314 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. IV. No. 88. 



of the recent Jubilee Celebration (printed in 

 Science, IV., p. 68) appears to be very unfortu- 

 nate. Lord Kelvin said finely : 



" But when I think how infinitely little is all that I 

 have done I cannot feel pride ; I only see the great 

 kindness of my scientific comrades and all of my 

 friends in crediting me for so much. One word char- 

 acterizes the most strenuous of the efforts for the ad- 

 vancement of science that I have made perseveriugly 

 during 55 years ; that word is failure. I know no 

 more of electric and magnetic force or of the relation 

 between ether, electricity and ponderable matter, or 

 of chemical affinity, than I knew and tried to teach 

 my students of natural philosophy 50 years ago in my 

 first session as professor. Something of sadness must 

 come of failure ; but in the pursuit of science inborn 

 necessity to make the effort brings with it much of 

 the ceriaminis gaudia, and saves the naturalist from 

 being wholly miserable, perhaps even allows him to 

 be fairly happy, in his daily work. And what splendid 

 comiDensation for philosophical failures we have had 

 in the admirable discoveries by observation and ex- 

 periment on the properties of matter, and in the ex- 

 quisitely beneficent applications of science to the use 

 of mankind with which these 50 years have so 

 abounded !" 



We are informed that this is ' a false note ' 

 and ' false sentiment. ' We are told that Lord 

 Kelvin ought to have said : 



' ' Science in my day has been most prolific of bless- 

 ing to mankind; it is proceeding apace with its 

 appointed task of enabling men to understand for 

 X)ractical purposes the world in which they live, and 

 what shall be the limit to its achievements in that 

 direction no one can foretell. As to the ' riddle of 

 the universe, ' of which we sometimes hear, that lies 

 beyond its ken; only when thought ceases to be 

 conditioned will that riddle — not be read but — dis- 

 appear. ' ' 



Lord Kelvin has doubtless also read Mr. 

 Spencer's works, and in any case M^as not re- 

 gretting that he had not seen the Holy Grail 

 by means of fasting or 10 grs. of hashish. It 

 was a fine thing to acknowledge in the presence 

 of those who had gathered to celebrate his 

 contributions to science and invention that he 

 had failed to learn what he most desired to 

 teach 'the relation, between ether, electricity 

 and ponderable matter.' We remember the 

 reply of the savant when asked a certain ques- 

 tion, "Madame, I do not know." "Then what 

 is the use of your science?" " Madame, to be 

 able to answer, ' I do not know. ' ' ' 



UNIVERSITY AND EDUCATIONAL NEWS. 



The chemical laboratory building at the Uni- 

 versity of Illinois was destroyed by fire on Au- 

 gust 17th. The building was three stories high 

 above the basement and contained five labora- 

 tories. It was one of the largest and best of its 

 kind in the country and was erected at a cost 

 of $40,000. The fittings, apparatus and sup- 

 plies are estimated to have brought the entire 

 value to $75,000. The Scientific American, from 

 which we take this item, states that it is sup- 

 posed that the laboratory was struck by light- 

 ning, but it seems possible that this, like the 

 recent fire, in the Harvard chemical laboratory, 

 may have been due to spontaneous combustion 

 of chemicals. 



It is commonly supposed that Princeton is ' a 

 rich man's college.' The authorities of the 

 University have,, however, issued a pamphlet 

 entitled ' The Cost of an Education at Prince- 

 ton,' showing that of 54 honor men nearly 

 three-fourths expended only $500 or less an- 

 nually, and nearly one-half $400 a year or less. 



According to the N. Y. Evening Post the 

 Marquis of Bute has signified his intention of 

 contributing £10,000 to the University of South 

 Wales, to be applied to the purposes of technical 

 education in Wales. The Drapers' Company 

 has also promised £10,000 towards the fund for 

 providing new buildings, and the British gov- 

 ernment has promised £20,000 on condition 

 that an equal amount be raised by public sub- 

 scriptions. 



We learn from Nature that the Technical 

 Education Board of the London County Council 

 has addressed a letter to the Councils of Uni- 

 versity and King's Colleges on the subject of 

 the financial assistance to these institutions 

 during the forthcoming session. It is pointed 

 out in this letter that the Board cannot under- 

 take to ensure regular annual grants towards 

 either of these colleges. It is further recom- 

 mended that the Councils of the two colleges 

 should confer together before making any ap- 

 plication for assistance, with a view of coordi- 

 nating the work now specially carried on in 

 connection with Oriental languages. A question 

 has been raised regarding King's College, as to 



