June 19, 1914] 



SCIENCE 



to an examination of these chief elements 

 of progress from a different point of view, 

 one which more precisely characterizes the 

 outlook of the man of science? It is this 

 latter point of view, I believe, which is 

 most suggestive of the prospect of progress 

 lying out before us. 



If we look at those general elements 

 which have characterized the principal 

 stages of development — those, namely, of 

 savagery, barbarism and civilization proper 

 • — ^we shall find that they are marked off 

 by certain leading conquests, as follows: 



During the period of savagery man was 

 winning his way to a partial conquest of 

 the world in the large. At its beginning 

 he was confined to a relatively small por- 

 tion of the earth's surface, namely, to the 

 more tropical parts. This was true for two 

 reasons: he had not yet discovered means 

 to protect himself against the more rigor- 

 ous climates; he also required to remain 

 in a region where a food supply was avail- 

 able throughout the year. During the 

 period, however, he acquired the control of 

 fire and invented the bow and arrow. He 

 thus became able to take care of himself 

 throughout a much wider portion of the 

 earth's surface, thanks to his increased 

 control over material things. 



In the next period, that of barbarism, 

 he began to bring under his control the 

 animal, vegetable and mineral kingdoms. 

 The animals were taught to do his work 

 and were kept also for a food supply. He 

 learned to cook vegetables so as to render 

 them much more palatable. Furthermore, 

 he acquired the use of iron. In all this, 

 you will observe, he was still dealing with 

 things in the large. 



During the next period, that of civiliza- 

 tion proper, there was the first adumbra- 

 tion of a control of things in the small; 

 but it was only an adumbration. It is the 

 energy of molecules which gives to the 



steam engine its power; but this engine 

 deals with them in the mass and not in the 

 small. So has it been in the control of 

 electricity attained during previous genera- 

 tions; men have not dealt with it in the 

 small. 



Thus, throughout all progress until the 

 time of the last generation, it has been 

 true that the conquests of men have been 

 over things in the large. 



There is strong reason to believe that we 

 are now entering upon a new stage of prog- 

 ress brought on by the mastery of things 

 in the small. I shall indicate briefly some 

 of those over which we are now gaining 

 such control. 



"We are no longer content to study elec- 

 tricity in the large ; we have chased it down 

 to the electron and probably even to the 

 sub-electron. We are thus in a position to 

 ,get a fresh insight into its phenomena. 

 We have studied the various rays, visible 

 and invisible, which are produced by the 

 discharge of electric particles; and by 

 means of them we have learned to photo- 

 graph the bony framework and even the 

 soft organs of the living human body. 

 Here we have begun a conquest which we 

 hope to carry on to many fundamental 

 results. 



Ordinary matter also is yielding up to 

 us a more profound secret than we have 

 ever before brought to light. This began 

 with the study of emanations from radium 

 and has been continued with a number of 

 other substances. Furthermore, we have 

 been able to strike off from atoms of vari- 

 ous kinds the electron itself and have thus 

 disclosed the intimate kinship of elements 

 which previously had been considered 

 entirely distinct. Here again we have just 

 begun a conquest which we hope to carry 

 on to many fundamental results. 



Our men of science have also entered 

 into the living organism and have begun to 



