32 Public Parks. 



HOW FAR MAN CAN MODIFY CLIMATE. 



Marsh, in his work on "Man and Nature," says: "The influ- 

 ence of man in changing the climate and the physical condition of a 

 country needs no argument to substantiate." Withdraw man, and 

 you remove the disturber of all laws. People must be " awakened 

 to the necessity of restoring the disturbed harmonies of nature, where 

 well-balanced influences are so propitious to all her organic off"- 

 spring, of repaying to our great mother the debt which the prodigality 

 and thriftlessness of former generations have imposed upon their 

 successors — thus fulfilling the command of religion and of practical 

 wisdom, to use this world as not abusing it." He further says : 

 " I am satisfied that we can become the architects of our own abiding 

 place, as it is well known how the mode of our physical, moral, and 

 intellectual being is affected by the character of the home Providence 

 has appointed, and we have fashioned for our material habitation." 



Such is undoubtedly the case, and it becomes our duty to restore, 

 as far as possible, this harmony, which is destroj'ed by the accumu- 

 lation of such a mass of human beings, as are now congregated in 

 and around this city. The collection of many people in a small 

 space, no matter for what purpose, is unnatural and artificial. It is 

 therefore necessary, in order to prevent the ill effects of such accu- 

 mulations, to resort to artificial means to equalize the disturbing 

 agencies. Will we then intelligently use what knowledge we have, 

 and avert the result, or fold our hands, and depend upon blind 

 chance, bearing in mind, however, that 



" Death lives where power lives unused." 



In the discussion of the questions involved, in order to arrive at 

 satisfactory results, it is necessary to examine into all its aspects and 

 relations systematically ; and when conclusions are arrived at, their 

 application must be made in like manner, in order to produce the 

 desired result. 



"Science," says Whewell, "is that precise and comprehensive 

 kind of knowledge which results from the application to facts, which 

 are sufficientl}'^ numerous, of conceptions clear and distinct in them- 

 selves, and so suited to the facts as to produce an exact and uniform 

 accordance ; and the construction of science is a process which 

 comprises methods of observation, methods of obtaining clear ideas, 

 and methods of induction."* " Science," says Lord Bacon, evidently 

 following the definition of Pliny, "is the interpretation of nature," 



* Bain on the Senses and the Intellect 



