OF EDUCATION 89 



tude of European civilization toward science at the 

 beginning of the seventeenth century. 



In still earlier times scientific men did not dare to 

 teach publicly at all ; but at the close of life left the 

 result of their study in writing, as a legacy to the 

 world, when they had passed beyond the reach of its 

 cruelty. 



In every age of the world's history, millions upon 

 millions of human beings have perished from lack of 

 knowledge ; yet, in every age, knowledge has been 

 met as an intruder in the world. Had the spirit of 

 toleration which is now, slowly, but surely gaining a 

 place in modern society, ruled in ages past, instead 

 of the intolerance which has so hindered the increase 

 and diffusion of knowledge, might not the light which 

 once shone in Alexandria, the birth-place of real 

 science and scientific methods — might not the wis- 

 dom of Eratosthenes, Hipparchus, Hero, Euclid and 

 a hundred other immortal names which there found 

 a place under the fostering care of the illustrious 

 Ptolemies, have come down the centuries with in- 

 creasing power, to illuminate the long night of ig- 

 norance through which the world has passed ? 



The mission of science is just begun. It has had 

 but here and there a solitary disciple ; yet it has 

 helped us much in our remote interests. Our im- 

 mediate and greatest interests can be regulated only 



