244 



SCIENCE. 



[Vol. II., No. 29. 



of -ive.ilth. are necessilios which are a curse to those 

 ■(Villi high idi-als, but a ble>siMg to that portion of the 

 ■n-oriil wliidi has neither the ability nor the taste for 

 higher pursuits. 



As thn applications of science multiply, living be- 

 comes easier, the weaitli necessary for the purchase 

 of apparatus can bi ttcr be obtained, and the pursuit 

 of (liber things heside the necessities of life becomes 

 possible. 



But the moral qualities must also be cultivated in 

 proportion to the wealth of the country, before much 

 can be done in pure science. The successful sculptor 

 or painter naturally attains to wealth through the le- 

 gitimate work of liis profession. Tlie novelist, the 

 poet, the mu-iciiin, all have wealth before them as 

 the end of a succes>ful career. But the scientist and 

 the maiheinatician have no such incentive to work: 

 they must earn their living by other pur^uits, usually 

 teaching, and only devnte their surplus time to the 

 true pursuit of their science. And frequently, by the 

 small salary which they receive, by the lack of in- 

 strumental and literary facilities, by the mental 

 atmosphere in which they exist, and, luost of all, by 

 their low ideals of life, they aie led to devote their 

 stirpliis time to applied science or to other means of 

 increasing their fortune. How shall we, then, honor 

 the few, the very few, who, in spite of all difficulties, 

 have kept their eyes fixed on the goal, and have stead- 

 ily worked for pure science, givingto the world a most 

 precious donation, which has borne fruit in our 

 greater knowleilge of the universe and in the applica- 

 tions to oin- physical life which have enriched thou- 

 sands aiul benefited each one of us ? There are also 

 those who have every facility for the pursuit of science, 

 who have an ample salary and every appliance for 

 work, yet who devote themselves to commercial work, 

 to testifying in courts of law,and to any other work to 

 increase their present large income. Such men would 

 be respectable if they gave up the name of professor, 

 and took that of consulting chemists or physicists. 

 And such men are needed in the community. But 

 for a man to occupy the professor's chair in a promi- 

 nent college, and, by his energy and ability in the 

 commercial applications of his science, stand before 

 the local community in a prominent manner, and be- 

 come the newspaper exponent of his science, is a dis- 

 grace both to him and his college. It is the death- 

 blow to science in that region. Call him by bis proper 

 name, and he becomes at once a useful member of the 

 community. Put in his place a man who shall by 

 precept and example cultivate his science, and how 

 different is the result! Young men, looking forward 

 into the world for something to do, see before them 

 this high and noble life, and they see that there is 

 something more honorable than the accumulation of 

 wealth. They are thus led to devote their lives to 

 similar pursuits, and they lumor the professor who has 

 drawn them to something higher than they might 

 otherwise have aspired to reach. 



I do not wish to be misunderstood in this matter. 

 It is no disgrace to make money by an invention, or 

 otherwise, or to do commercial scientific work under 

 some circumstances. But let pure science be the aim 



of those in the chairs of professors, and so prominently 

 the aim that there can be no mistake. If our aim in 

 life is wealth, let us hone^tly engage in commercial 

 pursuits, and compete with others for its posses>ion. 

 But if we c'lioose a life which we consider higher, let 

 us live up to it, taking wealth or poverty as it may 

 chance to come to us, but letting neither turn us 

 aside from our pursuit. 



The work of teaching may absorb the energies of 

 many; and, indeed, this is the excuse given by most 

 for not doing any scientific work. But there is an (dd 

 saying, that where there is a will there is a way. Few 

 professors do as much teaching or lecturing as the 

 German professors, who are also noted for their elab- 

 orate papers in the scientific joiu-nals. I myself 

 have been burdened down with woi k. ami know what 

 it is; and yet I here assert that all can find time for 

 scientific research if Ihey desire it. But here, again, 

 that curse of our country, mediocrity, is upon us. 

 Our colleges and universities seldom call for first-class 

 men of reputation, and 1 have even heard the trustee 

 of a well-known college assert that no professor should 

 engage in research because of the time wasted ! I was 

 glad to see, soon after, by tbe call of a prominent scien- 

 tist to that college, that the majority of the trustees 

 did not agree with him. 



That teaching is important, goes without saying. A 

 successful teacher is to be respected; but if he does 

 not lead his scholars to that which is highest, is he not 

 blameworthy ? We are, then, to look to the colleges 

 and universities of the land for most of the work in 

 pure science which is done. Let us therefore exam- 

 ine these latter, and see what the prospect is. 



One, whom perhaps we may here style a practical 

 follower of Ruskin, has stated that while in this 

 country he was variously designated by the title of 

 captain, colonel, and professor. The story may or 

 may not be true, but we all know enough of the cus- 

 toms of our countrymen not to dispute it on general 

 principles. All men are born equal: some men are 

 captains, colonels, and professors, and therefore all 

 men are such. The logic is conclusive ; and tbe same 

 kind of logic seems to have been applied to our 

 schools, colleges, and universities. I have before me 

 the report of the commissioner of education for 18S0. 

 According to that report, there were 380,1 or say, in 

 round numbers, 400 institutions, calling themselves 

 colleges or universities, in our covmtry! We may 

 well exclaim that ours is a great country, having 

 more than the whole world beside. The fact is suf- 

 ficient. The whole earth would hardly support such 

 a number of first-class institutions. Tbe curse of 

 mediocrity must be upon them, to swarm in such 

 numbers. They must be a cloud of mosquitoes, in- 

 stead of eagles as they profess. And this becomes 

 evident on further analysis. About one-third aspire 

 to the name of university; and I note one called by 

 that name which has two professors arul IS students, 

 and another having three teachers and 12 students! 

 And these instances are not unique, for the number 

 of small institutions and schools which call them- 

 selves universities is very great. It is difficult to 

 1 364 reported on, and 25 not reported. 



