for the purpose. 

 Astronomical observatories have been established in every 

 land, scientific voyages, and expeditions for the purpose of 

 observation, wherever they could throw light upon the 

 theory, have been sent forth, costly instruments have been 

 constructed, achievements of discovery have been rewarded, 

 and all nations have shown a ready sympathy with every 

 attempt to forward this part of knowledge. Yet the 

 largest and wisest plans for the extension of human know- 

 ledge in other provinces by like means have remained 

 hitherto almost entirely unexecuted, and have been treated 

 as mere dreams. The exhortations of Francis Bacon to 

 men, to seek, by such means, an elevation of their intel- 

 lectual condition have been assented to in words, but his 



1 Address of Professor De Eccher. Conferences : Special Scientific 

 Loan Collection, London, 1876, p. 131. 



