ON THE STUDY OF PHYSICS 311 



imagination, 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 fur- 

 nished 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 my 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. 

 The colors of the clouds delight the eye, and, no doubt, 

 accomplish 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 

 beneficent influences to our fruits and corn, and thus ac- 

 complish, not only intellectual ends, but minister, at the 

 same time, to our material necessities. And so it is with 

 scientific research. While the love of science is a suffi- 

 cient incentive to the pursuit of science, and the investi- 

 gator, in the prosecution of his inquiries, is raised above 

 all material considerations, 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 scientific 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 



